THE PRINCE'S MESSAGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17942, 22 May 1920, Page 8

THE PRINCE'S MESSAGE.

The farewell message which the Prince of Wales has addressed to the'people of New Zealand will be read with deep interest and great pleasure. In terms of transparent sincerity his Iloyal Highness expresses his appreciation of the "wonderful welcomes" received by him in the course of a "delightful visit," which he frankly confesses was more brief than ho could have desired. Hurried though bis trip through the two islands was, the Prince formed certain definite impressions respecting this country which, he says, "constitutes an amazing monument to the grit and enterprise of those who have so rapidly civilised and developed- the land." He has been struck with the liberality of the institutions of the dominions. He has also observed with gratification the relations that subsist between the European and the native races in the country. Upon the evidences of the loyalty of the. people of New Zealand to the Sovereign and of their devotion to British ideals, the Prince has founded a conclusion which we cannot help regarding as highly complimentary, namely, that "New Zealand is one of the greatest monuments of British civilisation in the world," and that " nowhere are British people more set in British traditions or true to British form." The Prince renews his expressions of gratitude to the dominion for her war service, with special reference to the members of the Expeditionary Force —his " old comrades in arms"—and to the women of New Zealand, whose "great services and brave endurance " he gratefully acknowledges. By' nothing, so far as could be discerned, was his Iloyal Highness more deeply touched in his tour of the dominion than he was by the demonstrations by the school children, whom he lias not overlooked in his farewell message. Never, he says, has he seen "» more robust, good-mannered, and promising race," and he congratulates them upon their good fortune in having been born in such surroundings as New Zealand provides. As we do not believe that the message contains a single sentenco which is not an honest expression of the feeling of his Royal Highness, we note with particular satisfaction the fact that he holds out once more the prospect of another visit to the dominion. He will, he says, "be drawn to New Zealand by very happy and affectionate memories," and when the opportunity of returning to the dominion presents itself he will "take it with delight and without delay." The people of New Zealand, whose hearts have been captujed by the Prince and who will never oease henceforth to watch his career with affectionate solicitude, will, for their part, receive his gracious message with feelings of pride and pleasure. It will be their earnest hope that events may so shape themselves as to grant to them the great privilege of welcoming again to these shores the Prince whose charm of manner, whose unaffectedness and simplicity, and whose self-sacrificing consideration for others has endeared him to them.

| A report which has just been presented to the City Council in Wellington by Mr W. H. Morton (City Engineer) is a serviceable contribution to tne discussion on the question of the construction of streets. The value of Mr Morton's report is enhanced by the fact that it embodies the conclusions formed by him after a trip abroad in the oourse of which he specially investigated the methods of road construction. We gather that Mt Morton is satisfied that wood-blocks constitute the best material for use in road making in thoroughfares which have to carry a great deal of heavy, slow-moving traffic, and that tarred macadam is favoured by him for use on what are described as secondary streets. It is pointed out, however, by Mr Mortoip., that in order that tho use of tarred macadam and tarsealing coat work may be properly undertaken it is absolutely necessary that some proper provision should be made for obtaining tar in accordance with the specifications of the Road Board of Great Britain. The use of water-bound macadam is condemned as " totally unsuitable for present-day traffic, and the sooner it can be replaced • vritfi material of more permanent construction tho better for the city, having regard to the comfort and convenience of citizens, benefit to traffic, and saving in cost of maintenance," but Mr Morton has a good word to say for bituminous asphalt surfacing on the ground both of its efficiency and of its cheapness.

In a farewell speech to fellow members of the Commercial Travellers' Association iir Wellington Sir Joseph Ward devoted a few words to the adverse American exchange. He promised to tell his friends m the United States his opinion of of trying to maintain such a high adverse rate when the trade in both countries must suffer by it. Doubtless Sir Joseph Ward's American friends would listen most respectfully, but what then? Millions of words have been printed and Spoken regarding the rata of exchange with little or no effect. The economic fact is that the great war burden has transformed Great Britain from the position of being a creditor country to that of a debtor country. The exchanges which are against us are mostly those of neutral countries—and America was a neutral for three years,—the reason being that for the war years we bought from them a stream of goods and were not in a position to export goods in return. And now, instead of behaving as a debtor country should, we import luxuries from America, and so help to pile up an adverse exchange rate. It is exceedingly doubtful whether Sir Joseph Ward's proposal for the establishment of New Zealand banking brandies in America and of American branch lxuiks hero would alone solve the problem, and the northern, criticism which has followed his proposal is not in the least surprising. At the same time some of his critics have apparently not appreciated the full discrepancy between our import and our export trade with America. It is idle to talk, as one of them has done, of " benzine and the few tilings we get from America" when our importations List year exceeded seven and a-half million pounds in value and our exports were less than four aud a-half millions. With such

