The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1911. RACE IMPROVEMENT.

Southland Times, Issue 14635, 27 January 1911, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1911. RACE IMPROVEMENT.

Considerable attention is now being devoted to “Race Improvement,” and Dr Findlay, on Tuesday night at Dunedin, in the course of an address on the subject, made reference to the fertility of the unfit. He suggested that the State should cardinally aim (1) to keep people on the land, and (2) to enforce and assist the most approved method of town planning, and he added that if the country was to rise to greatness it must check the agents of degeneration and promote those that would improve the physical and mental qualities of the people. Dv Findlay is evidently a votary of the science of eugenics, which has been defined as the study of those social agencies that may improve or impair the mental and physical characteris-

tics of the race. Sir Francis Galton, an eminent scientist who first used the term Eugenics, said:—“ The first object of Eugenics is to check the birth-rate of the Unfit, instead of allowing them to come into being, though doomed in large numbers to perish prematurely. The second object is the improvement of the race by furthering the productivity of the Fit, by early marriages and healthy rearing of their children. Natural selection rests upon excessive production ana wholesale destruction; Eugenics on bringing no more people into the world than can be properly cared for, and those only of the best stock.” The whole question is better understood after a study of heredity and environment, and it must at once be admitted that it is the surroundings that to a very large extent make the vices of the people, and yearly turn out a crop of degenerates. Put a number of well-disposed people into bad surroundings and compel them to stop there, and in a century you will has r e the kind of people now to be found in the slums of cities. Take a lot of people from the slums and put them in a new country where they must work to live, where they can live by work, where fresh air and freedom and hope can come to them, and ia a generation you will have a prosperous and creditable colony. Dr Barnardo’s outcast children may ba mentioned as a case in point. Suppose a child is born in a poor hovel, in a poor slum, and its home surroundings are such that cleanliness and modesty ar wellnigh impossible; and that the gutter is its playground; the factory it!s college; the drunkard its exemplar; the ruffian and thief its instructors! Suppose that bad nursing, bad air, bad water, bad food, dirt, hunger, ill-usage, foul language, and hard work are its daily portion. Suppose that it has inherited poor blood, dull spirits, enfeebled wit, and stunted stature from its ill-fed, untaught, overworked. miserable, ignorant, and unhealthy parents, can one expect that child to be clever, and moral, and thrifty, and clean, and sober? Heredity is past environment, or “descent,” or “breed,” and means those qualities which are handed down from one generation to the next. It means those qualities which a new generation inherits from the generation from whom it descends. It means all that “is bred in the bone.” If a man inherits a Grecian nose, a violent temper, well-knit muscles, a love of excitement, or a good ear for music, from his father or mother, that quality or feature is part of his heredity. It is “bred in him.” Every quality a child possesses at the moment of birth, every quality of body or of mind, is inherited from his parents and their ancestors. And the whole of those qualities—which are the child—are what is known as “heredity.” No child brings into the world one single quality of body or mind that has not been handed down to it by its ancestors. And yet no two children are exactly alike, and no child is exactly like any one of its forbears. The difference of children from each other and from the parent stock is known as “variation.” And while dealing with heredity it is worth noting that “atavism,” or “breeding back,” or “reversion” may reach through thousands of generations. Darwin, in “The Descent of Man,” gives many instances of “atavism” by human beings to apish and even quadrupeal characteristics. Dr Lydstou, in the “Diseases of Society,” says; “The outcropping of ancestral types of mentality is observed to underlie many of the manifestations of vice and crime. These ancestral types or traits may revert farther back even than the savage progenitors of civilised man, and approximate those of the lower animals who, in their turn, stand behind the savage in the line of descent.” At a meeting in.the Guildhall, London, called to discuss the means of dealing with imbeciles and epileptics, a speech was made by Dr Potts, of Birmingham, in which he stated that the causes of mental defects, which led poor creatures, whose cases he had investigated, to immorality and crime were: (1) Defective nutrition in early years of life; (2) hereditary tendency to consumption; (3) descent from insane or criminal stock; (4) chronic alcoholism of one or both parents; (5) defective nutrition in early life. When we speak

