BARE WHITE BONES OF LIBERTY THE "DON'T DO IT" CRAZE

NZ Truth, Issue 1272, 17 April 1930, Page 1

BARE WHITE BONES OF LIBERTY THE "DON'T DO IT" CRAZE

There Is Far Too Much Niggling Legislation In New Zealand

N.othing but the bare white bones of liberty will be left to the inhabitants of this Dominion if a halt is not called to some of the asinine legislation which is being slowly .enforced, and insidiously making itself 1 more and more evident, as time goes on.

le ESTRICTIONS have been tolerated i\ to such an extent .m; recent years that the latest foolishness perpetrated by the State proves clearly how "granny" notions can be imposed upon a complacent people. Because a few children have had the misfortune to meet with accidents when handling fireworks and | celebrating the ancient festival of "Guy Fawkes it has been deemed necessary to pass an Order m Council restricting the use of crackers, squibs and similar pyrotechnical amusements. i This unwonted interference, with a comparatively harmless amusement is surely the most extraordinary ever placed upon the statute book of the Dominion. Every year a considerable number of men, women and children are

drowned while boating or bathingfar more' than ever are injured or killed by fireworks. Should there not be an Order m Council to prohibit bathing m rivers, or the ocean where the water is more. |han knee deep? More rational still .would it be to abolish absolutely that instrument of ddath, the motor-car, which takes probably a bigger toll of : life train any other device of this civilised age; And, of course, motor-cycles must of necessity be , taboo. '; - Let the Government go the "whole hog" and veto bows and arrows, shanghies, pop-guns," scooters, trollies, rocking horses, ice-creams, meat pies, •penny whistles (children have died through swallbwing these dangeroua I weapons), balloons, Christmas crack-

ers, peanuts, unripe apples, pocket knives, pencils, pins, nibs cotton, wool, — m fact, anything which might directly or indirectly be the cause of death or injury. Most of these things have at some time or other injured or killed human beings.. Certain shops are not allowed to sell fruit after eight; a magazine may be sold up to certain hours — but a book not after eight. " It is a sin to buy a pie or a cake to eat out of a shop on Sunday — but on a Government railway station a traveller may buy fruit or any other commodity on sale and take it on the journey with him. . * ■ It is wrong to sell a newspaper .on Sunday — but a car. owner may travel when and where he listeth, and buy petrol to enable him to do so. . It is' siiiful to play tennis, cricket or bowls m certain localities on the Sabbath if you have not enough money to have your , own court— but a golfer may slice away to his or her heart's content .on the links. To bathe on certain beaches '' unless garbed m a two-piece costume is "agin the law"— but shop windows may display the most intimate boudoir scenes. A talkie ..house may, with its vestibule display, draw a crowd which obstructs the pavement — but let a private shopkeeper attract a crowd by a window display, and he is prosecuted for creating a nuisance. . It appears as if, New Zealanders will have to form a chain of associations to protect themselves from their lawmakers. . '