PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3972, 29 April 1930, Page 3

PASSING NOTES.

A week and a-half to the Parnell byelection, and already, say the press telegrams, “ the campaign is in full swing,” and “ interest is quickening.”

With equal zest each candidate is claiming that Parnell’s verdict will show the trend of the Dominion’s political thought.

In other words, what Parnell thinks on May 7 New Zealand will think on May 8, and long after. Never before were the political opinions of the Parnellites viewed with such awe-struck reverence, And never before was the imitative capacity of the rest of New Zealand rated so high. Pity it is that the three champions are not left alone in the lists to fight it out among themselves, without a group of seconds shivering like chorus girls in the side-wings, waiting for the stage cue. The metaphors here are mixed, but they typify very well the confusion of this three-sided combat, in which each contestant hits the head nearest to him. Only in politics and at Donnybrook is such a fight possible. Each of the three leaders is eagerly scanning the horizon. Will the dawning

day bring him “ the sun of Austerlitz ” or the mists of Waterloo? He pins his hopes on Austerlitz, for Austerlitz was the “ Battle of the Three Emperors.” Writes Lockhart:

“ Only promise us,” cried an old grenadier, “ that you will keep yourself out of fire.” “ I will do so,” answered Napoleon. “ I shall be with the reserve until you need me.” . . . The sun rose with uncommon splendour: on many an afterday the French soldiery hailed a similar day with exultation as a sure omen of victory, and the Sun of Austerlitz has passed into a proverb.

Will one or other of the leaders cry on the morrow, like a New Zealand Pitt, “ Roll up that map of New Zealand: it will not be needed for a decade.”

Various opinions have been expressed from time to time of statisticiaus and their statistics. “ A judicious man,” says Carly»e, “ looks at statistics not to get knowledge from them, but to save himself from having ignorance foisted upon him.” Burke calls a statistician “ a Pindaric book-keeper, an arithmetician in the clouds.” but opinions with far more “ kick ” in them than these are expressed by suffering firms and public bodies on the arrival of the weekly or monthly batch of statistical returns which the New Zealand Statistical Department requests them to fill in. And for what? Some no doubt are intended to improve the appearance of gaping pigeon holes. Others are destined for the departmental “ oblivion Others again enable the bright young men of the department to write graceful essays on the results of their study of them. In published form they furnish a sports ground for the parliamentary candidate. Used in one way they prove black is white, in another they prove white is black. Quoted in yet a third way they prove that everything is red. This New Slavery of lists and columns, schedules and forms, holds up the work of offices by day and reopens them by night. In some countries, inevitable Government returns are lightened and smoothed to the capacity of a pleasant Sunday morning’s task. Says a Continental novelist, describing a sleepy French provincial Sunday: The schoolmaster, secretary’ to the village Mayor, spends his Sunday evaluating for official statistics the number of geese, hens, ducks, pigs, turkeys in his district, compiling his lists by consulting the columns for preceding years, pleasantly varying them, diminishing or augmenting with an amused and tolerant smile the animal wealth of the commune.

Which-, if true, would suggest that Economies is merely a minor branch of Psychology’. To some of the posers put in the returns one is tempted to reply as the child replied to the bishop: A bishop visiting a country house saw the young daughter of his host absorbed in contemplation of his apron and gaiters. Desiring to raise her thoughts to higher things, he asked: “My child, do you know the Lord’s Prayer?” “Yes, sir.” “ And do you know your Catechism?” “Yes sir.” “ And the Collects? ” Replied the child, “ Damn it all, sir, I’m only seven! ”

Two thousand years ago a Chinese Emperor, Shih Huang Ti, decreed that any one of his subjects making use of antiquity to belittle modern times should be put to death with all his relatives. He further enacted that all historical records should be destroyed, in order to remove temptation. New Zealand Statute Books contain no such enactment, and the heads of our relatives are safe when we turn past history to our use. History, for example, shows us the way Italy is heading. Said a Romite cable the other day:—

The question of a successor to Signor Mussolini has long been an active problem, and many names have been submitted. But the coming marriage of his daughter is generally regarded as setting the seal to the nomination of. Ins son-in-law, Constantzo Ciano.