a, large balance of trade against us the exchange rate is a very serious tax on New Zealand. Such an arrangement as Sir Joseph Ward proposes, however, especially if accompanied by a change of clearances through New York instead of London, would certainly have some unforeseen and probably unfavourable effects.

In the Old Country what is kpown by the impressive title of the Cinema Commission of the National Council of Public Morals is entering upon an inquiry into the psychological effocta of cinemas. It has appointed Profesror Spearman to carry out a series of experiments at University College. Other distinguished psychologists have promised their assistance, and the Board of Education has intimated its willingness to allow its expert instructors to assist the inquiry, one of the particular aims of which will be to discover the effect of cinemas in relation to the childmind and the use to which they may bo put its an educative force. No doubt this inquiry is needed, and we may hope that it will be productive of useful results. It would be interesting to know to what extent the cinema, with its rapid sensations, appealing strongly to the eye and asking little effort from the imagination, has replaced the cheap illustrated literature which used to make a potent appeal to the minds of young people. Presumably tho older influence still survives, and the two exert themselves side by side to-day, but it La apparent to the most unobservant that the lure of the cinema is all-pervading. We see, unfortunately, more evidence of the influence of the cinema for harm than for good. The legitimate drama, has suffered a blow at its hands. Crude melodrama in picture form has an immense following. Young people waste a certain amount of time in attending picture theatres and in imbibing a great deal of sensationalism which they would be much better without. They derive as a oonsequenco a distorted notion of life. There is, of course, another aspect of the matter. Upon the ethical side it is really all a question of the standard of the cinema representation.

Lord Buhniiam's views on the subject of the cinema .are entitled to respect. At a recent gathering in London, at which the members of the General Council of tho Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association of Great Britain and Ireland were the guests, he observed that it was'almost impossible to talk of tho cinema industry in the language of exaggeration. " The trade itself," he said, " was an exaggeration; the fastest moving picture of all .was the cinema trade itself, and one stood, nob blinded, but stunned at the enormous potentialities of its future. There -was nothing which, in the long run, could be denied to it. It was founded on the insatiable and inveterate curiosity of 'the human race, first proved in the Garden of Eden, and in the innate love of every child for a good story, and he would say to the .Governments of the world, the teachers of the world, and the traders of the world, ' Never take your eye off the movies, for they will have, to a large extent, the shaping of the future.' They all knew the increasing popularity of tho cinema at home, and they knew that the standard of production was being raised day by day and year by year. The trade was now requiring the best sort of literature for its productions, and there was no standard of domestic achievement which was beyond its power." Lord Burnham also raised the question as to what might be achieved through the cinema in the interests of haJf-developed and uninstructed races of the world. Among other speakers on the occasion was Mr T. P. O'Connor, M.P., who is chief of the Board of Film Censors' voluntarily appointed by the cinema industry. Mr O'Connor went so far as to prophesy that in twenty years' time there would not bo a city in the world that had not its illustrated evening cinema paper. There was no limit yet discovered, he asserted, to what the cinema might not do. Apparently his imagination did not serve him at the moment much further than in providing the suggestion that we should have pictures of Parliament. The idea might come as a shock, perhaps, to members of a somnolent disposition. Upon the cinemai as a factor in edtication yet to be developed as it should be Mr O'Connor laid great emphasis.

Our Wellington correspondent telegupha that the Evansdale Glen scenio reserve had been vested in the Bunedin Cjty Counci 1 .

