CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7300, 2 December 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

THE TENNIS CHAMPION. In its review of the lawn tennis season, the London “Times" pays a handsome tribute to tho New Zealander, Anthony Wilding, who won tho All England Singes championship. ‘Mr M riding has shown himself the superior of the best this country could produce. He has played extremely well throughout the year, and is still so young that there is no reason to suppose that he has reached his best. His groat physical strength has always made it likely that he would win any match which he could prolong into the fifth sot; and he has lately coordinated his stroke in such a inanner that ho can weary an aggressive opponent more effectively than formerly. This result has been brought about mainly by the improvement of his overhead ploy, which now allows him to take full advantage of the openings made by bis bounding service and by his top-lifted drive.. His chief weakness—as Ins match against M. Deougis shows—has been a tendency to go down before a determined volleyer; but to judge from his recent matches at Queen's Club, he lias now, acquired a lob which was not a feature of ids game at Wimbledon. It could seldom be intercepted, it was seldom out, and it always travelled fast. And even allowing for the absence of wind, lobbing on a court with a low roof is no easy matter.”

“MEAN-SPIEITBD CEEATUEES.” Eefcrring to the Hino debate, and the pamphlet, the “Lyttelton Times” says : We are glad to see that both Mr Massey and Mr James Allen were able to give positive assurance that they had taken no part in the circulation of the slanders of which the Prime Minister complained. Por ourselves wo accept these assurances without reservation. Neither the leader . of the Opposition nor his lieutenant can be held quite free from blame for the tactics that have been adopted by some of the members of their party, but we do not believe that either of these gentlemen would deliberately countenance the introduction of shamgful scurrility into tho public life of tho country. There is a great deal more evidence available than was produced hi the House to show that hundreds of mean-spirited creatures whoso party creed is mainly the gratification of some personal spite have taken a delight in spreading the slanders and vouching for their credibility- • , • The reception given to the Prime Minister in tho House yesterday—an eloquent tribute to bis public spirit and, integrity —will be cordially . endorsed by _ every right-thinking mam and woman in the Dominion, and lie will stand, liagher than ever in the estimation of those outsiders to whom ho has been so impudently misrepresented.

CONDENSED MILK AND CHOCOLATES. A large amount of condensed milk- is (says the Sydney "Telegraph") used by manufacturing confectioners, particularly, in the manufacture of chocolate pre/ifarations, .and hitherto, it was explained 'ey the president of the New South ’Wales Board of Health, it has /been, though not perhaps universal, to a largo extent the pustom to take the view that quantities of condensed milk which for aome reason have gone wrong at .the factory, and consequently do not present 'the appearance necessary for the ordinary .market, arc good enough for the purpose mentioned. 'Unfortunately, he continued, although the original fault is of no importance, to health, being (perhaps merely a case' *of indifferent colour or separation of the fat, or some such thing, this incompletely' manufactured milk changes quickly although put up in the usual airtight tins.' The [consequence is that, being purchased in. considerable quantities, large stocks are to be found which .on being opened are seen at once to be unfit for human consumption. Tlhe pure food inspectors daring the past week or so have condemned between 12,000 and, 13,000 tins of this tftiiff, and while the condemnation is admitted to be perfectly fair, it is understood that for the future the trade’will nc/t use any condensed milk which is not of ordinary.' marketable quality. , TEIBUTE TO’ ME WILPOED.

Mention was made at tho City . Council meeting last evening of the fight made by the Mayor (Mr T-'ll. Wilford) against the passing of the Tramways Bill in the House of 'Representatives recently. Councillor . Fletcher' spoke in eulogistic terms of tho effort put forward by, the''Mayor in preserving, tho rights of municipalities and the people. He moved that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to the Mayor. Councillors Smith, Fitzgerald, Shirtcliffo, Luke, and McLaren also spoke in appreciation of tho Mayor's fight against overwhelming odds and?under severe physical disabilities. The resolution was carried by acclamation. In acknowledging the vote Mr Wilford said the whole fight had to. be put up against opponents who Would not speak. Ho felt the , defeat very much. He- believed tho passing .of the Bill was one of the, worst things ever done by any Parliament to any local authority. After, the Governor’s Speech stating that local bodies were to have extended powers, tho passing of the Bill seemed to him as obnoxious as it was possible to imagine. He could never nave believed that in a House of eighty members it would have been impossible to get a majority to send t» the winds a clause _ which provided that a Minister at his sweet will could issue a regulation to over-ride an Order-in-Coun-cilunder which the council had borrowed .£550,000 bo purchase a tramway. How members could vote in such ‘a maimer was incomprehensible to him. Good, however, had been done by the protest, and he did not regret the qiart ho had taken in it.