This is what the whole world has been waiting for. Mussolini founds a new dynasty. In default of a son, a son-in-law is the next best thing. A thousand years ago a Mussolini arose who, as “ Mayor of the Palace,” ruled the kingdom of the early Frankish kings. The monarch himself was hidden away in a secluded palace, rarely seen and rarely heard of, always contemptuously regarded as a figure head, recorded in history as belonging to the line of the “ rois faineants ” — the “ do-nothing kings.” The Mayors of the Palace were at first duly elected. But one of them—Pepin or Pippin—decided to appoint his son to succeed him. This was the beginning of the end of the royal Merovingian dynasty. A couple of generations later, the faineant kings were dethroned, and a Mussolini-Pippin established a new royal house. The modus operandi of the modern Mussolini is similar. Ornithological!.? speaking, we may regard him as a cuckoo, laying her eggs iu the hedge sparrow's nest.

The Sidney Webbs (Mr and Mrs), prescribing their ideal constitution for a Socialist commonwealth of Great Britain, start from the complaint that the world is badly run, and would be better managed by a committee. Many of us would agree pleasantly with their major premise, would look dubiously at their minor premise, and would altogether scout the conclusion of their syllogism. Non-soeialis* politicians, jumping off from the same initial conviction, are seeking conclusions quite different. Little has been heard lately of Lord Beaverbrook’s New Empire Crusade, acclaimed as the P.P. Movement —Policy fofr Prosperity. Still less has been heard of the activities of its great recruit who, under a year ago, stepped out of the New Zealand High Commissioner’s chair into a new billett as an Empire Crusader. But no doubt he is busy making or buying his armour, with his eyes, like those of the old-time Crusaders, already fixed hopefully on distant horizons. A Free Trade Empire, economically selfcontained, is an attractive proposal. The United States is a Free Trade Empire. So also is Germany. Both have Free Trade within their boundaries, and Protection without; and the prosperity said to be due to one of these policies may after all be due to the other. Which statement is as ambiguous as those of the Delphic Oracle or of some presentday Economic reviews. According to the evidence available, the Crusaders have been prematurely counting their chickens. Free Trade to some parts of the Empire is merely the Manchester School’s con ception of a “ pedlar’s paradise.” And Mr Scullin, not many months ago, peered over the parapet of a high tariff wall and called out, “ Not on your life.” Englishmen themselves, to whom Free Trade is a religion, would not think as kindly of “ England, Home, and Duties ” as of the more usual form of the phrase. The Beaverbrook campaign is therefore viewed with misgivings by the very people whom it is proposed to lead on to prosperity. Britain does not quite know what she might be let in for. Therefore she cries:—

Beware the Rubicon, and look Before you leap the Beaver Brook.

Empire Free Trade is not the only scheme on foot. Mr William Alexander, Labour President of the Board of Trade, has proposed to Europe a two or three years Customs truce. M. Briand, of

France, advocates a United States of Europe. In Britain there has arisen also the occult gospel of Rationalisation of Industry—“ occult ” because few know its meaning. The name itself conveys the double suggestion that reason has hitherto been an unheard-of thing in British industry, and that it is now about to be applied. When the idea was first mooted, printers, it is said, showed uncanny insight in misspelling it “Nationalisation,” —which is precisely what the opponents of the scheme allege against it. Says a contemporary writer:—

Rationalisation is to modern students of industry rather what the phrase “Liberty. Equality. Fraternity” was to the French Revolutionists. Everyone talks about it. but not many know what it is all about.

• — . Rationalisation of industry is a mental revolution. It is concerned not only with the scientific management of individual firms, but with industries, groups of industries, and with national and even international economic life.

Which is not very illuminating—ignotum per ignotius. A this week’s cable reports the formation of a Bankers’ Industrial Company—nominal capital six millions—6o shares of £lOO,OOO each. Object—to consider schemes for rationalising, and, if approved, to arrange for provision of new, and use of existing agencies for advancing such money as is necessary. Not to finance reconstruction of industrial companies, but only groups of companies. Things therefore seem to be moving. But the ordinary man, not possessed of an industry that requires buttressing and staying, can only contribute hope for the best. Something must be done. Said Dr Johnson, “ Sir, you must not neglect doing a thing immediately good from fear of remote evil.” But Dr Johnson was not an economist. The present movement may have our blessing. Its beneficent results may surpass expectations. Saul, son of Kish, went out merely to seek his father’s asses, and found a kingdom.

