TOPICS OF THE HOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17889, 17 September 1921, Page 4 (Supplement)

TOPICS OF THE HOUR.

BY VIVIEN.

Though there are probably many at the present time who WouljJ'Tbe ready to argue that the old saw "After the rain conies the sunshine" would be much better reversed, yet on the whole the original represents a cheerful maxim with which to face life. And probably many a dark hour has been lightened or at least made bearable by a further belief in the idea that, the bigger the storm the more dazzling will be the sunshine afterwards. Be that as it may, sunshine and gaiety certainly seem to have been the keynote of the season in Condon this summer, and with the advent of warmer days and the prospect of a long, hot summer to come Aucklanders may wety find the next few months permeated by the same joyous atmosphere.

i It remains to be seen, however, whether | one phase of this spirit of gaiety will iei veal itself here, as in London, in the form i of a strange passion for flowered cretonne j frocks and materials covered with fantastic j designs. According to an English writer, | summer fashions as represented in the streets of London this year suggested nothing so much as a crazy desire to preserve and even develop the art of camouflage originally introduced by the was Charpiing women and graceful girls appeared in garments patterned with strange and grotesque designs in the form of flowers, fruits, and even fully-detailed landscape scenes ! Frocks were fashioned out of materials characterised by bizarre effects and weird combinations, of colour, strongly reminiscent of the war disguise of battleships with their crazily-painted sides. Set off by gay Japanese umbrellas and~large parasols of brilliant design and gorgeous hue, such frocks must certainly have been unique, but could scarcely have impressed the beholder as either harmonious or restful to the eye, especially in the glare of summer sunshine.

The recent decision of t'be Education Committee of the Victoria League to revive and set in operation a system of correspondence among children in different parts of the Empire represents only ore of the innumerable quiet ' but efficient methods by means of which public-spirited men and women all over the world to-day are striving for the development of a universal spirit of brotrierhood and goodfellowship. The secretary for this, section of the work, Miss. M. B. Law, hoped .soon to have the new scheme in active operation, so that numbers of Auckland children may be linked up with other young Britishers in various, jparts of the. globe, to their mutual interest and a advantage> 'That enthusiastic co-operation .in' "the scheme is likely *b be forthcoming in other parts of the >, world is at least indicated by an interesting letter which Misfc Law recently received from a teacher in South Africa, and which furnished the names o,f prospective correspondents, .including some suggestive of Boer parentage. The fact that the school to which the writer,, is attached was originally founded in accordance with' an educational scheme initiated there by Sir George Grey should in-itself constitute a bond of interest between the pupils and Auckland children, and rio doubt the youthful correspondents will readilv find many other points of common attraction. Properly encouraged and developed, the whole scheme ought to con' stitute yet another link in the chain of empire, yefe- another step toward the attainment" of that great ideal of brotherhood which depends first and foremost upon' the development of a more generous sympathy, the encouragement of a more tolerant "viewpoint, and the promotion of a better understanding among kindred peoples and different nations alike.

Speaking at a meeting of the Civic League held in Auckland recently, the Hon. George Fowlds dwelt on the fact that in America immense sums of money were yearly spent -on the establishment and maintenance of large parks and public playgrounds, each of which formed the centre of a healthy and active community life. Throughout the world it is being more and more recognised every year that home-life is the very corner-stone of every nation. But side by side with this knowledge has grown tile conviction that in crowded and con gested city areas, where people are often herded together in one or two rooms, where a so-called "home", may be the common property of two or three families, and where private gardens are conspicuous ljy their absence, public parks and playgrounds for the children are not merely important factors in the welfare of the community, but are absolutely essential to the health and morality of crowded portions of the city. Hence " Playgrounds, and more playgrounds!" is rapidly and rightly becoming the slogan of every large city which aims at the general well-being of its people.

The extraordinary thriftiness, i.leanli- ! ness, and practical foresight of the Dutch ; people as a whole recently formed the sun- i ject of admiring comment on the part of , an English visitor in the Netherlands. I Certainly, in the minds of most household 1 "' 1 ers the very word "Dutch" has almost come to be synonymous with cleanliness, but probably few realise just how practical and thorough the people of Holland really, are in their methods. One instance of this national characteristic is afforded by the fact that every day a man with a horses' and cart calls at all the houses for rubbish, potato peelings, and other vegetable refuse, which is promptly damped Into a barge and conveyed to the country to feed pigs. Such methods, combining practical utility With a means of safeguarding public health and cleanliness, might very well be adopted by Britishers likewise.