of a man’s environment we mean his surroundings, his experiences; all that he sees, hears, feels, and learns, from theinstant that the lamp of life is kindred to the instant when .the light goes out. By environment we mean eevrything that develops or modifies the child or the man for good or for ill. As Robert Blatchford aptly puts it: “We mean his mother’s milk; the home, and the state of life into which he is born. We mean the nurse who suckles him, the children he plays with, the school he learns in, the air he breathes, the water he drinks, the food he eats. We mean the games he' plays, the work he does, the sights he sees, the sounds he hears. We mean the girls he loves, the woman he marries, the children he rears, the wages he earns. We mean the sickness that tries him, the griefs that sear him, the friends who aid and the enemies who wound him. We mean all his hopes and fears, his victories and defeats; his faiths and his disillusionments. We mean all the harm he does, and all the help he gives; all the ideals that beckon him, all the temptations that lure him; all his weepings and laughter, his hissings and cursings; his lucky hits and unlucky blunders; everything he does and suffers under the sun.” A child is not born with a conscience; but with the rudiments of a conscience—the materials from which a conscience may or may not be developed; by environment. A child is not born with capacities, but only with potentialities for good or evil, which may, or may not he developed; by environment. A child is born absolutely without knowledge. Every atom of knowledge he gets must be got from his environment. Every faculty of body or of mind grows stronger with use and weaker with disuse. This is as true of the reason and the will as of the muscles. Everything that changes, or develops, muscle or brain, is a part of our environment. There must be bounds to environment, but

no man lias yet discovered the limits, and few have dared to place them wide enough; but the scope of environment is undoubtedly so great that, be the heredity what it may, environment ha.s power to save or damn. It is impossible in the short space at our disposal to enter thoroughly and connectedly into even one phase of this particularly knotty question, but sufficient has been said to indicate that the creation of a healthy environment will tend to mitigate the evils with which society is afflicted, and will in time, in a natural way, lead to the elimination of the Unfit.

The Corporation Picnic to-day is to be held at Ocean Beach (not at Thomson's Bush), and as the committee has made very complete arrangements tor the comfort and enjoyment of their friends, young and old. a large gathering is anticipated. The town hall and the various borough departments will be closed.

The Town Council was yesterday made the recipient of two framed photographs. one a picture of the Fire Brigade station and the Brigade members (from the Fire Brigade): and the other a photo of the silver spade with which the Governor turned the first sod of the tramways (the gift of Messrs Dawson and Co.). The Council suitably thanked the donors.

The Bluff oyster fleet is now all in readiness for the opening of the oyster season on' Wednesday next. At daybreak on that day three steamers and , five auxiliary craft will go out from Bluff to the oyster beds, and on their return in tlie afternoon it is expected that they will have some 30.000 dozen oysters on board. These will promptly be despatched by train to Invercargill and to customers further north, whilst on the following day supplies to the northern centres will be consigned in plenty.