From a Melbourne correspondent: —

Dear Civis, —In the Passing Notes of Jlarch 29 appears a letter signed “ Discipulus,” in which the writer makes the statement, or takes it for granted, that the Capping Song entitled “ Carnival Chorus ” is by Arthur H. Adams. I am afraid that Mr Adams will hardly feel flattered by having those verses attributed to him.

On the other hand, I cannot but feel flattered myself by reading that the lines are supposed to be worthy of Mr Adams’s brilliant pen; for in very truth, and in all modesty and humility, I must claim them as mine. “ A poor thing, but mine own.”— Yours, etc.,

J. R. Macdonald.

A sisterless and brotherless father who gazes at the portrait of his son on the wall and asks himself wonderingly, What relation is that man to me?” presents a serious case. In fact, there is almost a “ sinister ” ring about the problem. If it is a wise father that knows his own child, the man who doesn’t isn’t. This old “ catch ” reached me during the week from an Oamaru correspondent. The solution he asks for has already been given times without number in these columns for over forty years—in the romantic 80's, in the slumping 90’s, and the difficult 1900's, in the tragic 1910's. And every time a wager has been at stake.

Dear Civis, —Can you solve for me the following old problem:—A man pointing to a picture hanging on the wall, said, “Brothers and sisters have I none, but that man’s father was my father’s son.” What relation was the person in the portrait to him?—Wager.

Here we have a slender line of grandfather, father, and son; probably with wives in the background, but no other incumbrances. The man on the wall is the sen of the father, who in his turn is the son of the grandfather. Is more required ? The lineaments on the face of the picture may be such as to compel the father to wrap up the relationship in concealing verbiage. Affiliation cases are sometimes cases of hardship, but a man can’t wriggle out of his social obligations as easily as he can out of a woollen jumper. Civis.

The conference of the New Zealand Law Society unanimously supported a remit —“ That legislation is necessary to bring the law relating to collisions on land into union with that relating to collisions at sea, so that when both parties are negligent the damages payable may be apportioned.” Unless some change of the kind was made it would be impossible for justice to be done, said Sir Francis Bell'.

Barristers in England have experienced an enormous decrease in wojrk in recent years, said the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in his address at the annual conference of the New Zealand Law Society in Auckland. He added that members of the profession bad been searching t<! learn the reason why, and had come t> the conclusion that it was all due to two or three leaders of the Bar, who had too much work to do, and charged extravagant fees. The effect was to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs. As far as New Zealand was concerned, Sir Michael said, he considered a word of warning would not be misunderstood. The way out of the difficult,? for England was to fix a fee at something very much less than was asked at present, and to give a special fee. in addition, if a leading counsel were entitled to it for his outstanding ability. Tl lere would then be no question of “scaling up” the fees of junior counsel.

The noble work of the earliest pioneers has been vividly brought to present-day notice by the building of a new Methodist Church at Port Chalmers. The new church is a brick edifice, and it is taking the place of an old wooden building in which religious services were held at Port Chalmers before the first immigrant ships arrived to found the Otago Settlement. On the foundation stone of the new church the following inscription has been engraved:—“To the glory of God and in memory of the Rev. James Watkin, who established in these parts the first Christian mission in May, 1840. and also his successor, the Rev. Charles Reed, who first visited Koputai (Port Chalmers) on December 10, 1845. This stone was taken from the first Mission House in this island—erected at Waikouaiti in 1840.”

When a letter from the Director-general of Health was received at the meeting of the Otago Hospital Board on Thursday night staling that the preparation of the plans and specifications for the new maternity hospital would be undertaken by the Public Works Department, the chairman (Mr W. E. 8. Knight) stated that he took exception to this course. As the Government was finding the cost, amounted to £50,000, no complaint could be made, but he thought that the department was making a mistake. The present Hospital buildings stood as a credit to the board and the architect. Mr J. W. Dove stated that while he thought that the Government was justified in adopting the course which it intended to follow, he hoped that the plans would be submitted to the board. While it was realised that all the brains of the Dominion were concentrated in Wellington, the board should have an opportunity of inspecting the plans. The letter was received.

