EVENTS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5805, 24 January 1906, Page 4

EVENTS OF THE DAY.

I THB MATKISNTTV JIOMR gi'KSTIOV : ( , ;p , Publicity recently given by | “limes” in regard so iln> great difficulty t lint had boon experienced by the .secretary of the Benevolent Trimtees in .securing accommodation for ■■ingle girls "in trouble," when it: dors not happen to be the first time, was brought, tip before the Trustees yesterday, when some statements: were made by the secretary |Mr A. W. I'm vis) which wo cannot allow to pass without comment. The-,o arose out of certain explanations solicited by Mrs Grace XVil. as official bead of the State Maternity Hotm> in Wellington, in regard to ttatentenlii made by lam in Iho ■•Times." In reply, ?,ir Purvis said that he was not accountable for lhe_ expressions in the paper, and, again, that he wax not reapnnsil.de for the wording of the statements. The hitter allegation is perfectly true—Mr Purvis did not "word” the article (not a letteras stated), but we a«:ert that no opinion was expressed in onr columns that did not. cctr.o directly from Mr Purvis. Willi regard to the statement that men in good positions were sending their wives to the .St. Helens Home, Mr Purvis went further, quoting a specific ease, where n prison itt receipt of £3OO a year had cent his wife to the institution named. In all respects tiie article was a. tmthnil summary of the words of the secretary of the Benevolent Home, and ho was not "mado to say" anything but what ho unmistakably conveyed to our re- j preventative. * I

THE FITtTR K OF WIXSTGN CHURCHILL. “Indomitable pluck, incsistiblo push, and the cheek of a Yankee book canvav.et ’ am' tho distinguishing characteristics of tho new Undor-Sccrctary tor the Colonies, Mr Winston Churchill, ucording to one of hi.s least u tiki mi critics. His appointment to tho post vacated by the Hnko of Marlborough lias occasioned .some surprise, for Winston Churchill is scarcely tho sort of man to whom tho atmosphere of Howni»K. street seems likely to prove congenial. His brief but crowded career i« probably known to most of our reader.,. Ho i.s only thirty-one, and it is said, remarks our London correspondent, that only his youth barred him from taking Cabinet rank. Ten years ago lie entered the British army," but ho fir-.t saw active service with the Spanish fortes in Cuba. Afterwards he (ought with the Mahik.-t.laml Field J’oiec, took part in tho i irah Expedition and tho Nile campaign, h.s descriptions ol which made a name tor him ns a brilliant journalist. Then lie went to South Africa as a war correspondent of the "Morning Best/’ .md became quite famous by reason chiefly of his capture by tho ‘Boors, and his escape from Pretoria prison, and hi.s subsequent book on tho war. Whilst his name was still familiar to tho people's cars, Winston Churchill made his debut ns a politician, and at Oldham, in IS!)!), Jio marched in victorious to the House of Commons. Ho stalled politics t.stensihly an a. Xorv. hut he Was at heart a Literal, if not’a Radical, and very soon icnnd tho Tory camp ••impomble" He was continually “*• variance with the leaders of tho .I"' 1 • v '- ;lr openly crossed to tho Liberal side, ami immediatc.lv declaud on the* lanll i»‘.donm*rs ami ns ir policy, in* has certainly proved ono ot lhs> r.blo>t campions ci five and r.> a dohv.or lias Jiowu hiui‘;'it a match top any o: the fate captain.s cj th»* ircanry i>c»nch. Jiis Uiead”. say he is ”tho raining 111111],''' ajid propiavy ihai jj«> will semv day Ik* i)! ho JUmuter. J!o has corn a inly ir;-u-n= ctil.ul ability enough to fill* that hiedi po-t. hut it may tm doubted Tvhrt-hoj* jje ha*s to h him cn an even political hocl ionp; cuounh m "tin for him llm full tra.'-i or hiy party.

THIC COST OF SCHOOL-COOKS. The cost of school-books to parents is a perennial, bur by no means a l.u.vm-lh ... complaint ; and tile t ur-t----church " Proas.' 1 dealing edit.n.ally with thin incubus upon a free education. suggests a me* hex! of economy on the iines of the Lem.on "Times” bookclub. One contemporary sugge-ts that in the c;«iC of pnmarv s-choc?!*? the

C.ni;:;r !•■•> skon'd t;tUo the matt<r in n.::ui. ami organi-e a .-y-lii'i hv wlia-;i fibooi bcok- I-,- hi M ,t: a comaum --.o !■:. Tb.c })'.!<*nlr- would pay lim value of the looks required in ibe hr.-t :eihi’. and u ken the child had ! the standard tin- books non! 1 bo rel ei aid. and. aia-oniing la lli.ir coii•!i' ■. a■. a.ll (irojm: I ion • the co-.; Ij-il to Iho parent Tiic b. v nald tbon bo available tor aimilw child g.-ing through the same audr.rd, -,v ha.- - - par.-uia the cu-t Mould be le a< n--<! in the came wav. similar ■ elu mcs enidd lie arranged in. c ■utii’oti.oi with the high M-hooU. aml even tin’ colleges. Of course, it will bo understood that if any student wi-hes ie retain ki v hooks l’o conk! do sc. Am approximation of seme such system is practically in operation in m my school: ami university colleges: but undeuhtedIv if liio m-hemc could tie controlb.l hy (lie School Commit tee. the saving result itt-i t<> parents would not be by any i.;e in- de.-pic.ildc.

HOWLS FOH THK LA DHLS. •As compared with the almost llmilless out-door Ramos invented tor tin* pliv.-ica! enjoyment of tlio sterner sex. those that ladies may pleasurably participate in ate cxticiueiy limited. While the mere man provides liin.-eh' with elaborate facilities for rowin';, cricket, (ado. tenuis. golf. bowls, featbail, and hockey, woman may indulge only in tenuis and croquet in tile i-am-mer time and Roll and hockey (really only a game for younger girls) in the winter. Tim list of summer {'anus, however, is to be extended by tlio addition of at least one game iiitbeito monopolised by man—bowls; and there its reason to suppose that as time poco mi Ibis interest iug (tame will prove more popular among the ladicw. Howls ii a game played under the most pleasant conditions—the weather must be fairly fine, and tin- sward well-kept. The exercise is mild, but generally distributed over the whole system and ilia essentials of the game- -a steady nerve and fine judgment form a splendid training for the mental faculties, while the game in. above all, clean. Howls has already been taken up by the ladies of Wellington, toe Kelhurue Club having gallantly led the way by allowing a. ladies' club to become attached to it. a club that, though but recently formed, already numbers over thirty members. This ladies' club is. now competing in a singles tournament for a trophy presented I.v the Mayor (lion. T. W. Hislopi. It' is not a likely thing that the big city clubs wiU admit lady members at present, no owing to the great strides the game has made during recent years, most cf them have enough to do to cater for their present male members. Hut the future holds out the pro-peel. in I the event cf bowls "catching on" with ladies, clubs a iui greens being formed exclusively for ladies.