The Garrison Band was authorised by the Council yesterday evening (on the usual conditions) to charge sixpence for admission to Queen’s Parle on Wednesday evening next, when a concert will be given in aid of the Fire Brigade funds. Ballots were fixed to take place yesterdayat the Invercargill Bands Office for 20 sections (averaging between two and three roods each), situate at Glenham. No applications for tenancy were, however, received, the complaint being that the sections were too small to be attractive. Holdings (of larger dimensions) at Browns, Waikawa. and Stewart Island (one at each centre) were also to have been ballotted for, but in the absence of competition the Browns and Waikawa sections went to the only applicants, the Stewart Island property (near Oban Jetty) not being applied for. The Wednesday half-holiday in Invercargill is not likely to be disturbed this year. Yesterday evening the Mayor (Mr W. A. Ott) was appointed the representative of the Invercargill Borough at the half-holiday conference, and he expressed his intention to support Wednesday. The penny-in-the-slot machine for the sale of penny stamps, which has been In use at the counter of the Chief Postoffice for some time past has proved so great a convenience to the public that the authorities have decided to increase Its usefulness still further. The Chief Postmaster has now had the machine placed on the wall outside the postoffice, and adjacent to the postingboxes, so that anyone with a penny can obtain a stamp at a moment’s notice, and at any hour of the night or day. This is a very great public convenience Indeed, and will be greatly appreciated by all those who have letters to post at the last moment, or after office hours. The machine is enclosed in a strong but very neatly made wooden case, and it is to be hoped that so eminently useful a public fixture will be safeguarded from mischievous hands. The law of course, provides a very severe penalty for anyone found tampering with post-office boxes, and any instances coming under notice should be promptly reported to liie Chief Postmaster. Various sarcastic and uncomplimentary remarks were made at the Town Council meeting yesterday concerning the caging-in of the open spaces in front of the Supreme Court buildings in Tay street. It was considered that the Government was making of these places merely dust receptacles and wastepapercatcliers which would eventually make the place unsightly. The number of persons who arrived in Xew Zealand during last month was 4655, and the number of persons who departed 2622. For December. 1509 the figures are; Arrivals, 5050; departures. 2502. Tho total number of arrivals for the past year is 55,769, and of departures 52.561. compared with 35.650 arrivals and 55,951 departures in 1909. — Press Association. In response to Cr. Galbraith at the Town Council meeting yesterday evening the Mayor stated that so far as he knew there would not bo surplus power from the tramway works available for use by general users of motive power In the town. A surplus there would be, but the present intention v as to have a separate generator to break-down the high voltage required for the tram-run-ning to make it available for wuter and sewage pumping. The power-house was to be designed to allow for extensions, but an extension to enable the power to be used by private firms would have to be the subject of another loan. Some doubt having been expresed as to the exact provisions of the Hospital Boards’ Act in regard to the length of tenure of office by the present members oft the Southland H. anil C. A. Board, the Inspector - General of Hospitals has been communicated with. He lias officially notified the Board that tho representatives of Southland County and of the Lakes district go out of office next November, and that a new election must then take place in conjunction with the County Council’s elections, and therefore on every subsequent County Council election. In the case of urban members, the representatives of In-, van-argil! and South Invercargill. Gore and Mataura. and Campoelliown and Vinton, they continue in office until April, 1915. when they will then be elected i” conjunction with the Town Councils’ elections, and subsequently at each succeeding Town Council election.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday Mr G. Cruickshank. S.M., wave judgment by default as follows: — J. F. Wilson (Mr Rattray) v. John T. Carroll (Te Waewae). fur 10s costs; R. G. Spiers (Mr 11. A. Macdonald) v. Bihby Bros., circus proprietors, for FI lUs and 5 s costs, amount due for acetylene gas installation; McKay Bros. v. Loui Vounp; (.South Riverton), for 16s 6d and as costs. Before the civil business was heard the magistrate was called upon to consider a claim for maintenance made by .Mr O’Beirne on behalf of a wife and daughter, Mr Macaiister appearing for the defendant. The case was adjourned for a week with a view tu private settlement.

“I was delighted to sec the progress that is being made in the city of Auckland," Mr D. McLaren, M.F.. told a "Post” reporter. "Though, belonging to Wellington, I can readily agree with those who say that Auckland is the finest city in the country. The only thing 1 fear is that the method of appraising land at excessive values seems to have got hold of the city and its surroundings, and though the land agents deny that anything in the nature of a boom exists, I see considerable evidence of land outside the city being held out Of use and fictitious values placed on it, in the hope that these lands would later on be taken up as building allotments. Trade and business in Auckland is in a more flourishing condition than 1 have ever seen it before. Thv improvements at the wharves are going ahead very rapidly, and the port of Wellington has got a competitor that it can’t afford to smile at.”

