LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15482, 13 December 1913, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

BY SfERCCTIO. The level-crossing scandal to which the Mount Albert Borough Council 'has again been directing attention suggests that something is needed to protect self-govern-ing people from their duly elected rulers. If our railways were run by a company a fatality at a crossing would result in somebody being indicted for manslaughter, and prompt orders would be issued tor the removal of the dangerous crossing. Because the railways are owned by lift State nobody can be indicted for manslaughter, and there is no authority to insist on the lines being laid with due regard to tho safety of the public. When a spark from a railway engine eels fire to a farmer's crop, the farmer has no redress because the spark was an act of State and "the King can do no wrong." If a farmer had his crop burned by a spark from a privately-owned engine he Blight, with the aid of a skilful lawyer, make a profit on the transaction; against the State be has no redress. It seems that in modem times the ancient maxim that "the King can do no wrong" is being carried too far. When the King's Ministers enter into business as railway carriers and coal dealers, they should accept on behalf of the public tho same responsibility as companies or privatelycontrolled business concerns. If wo could apply this to the Railway Department we might have a few more charges of manslaughter, but we would have fewer levelcrossing fatalities. The suburban schoolboy who _ travels free or nearly free on our railways in order to enjoy free or nearly free education in our city schools is developing luxurious tastes. Nothing but the best seats in the best carriages seem to satisfy him, and when he cannot take immediate possession by an overwhelming rush he travels too and fro through the various compartments until his fastidious taste is satisfied. Apparently ho is too conscious of his own importance to vacate' his seat even when a tired woman, looks pathetically round for some place of rest. He not only monopolises the best seats in the best second-claes carriages, but he frequently has the" assurance to invade the first-class smoking compartments, and has evidently cultivated the art of dodging the guard to a fine point. It is bad ■ enough for the schoolboy to monopolise the best carriages and the best seats, and, of course, he ought to be dealt with every time he travels in a first-class carriage on a second-class ticket, but when he adds to this Tough horseplay and loud noise it is time the authorities took steps to promptly check his vagaries. I like the Auckland schoolboy— him allround, he is a fine manly chap*—buthe ought to remember that he has not yet won tor himself the right to monopolise railway carriages, or anything else except the glorious privilege of being young and irresponsible. At one time the Auckland Agricultural Show was the greatest and sometimes the only holiday of the year for the country people v 'Die girls came out in their muslin dresses, their mothers wore the best, their fathers got into stiff collars and new boots, and they all came into the city resolved on having a reai good time. If it rained there was bitter disappointment and loud regrets. Nowadays the fanners' daughters have so,many new dresses, and the farmers' wives are certainly not dependent on one day in the year to show off their finery, so that the agricultural exhibition lias ceased to be so much of a red-letter day. The - fact of ,the matter is.that the farmer is now so much better off than ho used to be, that he can afford to take more holidays.and give his family more money to spend on' adornment. The chances are that the country people, in addition to patronising the show this year, will take on tho Exhibition as well, and probably come down later to . the races and as for dress, well, if they do not outshine their city cousins they will hold their own quite well. For the fifth time since the institution of the scholarship an Auckland candidate has been selected as. Khodes scholar for . the year. Those who are in the habit of ; preaching dolefully the doctrine of an enervating Auckland, inhabited by people bereft, through the climate, of energy, . initiative, and ambition, are faced on all sides with facts requiring much explaining away. Not least among these is the fact that no other province can equal Auckland in its record for Rhodes scholars. ..Otago has furnished four of the eleven chosen, and Wellington two, the remaining five falling to students of the Auckland University College, each one of them having previously been a pupil of the Auckland Grammar school. It ■is interesting to note also that of the five scholars, three have been country ■boys. Mr. K. Sisam is a native cf Whakatane: Bay of Plenty; Mr. A. G. Marshall was born on the Northern ; Wairoa, while the last Rhodes scholar of the quintette, Mr. W. M'. Jones, hails from Papakura. The question " What becomes of our Rhodes scholars?" is frei quently asked. Of those who have come from Auckland only one, Mr. S. N. Ziman, the first to be selected, has definitely severed his connection with Oxford. After graduating there ho sat for the • Indian Civil Service, and passing that examination with distinction he received . an- appointment in India. Of the other three, Mr. Sisam has been appointed to aa assistant lectureship in one of the colleges, while Mr. Marshall, and Mr. A. Wallace, the last to enter Oxford, are still pursuing their studies there. The impression gained of the Bishopelect of-Auckland (Dr. A. W. Avenll) during his recent short visit to the city is that of a strong man, mentally and physically. It was made evident to those who lieard him on the few occasions when he spoke in public that h goes about with his eyes open. The Bishop-elect is quite evidently an observer and a thinker; he is not afraid to express his convictions, and whilst speaking from platform or pulpit' he has the happy gift of making his utterances fit the situation. This was made abundantly clear, for instance, when Dr. Averill addressed the Maori boys of St Stephens school, his remarks being appropriate to the occasion and very much to the point. Plainly as Bishop of Auckland Dr. Averill will be a man to be reckoned with. Of all the schemes projected for giving tlie farmer "specials" a tangible recognition of their services to the city the proved medallion meets with the most lively approval on the part of those chiefly concerned. The suggested scholarships have not so many advocates amongst the farmers, but even these who favour another course realise the difficulty at hitting on the happy idea, which everybody will accept and applaud as the best possible thing in the circumstances. It is sufficient that the provision of scholarships for farmers' sons is an appropriate method of commemorating the work of , the farmers. This is not questioned even ■ by those ivbo think they know a more tv cellent way. A , correspondent writes protesting against a ban placed upon the children. He says : " Let any person set about the irksome business of house-hunting, or of searching for board and lodging, and he shall speedily learn that this is the case. Almost the first question put to him Will be: 'Have you any children ' If he should reply in the affirmative he will most frequently be met with a direct refusal to discuss the matter of .accommodation' further. Children do, one knows, occasionally break things; they are also apt to be noisy, and, alas, some of them are not well-mannered. If the, ban were only placed upon destructive children or ill-mannered children there might be something to be said for it, but while accommodation is refused to all children what is the family man to do "