The short supply of coal is again causing the gasworks engineer (Mr J. Hungerford) considerable anxiety. The Flora, which was bringing a supply of coal from the West Coast, was delayed, and this left the gasworks with only sufficient coal to carry them over Monday. The local Coal Board had the shortage explained to it, and it has allowed the gasworks to secure a supply from the Kaituna's oargo to tide the works over till tho Flora's cargo cornea to hand. The prospects for future 6uppliea arc, however, not too bright, and it would appear thaf the gasworks will have to work on small stocks for some time to come. It may be remarked that within the last three months the position has at times been most uncertain, and that on on© or two occasions the works have been left with as little as one day's stock of ooal in hand. •

The Rev. C. J. Bush-King has juet received a letter with a history, in the respect that it taken 575 days to como from England to Dunedin. Originally posted in Sling Camp on October 24, 1918, it be«n the post-mark of London., October 25, 1918. The next date shows March 7, 1919; then. March 29, 1919; iollowed by May 17, 192 Q. There is a gap of 419 days which is not accounted for.

An Auckland Pres9 Association telegram states that the Auckland master butchers announce a reduction in the price of meat from May 24. The reduction amounts to one halfpenny per lb all round, and one penny per lb in one or two lines. The reduction is due to the recent easing of tho wholesale prices at Westfield market. Mr C. E. Mackay, who is at present on remand on a charge of the attempted murder of Walter Durcy Cress well (states a Wanganui Pre® Association telegram), haa tendered his resignation as of War. nganui, a position which he haa hold for over 13 years.

To many of those who have recklessly acquired high-priced) land, with little or no cash, tho day of reckoning is coming quicker than was expected (wires our Wanganui correspondent). It is 6tated that quite a number of summonses have been issued against dairymen along this coast who are unable to meet their interest In one case a foreclosure was made on the mortgage. One authority says that-he blamed those responsible for financing these fictitious sales more than the misguided purchasers, who thought fortunes could bo madle quickly out of dairying.

A deputation , from the superannuated public servants, waited upon tho Hon. C. J. Parr yesterday for the purpose of enlisting his sympathy in the matter of securing aa increase in superannuation (says an Auckland Press Association telegram). It was stated that many old publio servants now found themselves unable to maintain themselves on a sum which had been sufficient when they retired, and thej had deoidied to ask tho Government to supplement tho amount received by way of a bonus. Mr Parr said he would give the matter his sympathetic attention when it waa before Cabinet

' Tho mass meeting of women which is to bo held in Burns Hall next Thursday evening to discuss the high cost of living is the direct outcome - of tho conference convened by tho Women Citizens' Association, representative of all tho women's organisations of Dunedin. In other parts of tho world reports are reaching us of women rising in revolt against the ever-soaring pnoes, and it is interesting to note that the women of this city ar© not lagging behind in this respect. Great interest is being taken in tho forthcoming meeting, andf a very large attendance is expeoted. There has, 'been a long-felt need for a kindergarten building in tho North End, as a suitable building was difficult to get in that locality. Then there was the difficulty of securing a sunny piece of ground largo enough. About a year ago, however, this difficulty was solved, and a section in Trent avenue, was bought by tho Dunedin Free Kindergarten Association. This morning, nt 11.15, a now kindergarten is to be doclo.red open by the Hon. 'J. A. Hanan (late Minister of Education).