At a meeting of the Otago Harbour Board yesterday the following motion Was carried; ‘"That in the opinion of this Board recent legislation bearing on the qualification of members of local bodies lias not been framed in the best interests of the community, and tlitit *he Mayor of Dunedin be asked to convene a meeting of delegates of various local bodies in the province, to be held in .March, to fully discuss the question and submit to Parliament such recommendations as may be deemed expect*/ —Press Ass-ooiation.

Mr John Hodge. British Labour M.P., will arrive in Invercargill by the first express to-morrow. In the evening he will be entertained at a smoke concert at Raeside’s, and on Sunday evening he will deliver a lecture in the Victoria Hall on “Christian Democracy.” Full particulars are advertised in this issue.

The Lindisfarne amalgamation proposal is still moving' along. The poluicn is in the hands of the Southland County Council for scrutiny of the signatures, and the Borough solicitor nas instructions to get the proceedings accelerated in order that as little .le.uy as possible should ensue in the ama'gamation. This information was given the Town Council yesterday evening by cue Mayor in ieply to an interrogation by CV. McCulloch.

The s.s. Manuka, due at Bluff on Monday next, is bringing 156 bags of United Kingdom and Foreign mails. In the course of a few remarks made before dismissing the members of the Territorial Forces lately encamped in the Queen’s Park the Commanding officer, Major Murphy, speaking with reference to the behaviour of the men, stated unhesitatingly that their conduct had been exemplary gentlemanly, was the term used. Right through the discipline had been praiseworthy and the orderlies had no trouble in controlling affairs. He congratulated the Dominion upon having such exemplary soldiers. The various officers under whom the forces worked, privately endorsed these remarks.

Last night's “Gazette” notifies (says a Wellington telegram) the reappointment of members to the Arbitration Court, as follows: Employers’ representatives, Messrs Wm. Scott, of Dunedin, member, and William Pryor, of Wellington, acting member. Workers’ representatives; Messrs J. A. McCullough, of Christchurch, member, and W. T. Young, of Wellington, acting member. A little trouble has recently been experienced at the deep bore which is being sunk on the waterworks reserve. The Engineer reported to the Town Council yesterday evening as follows: — During the last few days considerable difficulty has been experienced in restarting the steel casing owing to very heavy friction caused through Quicksand. wet clay and timber having been met with. The day previous to meeting this a sixteen foot length of pipe was driven in 52 minutes; the strata then passed through being composed of dry clay and lignite seams. To-day (Thursday) the pipes had been restarted with the aid of jacks and by increasing the drivi- - weight by 5001b. Once the pipes are entered into the solid strata now drilled there should be very little difficulty in getting the present 5-inch pipes down. The 3^2-inch pipes have been cabled for and will arrive from Sydney on Monday week. The bore is now down a total depth of 500 feet, of which 560 feet is piped. After the constant reiteration of the statement that a prohibition order under the Licensing Act applies to the whole Dominion, although it may be issued for a particular licensing district. and that locality is specifically mentioned, the latest contention in the defence of a man who was prohibited in district A, and purchased his liquor in district B, was raised by Mr Donnelly at the Kaiapoi Court on Monday. The order in the case was stated to be made under section 212, and although it called attention to sections 214 and 217, every prohibited person, he said, was not in possession of a copy of the Act. Mr Justice Williams had held that the order for a district was operative throughout the Dominion, and the last amendment included something of the sort, but his client was not supposed to know that. Constable Holmes remarked that the individual referred to had been prohibited five times. Mr Bailey, S.M., said he thought it might be assumed that defendant had a wide knowledge of the Act, and he would be fined 40s, it being an offence to obtain liquor anywhere in the Dominion while the order was current.

