NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20219, 2 April 1929, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

" THE SECRET OF LIFE." "Digestion is the groat secret of life. Character, talents, virtues and qualities are profoundly affected by beef, mutton, piecrust and rich soup." So said Mr. R. Hyde, Director of the Industrial Welfare Society at a conference on industrial concern management. There was no doubt whatever that during tho last 10 or 12 years works canteens had had a profound influence on tho health, habils, and thoughts of hundreds of thousands of workers in Britain. They were hearing a great deal about industrial peace, progress, and co-operation, but to discuss such matters was not enough. Tho average worker was not concerned very much with theories about his well-being, but he was interested in questions affecting his comfort, surroundings and happiness in daily toil. Tho old Hebrew proverb, "Spread the table and contention will cease," was true to-day.

COST OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION. Economic aspects of traffic congestion were discussed by Color-el C. H. Bresscy, chief engineer of tho Roads Department of the Ministry of Transport, in a lecture before the Town Planning Institute in London. Tho magnitude of the financial interests at stake was shown by the estimate of thq London General Omnibus Company, that if in the congested areas of tho Metropolis tho average speed of motor-omnibuses could be increased from eight miles per hour to 10, it would be possible to give tho same service with approximately 100 less omnibuses. The wages and operating expenses which would thus bo saved would, it was estimated, reach a total of £300,000 per annum. It must be remembered that tli£ total saving quoted would be enormously increased if one took info account tho value of tho timo.gained by passengers in speedier transit. Every measure of regulation and control which tended to promote the ready flow and even distribution of traffic spared tho public purse by removing or postponing the need for excessively costly street widenings. A NEW CRIMINAL CODE. After several year' 3 research, and consultation with the legal experts of other countries, Yugoslavia has adopted a new criminal code of an advanced character to replace the chaotic laws inherited when tho Triune Kingdom was constituted. The new code pays special attention to the prevention of crime; the old idea that the only weapon of the State is retributive punishment is ignored. There aro widesweeping provisions for the establishment of Borstal institutions and for the special caro of minors, and in the future the incarceration of offenders under 21 years of age in the proximity of adult offenders will be prohibited. Special care will bo taken of discharged offenders, and provision for their financial assistance will be granted them during their period of social rehabilitation. Homes, too, are io be provided for incorrigible offenders. In tho matter of punishment, tho circumstances of tho crime and the prisoner's record will in future be taken into consideration. But what is regarded as tho most remarkable innovation is that by which the authorities may forbid any person committing a crime under tiie influence of alcohol to enter an inn during a period of from threo months to two years. Tho offender may bo bound over to abstain from drinking in public, and if ho is found in a bar or inn lie himself and the bar-keeper or innkeeper also aro liable to punishment. In other words, (he system of the prohibition order is incorporated. WOMEN VOTERS AND THE ROLLS. Unceasing interest is being taken in Great Britain in tho effect on tho electorate of adding to tho rolls tho women voters enfranchised for tho first time by recent legislation. Ono result revealed by tho provisional figures availablo is tho enormous increase in the size of somo constituencies, through the addition of so many electors without any redistribution of scats Somo of tho figures indicate voting rolls of tho most nnwieldly sizo. Thus, for tho four divisions of Hull tho estimated increaso was 30,000, while tho actual increase is nearly 39,000, placing wxmicn in a majority in each division. In tho Horsham and Worthing Division of Sussex, whero tho electorate numbered 47,557 at tho last general election, the increase, chiefly of women, is placed at nearly 8000 But in tho llomford Division of Essex tho figures aro even more striking, an electorate of 46,700 in 1924 having now been swollen to 98,000. That, of course, in a formidable figure, tho .average electorate for a county division now being only between 30,000 and 40,000, though in Dartford and Wood Green Divisions numbers aro up to over 49,000. In tho boroughs Coventry stood out four years ago with tho largo electorate of 63,100, and though the figures aro not final it appears that some 10,000 womon voters havo now been added. Somo of tho two-member boroughs have yet to be heard from. Bolton, for example, had an electorate in 1924 of 86,366, and it may bo that tho figures havo now been raised to over 100,000.