Beginning on May 1 the Czec-hoslavak visa for British subjects, either by birth or naturalisation, or subjects of the British Mandated Territories, will be abolished. In future, therefore, any New Zealand citizen desirous of visiting Czechslovakia may do so without a visa, the only requirement being that he is in possession of a valid British passport. This information reached Mr 11. M. West, of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, this week from Dr Rudolf Kuraz, Consul in charge, Sydney. The North Canterbury Co-operative Flourmilling Company, whose mill at Oust was burned in January, has purchased the Zealandia Milling Company’s mill at Addington. The price is understood to be about £25,000.

The east coast railway line at the Hawke's Bay end is proving a most valuable means of transporting stock and produce. Farmers living in the district through which it runs and in the areas immediately’ to the north use it extensively for sending live stock, wool, and other produce out to the markets or getting stock and goods in to their farms. Previously’ farmers had to send their goods out or bring them in by lorry and drive their stock out on the hoof. As some of the roads were in a very rough state, this method had serious handicaps. It took considerable time, and sometimes the lorries used would be held up by bad weather or the collapsing of a culvert on the road or some other untoward happening. Now, however, farmers’ stock and produce is simply taken to the rail and the rest is easy. The Hawke’s Bay County Council is carrying out a metalling programme on most of the roads leading to the railway and this work is further improving the position for the farmer.

A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that a cheque for £5O has been handed to the Mayor (the Rev. J. K. Archer) from the Christchurch branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners for the relief of unemployment.

The number of Easter marriages this year was 84; last year it was 76. A successful stalking trip was made by Lord Latymer, who, with Lady Latymer and a party under the control of Mr E. J. C. Wiffen, has returned to Wellington from the roughest country in New Zealand, 50 miles in from Lake Wanaka, in the Landsbrough district. - It took the party a week to get in, a whole day being occupied in going eight miles, and crossing some of the rivers with a lady in the party was a problem. The party took seven heads altogether, and succeeded in getting good specimens of everything but a royal. The h'-—- ’ ~ x ’mad is a very even 16-pointer, with a fine spread, and a partmularly beautiful and massive coronet, and brow tines. The bay and tray tines are perfectly symmetrical radi-. ally and in the upcurve, and the whole head is the finest that has come out of the southern districts for a couple of seasons. The horn is six inches round at the base, there is a sperad of 39 inches, and the measurement round the curves is 44 inches. A glimpse of a far finer head was seen, but it could not secured. The 11-pointer is possibly more beautiful, but not so massive. The re-election of Mr O. J. Parker as national president of the New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Federation is a direct blow at the “ Propaganda Committee,” which (says the Christchurch Times) for more than a year past has been the cause of a great deal of trouble in the industry. Mr Parker stands for constitutional methods in connection with the disputes which arise in the industry, and his reelection can be regarded as an endorsement of his policy. The National Council of the Federation is at present in course of election, the ballot not having yet closed, but there is said to be no likelihood of the extreme section gaining control of the organisation. The appointment of the national secretary is made by the council. Mr H. C. Revell at present holds the position.

No large charitable bequests were made by the late Sir George Clifford, it is understood (says our special corresponddent in Christchurch), as he held the opinion that benefactions should be made in his lifetime, a principle he followed with considerable generosity. During his lifetime Sir George Clifford endowed several churches and assisted in a liberal manner, wherever new cures were established or buildings erected. To the Mount Magdala and similar institutions he gave unstintedly. Indeed, few men have been more liberal with their charities over a long period of years than he. “If you marry that girl I’ll shoot you! ” shouted an uninvited guest at a wedding in a church in Christchurch on Easter Saturday evening. Nobody among the 200 people present knew the intruder, who entered the . building from the vestry end, and who seemed to address his remarks to nobody in particular. He was rather late in making this threat, for at the time of his arrival

the ceremony had already been completed, but he was apparently satisfied merely to have spoken, for he departed as suddenly as he had come, while everybody was too astounded at the strangeness of the incident to make any attempt to delay him.

