“ALIEN’S” LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 1 March 1921, Page 50

“ALIEN’S” LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

Specially Written for the Ladies’ Page.) EXIT, 1920. To the delight of the many and the disappointment of the skaters, * the frost and snow disappeared at Christmas before mild airs and spring-like showers and sunshine. Several butterflies were seen. The weather was almost a record for Christmas, the mild south-westerly winds mocking the prophesies of a white Yuletide, and the Yule log roaring on the ancestral hearts, according to tradition, caused people to back away from the fire and open the window. In Richmond Park and elsewhere women carried open sunshades, while at the seaside men walked without their overcoats, and furs were worn for adornment more than for comfort. The sudden change in the weather from cold to warmth greatly affected the Christmas market, and desperate efforts were made by dealers to get rid of poultry, but large quantities were put into cold storage. Till noon on Friday turkeys were sold at 3s 6d per lb, but in the afternoon first sixpence a pound was taken off, and in the evening 2s was asked, and then Is 6d a pound, and in some quarters birds could be bought for 10s each. In the districts where the coster trade is done, there were some of the pre-war scenes of buying and selling; the fixed price disappeared, and a pair of fowls might be bought for 10s. The pork butchers and butchers in general shared the anxiety of the poultry dealers, but butchers’ meat being still “controlled” did not fall in price with the rise in temperature. The quality of imported meat was an improvement, however, on some of the ancient stocks. Canterbury lamb was really prime. In this country the art of turning plain mutton into “Colonial goose” is scarcely known, and only New Zealand and Australian cooks so dress it. It was a novel experience to be three days without newspapers and the news of the world, and confirmed newspaper readers have been as restless as tipplers deprived of their stimulant. There are a lot of lonely folk scattered throughout the country—in cities as well as hamlets—whose chief interest in life is in reading what is going on elsewhere. Accurate and timely news is claimed to be a source of confidence and a necessity of public life, and during the war the often over-sup-pression of the facts gave rise to extraordinary rumours. Among the reports that circulated during the newspapersless days of Christmas was one that a Cabinet Minister had been assassinated ; a revolution had broken out and other terrible events had happened in Great Britain. But when Tuesday morning brought the newspaper boy and his wares again we found that Christendom had been chiefly occupied in carrying out the orthodox customs of the great festival, and that all our Cabinet Ministers were intact, and vigorous to work their