Tomorrow is the fifth anniversary of Italy's declaration of wax on AustriaHungary. Mr W. Downio Stewart's lecture on " Tho Peace Treaty and tho Dominions " will bo giv en under the auspices of the Overseas Club and Empire Servioo Loaguo this evening at tho Overseas Club Room, and should prove interesting and informative. « The Deputy-mayor of Patea, in welcoming the 'JLaranaki Provincial Conference of Farmers (telegraphs our Wanganui correspondent), referred to the importanco of farming in Taranaki, and ho remarked that 195,000 orates of cheoee had been put through the Patea port during the season, valued at £1,550,000 Including frozon meat, the total produce exported through the port would be £2,256,951, and it was quite reasonable to aupposo that New Plymouth, with the meat works at Waitara and at FiUroy, and the dairy produco at Moturoa, would eotccod that amount. The wintry weather interfered with tho attendance at tho meeting called for last night to disouea the proposal to erect a memorial to fallen soldiers on the Taiori. Tho Mayor of Mosgiol (Mr Wra, Allan) presided, and amongst those present were Dr Speckling (president of tho Taieri Returned Soldiers' Association) and Mr Walter Blackie (chairman of th 9 Taieri County Council). After discussing tho proposal from various points, it waa decided to ask the Outram Town Board to call a meeting of the residents in that district, and Messrs Allan and Blaokie and Dr Spedding were delegated to attend the meeting and discuss the matter further. During Winter Show. Week the Otago Mounted Rifles purposo holding a reunion, at which members of Maan Body and subsequent reinforcements are to take part. Tho arrangements are in capable hands, and a snocesful gathering is anticipated. Tho City Fire Brigade called out at 6.10 a.m. yesterday to attend a fire that had broken out in a bakehouse at tho rear of the Strand Tea-rooms, near the Octagon. The cause of the outbreak was apparently due to a gas cooker which had been left alight overnight. The damage done was only slight A little girl, 12 years of age, named Hazel Lowrie, was knocked down by a motor car at tiho railway overbridge, Kensington, yesterday, and was taken to th<e Hospital suffering from injuries to tho head and knee. The injuries aro not of a serious nature. The total of infectious diseases reported for the Otago, Oamaru, Vinoent, and Southland districts for tho 24 hours ended at noon •-yesterday was as follows: —Scarlet fover, 1; diphtheria, 3; tetanus, 1; influenza, 28. Tho diseases were located as followOtago, 24; Oamaru, nil; Vinoent, 2; and Southland, 7. Hie number of cases of influenza shows a marked reduction. In regard to the outbreak of suspected mild smallpox, Dr M'Kibbon, district health officer, states that two fresh oases have been reported from the Invercargill district. Dr M'Kibbon left for tho south last night to moke a personal examination of tho patients suffering from this disease. A Wellington Press Association telegram states that the Dental Conference has concluded; Mr E. P. Rushworth, Lower Hutt, was elected president Tho sum of £100 was voted for prizes for students at the Otago Dental School. His Honor 'Mr-- Justice Sim sat in Chambers yesterday morning, and granted probate of the wills of the following deceased persons: —William Lang Bannatyne, William Rosie, Alexander Smith, Archibald John Thornicroft, Henry Raines, William Jeffery Snodgrass, Peter M'Dermid, jnn., and Edward Samuel Poole. Letters of administration were granted in re William Hay Gilroy and William Bernard Bowles. In respect to a summons, Childs v. Childs (in divorce), for a change of venue, the summons was dismissed with costs against respondent. In connection with an originating summons concerning tho estate of William Adams (deceased), a motion for directions as to the service of an originating summons had been lodged for the maintenance of the widow. An order was made as to the parties to bo served, covering about a dozen persons directly or indirectly connected with the estate.

The friends of the Hon. G. J. Anderson, the newly-appointed Minister of Internal Affairs,- propose to entertain him at Gore on June 8. Mr Anderson takes over the duties of his new office next week.

Mr W. Sullivan, workshops representative of the railwaymen on the A.S.R.S. Exeoutivo Council, returned by the first express from tjie north yesterday. Mr Sullivan was called to Wellington at the beginning of the recent railway strike, and has since remained at headquarters. On Thursday evening ho met and addressed the railwaymen at Timaru, and yesterday morning he conferred with the Oatnaru men. Mr Sullivan gathered that the men approve of tho executive handling of the recent dispute. With Mr Davis*, who retunied on Thursday, he will meet tho local railwaymen to-morrow.

Dunedin is not the onlj place in the 1 'world where the tramcars aro ovorcrowded at rush times. Mr W. PI. Morton (city engineer of Wellington), in a report to the City Council dealing with his observations abroad, states: "An interesting sight to me was the rush 'for the cars afteir 5 o'clock in the afternoon at the city end of Brooklyn Bridge (New York), where the struggle for accommodation and the manner in which the cars were crowded is beyond my powers to describe." -•

The Minister of Public Health, the Hon. C. J. Parr, made a statement cm Thursday evening (telegraphs our Auokland correspondent), from which it Appeared that the Health Department does not intend to adopt so strict an attitude in future as hitherto in regard to tho closing of schools during epidemice. "I am advised by my officer at headquarters," saidl Mr Parr, "that it is somewhat questionable whether the results in reepect to the reduotion of disease justify tho wholesale closing of Probably, in tho future, the uso of this measuro will be limited to special and urgent cases." The Monaster added that it was likely that the department would oonsult the education boards and school com mittees before resorting to the wholesale closing of schools. "