The bank holidays now being enjoyed recall to mind the legislation on the subject of bank holidays passed in England nearly 100 years ago and at subsequent times. Before the year 1834 the Bank of England was closed upon certain saints days and anniversaries, about 33 in all during the year. In 1834 these holidays were reduced by Act of Parliament to four —Good Friday, May 1, November 1, and Christmas Day. In 1871 the four bank holidays were made to fall on Easter Monday, the Monday in Whitsun week, the first Monday in August, and Boxing Day if a week-day. These latter are still the four official bank holidays observed in England, although banks close, as they do in New Zealand, on other days. By the Act no person is compelled to make any payment or to do any act upon a bank holiday which he could not be compelled to do or make on Christmas Day or Good Friday, and the making of a payment or the doing of an act on the following day is equivalent to doing it on the holiday. By the Act of 1871 it was made lawful for the Sovereign to proclaim others days, should occasion warrant it, as special bank holidays.

The position of director of the Apia Observatory, which was advertised in England and in the Dominion, has been filled by the appointment of Mr J. Wadsworth, 8.A., who graduated with firstclass honours in natural science. The selection was made with the aid of a committee in England comprising Professor Gilbert Walker and Dr Simpson, director of Meteorological Services in the United Kingdom. Mr Wadsworth is about to leave England, and will take up his duties early in May. The Apia Observatory, which was established during the German occupation, is an important station in the South Pacific, as it is practically the only reporting observatory in that area. It is associated with the Carnegie Institute, and in addition to conducting meteorological observations, which arc of great value for New Zealand predictions, carries out systematic study and record of magnetism and atmospheric electricity. The position was formerly held by Dr Andrew Thomson, now attached to the New Zealand Meteorological Service.

The recently-erected hut at an altitude of 6483 feet on Fantham’s Peak, Mount Egmont, was formally opened in the presence of 300 people by Mr W. D. Armit, acting-chairman of the Egmont National Park Board, associated with whom were Mr W. G. Walkley, chairman of the South Committee of the board, and Mr O. Hooker, president of the Egmont Alpine Club. The hut provides camping accommodation and is to be used as the rendezvous for the alpine location and base in case of accident on the higher slopes of the mountain. The gathering was stated to be probably the largest ever assembled in New Zealand at such a height. The various speakers paid a tribute to the work of the Egmont Alpine Club members, who had advocated the erection of the hut and voluntarily carried out the portage of the materials to the site. In appreciation of the club’s work it has been decided to name the rendezvous Syme after Mr Rod Syme, the club captain, who was the club’s leader in the enterprise.

The regulations for the New Zealand Military Forces have been amended by the revocation of a paragraph relating to what are commonly known as “ crime-sheets,” and the substitution of a paragraph stating that in the Territorial Force and the Cadets conduct-sheets will not be required, but that records of convictions by the civil or military powers, duly signed by a responsible civil or military authority, as the case may be, will be maintained.

An important educational mission is to be carried out during the next few weeks by the Director of Education (Mr T. 'B. Strong). Mr Strong left by the Makura to attend at Melbourne a conference of directors of education of all the Australian States, in-

cluding Hobart. The deliberations are expected to last 10 days. While in the Commonwealth, Mr Strong intends to look as closely as possible into agricultural education, into schemes that have been adopted for the education of mentally deficient children, and into measures taken for the prevention of juvenile deliquency. The results of Mr Strong’s observations will be embodied in a report to the Minister of Education on his return to the Dominion.

A Rangitikei sportsman, Mr N. Olsen, who with Mr K. W. Dalrymple has been wapiti shooting off the Middle Arm of Lake Te Anau, secured a very fair head (says the Southland Times). It was on view at the Lumsden railway station on Monday and attracted much attention. The bead w’as very true to type, the points being well developed. The approximate measurements of the head were 40 inches in spread and 49J inches in length. An excellent'red deer head has "been obtained by Mr James Woods, of Oreti, who was shooting in the Upper Routeburn. It is a 17-pointer, with the lower tynes particularly well developed, and it is likely to rank as the best head secured in Southland this season. “ Did councillors see the caged man who was taken round town on a lorry the other day? ” asked Cr Munro at the meeting of the City Council last night. Cr Mitchell, chairman of the General Committee, in reply, said it was intended to prosecute the party who was responsible I for the “show.” ' ‘'