will upon us. That there had been no revolution, but that the press and the public are still shouting “Down with waste!” There has been a republic protest against small minorities in the House of Commons voting away enormous sums of money while the great majority of the Members do not put in an appearance. In this way the absentee Al.lVs avoid taking a stand either for the Government or against. A suggestion is offered to make it law that no measure could go through the House unless 75 per cent, of the members were present and recorded their vote. The Supplementary Army Estimate for £39,0CX),000 was voted by a House of only 151 members, and people are angrily asking why were the other members not at their posts ? In the byeelection campaigns there have been some very bitter truths for Government digestion expressed at meetings where, in the same halls two years ago, profound faith was expressed in the Coalition Government. The growing demand is for the removal of restrictions upon trade, industry, and commerce of every description, to encourage the employer to expand ills works, that unemployment would be reduced and opportunities would be given to men to work. “The abnormal taxation of the moment,” says the Bishop of Birmingham, “is crippling the middle classes and preventing them from purchasing—hence the workless.” Men worth the name do not want doles, they want work. Lloyd George’s airy suggestion to ship the workless men to the Dominions of the Empire lias met with an unexpected rebuff from Canada and other Dominions by their refusal to shoulder the responsibility of penniless immigrants, pointing out that the soupkitchens keep life in many already arrived there. Twenty-eight thousand domestics in London want service, but the employment exchanges say this is not so much that mistresses do not want help as that the girls are unemployable. They are quite incapable, and do not want to learn. They only want a home and “all found.” these expensive times, and good wages. Another class without any special qualifications demand impossible wages and conditions. The general servant is most required by the mothers of children who cannot afford to pay £1 or £1 5s a week and provide her with food and fire at a cost of about £1 10s a week added. The shelter of a good home deserves good service in return. Our trouble of housing grows no easier, but our trouble of troubles of this New Year is the unemployment question. Everything leads back to it. It is a paradox, for more manufactured goods are needed by the whole world, and we cannot make them at price which the world can afford to buy. It is the wasteful expenditure of the 'Government that causes ,the excessive taxation which impoverishes the country and the home. The women of England are intensely interested in the political questions of the day—-actively interested. A political meeting, even at the festive season, is proof of this, for the audience is composed quite half of women, who question intelligently. The wives, and especially the mothers, are concerned not in obtaining that utopia promised two years ago, but in obtaining a fairly decent prospect for the children of heroes in the England of to-day. With the money the war lias cost every slum in Britain couuld be swept away, and healthy homes take the place of hovels ; every child could be well-fed, well-clothed, welleducated ; every man and woman over 50 could receive £1 a week. But beyond the loss in powder and smoke, a million lives with their wealth earning power are lost to the nation, beyond the maimed and the wounded. What wonder at discontent and unrest. What wonder that the nation is demanding men of business and knowledge in Parliament to deal understanclingly with these desperate times. Labour meetings held within the last few days have been angry gatherings; hungry men are not inclined to listen to reason. In the West End' a provincial winter sales began on December 30, and tens of thousands of women and a number of men are bargain hunting. The “bargains” in many cases are genuine, but there is a lot of stuff at greatly reduced figures that will prove expensive eventually. “Clearance of stocks” is the motive set forth by tradesmen, and the public are warned not to assume that prices will fall permanently. In the food line there are reductions in the poorer classes of bacon, which is no economy at all, for much of it tastes >f nothing but salt. Sugar is to be off control any dav .now, and butter will be freed in AI arch, hut while the prices are so high advantage cannot be taken of freedom to purchase without restriction. The tenpenny reels of thread are to be one penny cheaper. It is pleasauffc to turn away from the world as the grown-ups have made it to the make-believe world of the children where all the impossible things are true. And that the present generation of children are as devout lovers of —and believers in—the fairy tale as any preceeding generation is proved at this season’s pantomines. The Drury Lane pantomine, Cinderella, is produced this year at Covent Garden, so as not to disturb “The Garden of Allah,” which is still drawing at Drury Lane. TIIE DYING YEAR. Tonivht I sat alone and watched) the fire — Flicker and fall, and’ whitely turn to dust As the red fitnne of youth and love’s desire Falls with the fading years, and broken trust. The while the bells from the old tower were cl amouring, T sat alone, remembering.

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Ghost figures passed, eyes looked into my own, borne dim with tears, some bright with tenderness; Ghost voices spoke of pleasures, sorrows, gone. The while the joy-bells from the tower were clamouring, I wept alone remembering. The years, the hours, the friend's; the bread Long cast 'upon the hurrying stream, The worship given unknown; the love words said The grief, the joy, the pain, the dream Of good, the sin, the pardoning I -lift my head, remembering. For all the struggle that was on the hill—*or e, ver y friend, that constant, showed me Thee—hor every dream that holds sweet meaning still—For the high promise of the yet-to-bo—■ or the loving, and the losing, and the hammering I lift my soul remembering. now soft footsteps coming to my door] a nil aow a B©ntle voice that means to me iii 13 i wa . B dearest in the years before, All that is true of yesterday tTT..’ Thy bells of love are clamouring vv rule i kneel down, remembering. —Alien. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. • My <<P lristmas mail from New' Zealand Is . a bumper” one this week, and it has gi'en me great pleasure to hear from old riends and readers. Unfortunately, there is no mail leaving England for New Zealand this week—perhaps not next—which will delay replies and letters to the Ladies Page also, so excuse tardy thanks tor the many kind things said. “Emily.” Am so glad to have been of ii e .P’ j^ £o that you have told me. Anen, ’ care Messrs Hutchinson, 34, 5 6 1 aternoster Row- (publishers) will always find me. My private address has changed several times since 1914. n- is a fine spirit. But if Dick v\ hittington came to London to-day fie would be trodden underfoot. The only place where he would find a hearing would be in Christmas pantomine. Stay where there is opportunity. There are thousands of young men in England—tens of thousands-—well-educated, well-equipped to make their way who cannot get their feet on the first rung. At the moment —it might be a moment of many years men and women both, skilled at their work, are being swept from their hold by the terrible industrial aftermath of the war. Build your future in “The Land of the Morning,” where the sun is rising. Grasp your opportunity in both hands. Work and hope. Work when you do not hope. It is not the day for dreams. “The old men have all the plums.” Well, they tilled and pianted and pruned before they got them. Fruit growing takes time. If you have got the plants of ability and opportunity, water and tend and feed them, work like “the grey-haired chiefs ’ have worked, and belive me they will know and later show appreciation. Lucey B—ley.”—Should like to hear from yov again.