LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20130, 15 December 1928, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

BT MERCOTIO.

The curtain has been rung down on a Government that in fair weather and foul Jias held its place sinco 1912. At least, it fins in one sense, though when tho bells of doom rang as tho signal for its fall last Friday, very few of those who entered office 16 years agu were there to hear the sound. Three, to bo precise. Still, in tho common way of estimating these things, it was still tho samo old Government. Now there is a new one. It will really play ■the same old role; its supporters will give it credit for all that is good in tho country, its opponents will blame it for everything about which a grievance can 'bn felt or imagined. Incidentally, since the new Cabinet was not then formed, jiubodv, presumably, can offer it praise for the very welcome and beneficial rains that started to fall on Sunday afternoon. Yet who knows whether the very dry season kit year had not something to do with tho defeat of tho lato Government? Tliero is a wholo field lor reseavch there, tho influence of climate on politics; but this is not the place to plough it. Returning to tho new company in tho centre of tho stage, with tho spotlight- playing freely over it, its hour of triumph has struck, but its troubles are just going to begin. The good old habit " leave it to tho Government " is so firpily established in this country that a mere chango-over is not going to make any difference. Tho man with a grievance, a brilliant scheme for the salvation of the country, or a moro brilliant scheme for tho improvement of his own fortunes just naturally writes to & Minister about it. Ho may havo a request that no Minister could, would or should consider for a moment. That will not prevent him from pushing it with all his might or from feeling completely resentful when it is not instantly grunted, jl'es, the troubles are ahead, ail right, .wherefore commiseration must bo mixed with congratulations on tho attainment of heart's desire.

To view the new Cabinet as pictured on appointment may inspire numbers of reflections ranging from " a magnificent body of men," "a striking array of talent " on the cno hand to " a mighty poor lot" on tho other. A great detl depends on tho point of view, or on what one had foe supper the night before. Yet what should instantly spring to mind, comparing this team with its many predecessors, is " Where aro the whiskers of yester-year V Not a single beard is to be found in the whole lot of them. Can that be said of any Cabinet that has ever functioned in New Zealand before'! The outgoing Ministers carried a couple away from the Treasury benches, and a search backward will discloso many, many more among the Hon. and Ilight Hon. •Gentlemen of the past. Only moustaches, most of them close-clipped, adorn tho new Ministerial faces, and not all of them at that. Tho fashion of facial hairJossness has grown and grown. Now it has reached a sta#» wtien oven tho grave and reverend »t*fgnors are in the same mould as tho shicks who set tho gay pace in the resorts of youth, beauty and fashion. Ah well, the clock will not bo put back. Whiskers are out-of-date. They say it is just the fashion. Perhaps it is, but the advent of the safety razor probably has much to do with it.

A young gentleman of dissolute habits got into trouble the other day for pouring a botlo of sauce over his mother. Anybody giving his parent sauee in that fashion thou Id be punished, too.

Tho experience Mr. Coatcs lias undergone, that of laying down the position of eminence and authority he has occupied for some time, and may even have begun to like, is usually supposed to be a grief and a trial. i'or him there should be one consolation. He has heard things 6aid about himself that are usually unsaid about a inan until ho is dead.

An Auckland gathering lias had the privilege of witnessing an exhibition of high-class wrestling as demonstrated bv two professionals of national championship standard. Presumably one has to see this kind of thing to appreciate its qualities thoroughly, but from tho published descriptions those who wrestle as a pastime are welcome to do it for most people. There is no definite record of either champion having bitten the other. They don't *eera to have left much else undone. The curious part about this affair is that if the two gentlemen engaged had staged a contest like that in the street or any piaco other than a properly established ring they would speedily have appeared before a magistrate and heard something very definite about, their conduct. However, the thing was managed better, and lots of people paid to see it, as they would riot have dono had the scene been, say, the Civic Square, with an interested policoman or two tho chief spectators.

In still another school there lias been found support for tho abolition of homo lessons; support from the staff, that is. It would not bo hard to find schools where the pupils would bo prepared to support the idea. > This is tho kind of movement that seems destined to spread until it becomes universal, when homework will be as obsolete and barbarous as the rack and the thumb-screw. • If tho teachers aro satisfied they can produce results without it, nobody else need object very much. -At tho same time, without attacking the objective, it is' l not inconsistent to comment in passing on some of the arguments offered in advocacy of it. For instance it is said that when homework was allotted scholars frequently \carno to school in fear censure for work not accomplished, ivery uncomfortable it must have been ior them. If tho sense of duty not dono jauses apprehension, abolish tho duty. -That theory should certainly help to mako P' hool a, plcasanter plade, but does it altogether improve its efficiency as a preparation for life! Tho child at school ia supposed to be trained iu mind and character to face tho world. Now, the world 3s apt to bo a hard place, where apprehension felt for work not performed often proves only too well founded. To mako ••hiklhood happy and carefree is a fine ideal; if it results in launching tho child oii the world quite unprepared for the shocks and buffets awaiting him, the kindness behind tho idea may easily be mistaken. Also, fome play is made with t ifc suggestion that work dorio at, home is not properly supervised. To oldfashioned people tho discipline of doing work without supervision seemed the chief value of home lessons. However, they, too, arc going out of fashion. Tho teachers! one supposes, are tho authority to decide jhe point, but it must bo remarked when •hey produce arguments that com id on sense cannot altogether accept.

"lie Waitemata Power Board was much ftxorcisoj in its mind because in at least part of its district tho poles it provided and planted in tho street for quito another purpose wero plastered with election posters during tho recent campaign. It was done without i by-your-leave, with 'lO offer of rent beforehand, and no paympnt of it afterwards. In fact, the people ■who were responsible for it went to tho pole in un entirely irresponsible spirit, lhe board was quite justified in its protest against this unauthorised schenio to ■ccurc cheap publicity* i