What “God’s Own Country” requires is “Land for the People” and “People for the Land.” Judicious advertising is drawing sturdy and welcome emigrants to this fair Dominion’s shores, but advertising must be backed up by sterling value. PRICE & BULLEID during their double-value sale are selling superior Tailored Box Suits at specially reduced prices—39/6, 45/-, -19/6, 55/-; materia! linings and cut the best that is possible. They are also selling cheaper suits at 24/6, 29/6, 54/6, 37/6; suits made to stand rough wear. Their special shaped Trousers 7/6, 8/6, 9/6, 10/6 are marvels at the price. In Men’s Working Shirts 2/6, 2/11, 3/6, 3/11; Smart Tennis Shirts 2/9, 2/11, 3/G, 3/11 are marked at about half the usual price. All this popular firm asks is : Don’t miss seeing their tremendous display of Suits, Overcoats, Trousers, Shirts, Underclothing, Ties, Braces, Hats, Caps, Bags. Rugs, Umbrellas, etc., offered at cut and hacked prices during PRICE & BULLEID’S Double-VaJue SALE.

A little while ago the newspapers announced that although business was good on Christmas and New Year’s Eves, ready cash was not so plentiful as might have been expected. The reason for this was not apparent at the time, but it has now come to light. Thrifty housewives were saving up for McGiuer, Taylor and Co’s great Midsummer Fair; and well they might. McGruer, Taylor and Co’s Great Clearing Sales are now so well known as money saving, money making events that they bulk much more largely in the minds of many people than the statutory holidays. One of these great sales are now on. and McGruer, Taylor and Co. are determined to make it memorable. On this occasion thanksi to the exertions of Mr Mc■Gruer while in England and on the Continent they have secured huge lines of goods at prices which enable them to sell here at such reductions as have never before been offered. Drapery buyers should get one of McGruer, Taylor and Co’s sale bills, and study it. It will be an eye-opener. Thomson and Beattie’s Sale begins on Saturday first at 9 o’clock. The bare intimation of the fact is now enough to till tlie shop with buyers. The knowledge every lady has of the way in which all end of season goods have been sacrificed at the j chibition sales for years past makes her naturally anxious to secure a share of the present bargains. SYNOPSIS NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. On Page I. Dost —Collie dog. Wanted—Housekeeper. Wanted —Positions in Grocer’s shop. School Keiiuisites, etc., at Eillicrap, McNaughton <t Co.’s. Wanted—Bushmen’ etc.—Apply Sawmill Workers’ Union. To Let—o-roomed house, Stewart Island. Mrs S. C. Holmes wants porter, waitresses, etc. McDonald and Meek have houses and land for sale. I{. J. Gumming has seclions and houses for sale. On Page 3. See the price list of McDonald’s Boot Sale. The Drapery Event of the Season — The Exhibition Sale is now on. Latest in School Books at Wesney Bros. On Page 4. Funeral of the late .las. W. Cooper to-day. Funeral of the late Archibald P.usha to-morrow. On Page 6 Fullers’ Pictures to-night. Hayward’s Pictures to-night. Corporation Employees’ Picnic to-day W. Norris resumes music classes on Mon day. Southern Cross Arch-Chapter meeting to-night. ,]. Hodge, M.P.. delivers address in Victoria Hall on Sunday. Dissolution of Partnership between Edwin and Edwin J. Cuckow. Amy Castles Concert box plan opens Feb. Ist. Summer Show of Canary and Pigeon Club on 15tli Feb. A. F. Bateman resumes elocution classes on Ith Feb. On Page 7. A Sweeping Success —Triumph and Douglas motor cycles—see Wilson. Fraser’s advt. On Page 8— .1, A. Mitchell and Co., —Sale of horses to-morrow. Win. Todd and Co. —Sale of .Bluff section to-morrow. J. It, Mills ami Son —Sale of T. It. Carroll’s property on -Ith I obruary.