TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 21658, 21 March 1932, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

If such surprising things as had happened in the last 12 months were to go on happening in the next year, there was no political prophecy that could be dubbed as too fantastic, said Lord Lloyd in a recent speech. We had got rather dangerously used to being off the naval standard, and were no longer much more than conscious of being off the gold standard, and he expected that we would get morally hardened to departing from the Cabinet standard before long. When every anchor which moored us to the past was slipping it was well that there was an institution such as the House of Lords, which was always sensible and sympathetic to ordered progress. Never had the House of Lords had an opportunity of playing a greater or more important part. “We can temper the whole situation and correct idealism,” he continued, “in regard to the situation in India. We can, after all, be careful to remember that, in that country our greatest role is to help the simple folk in India to come by their rights and to punish the wrongdoer. We can still see that whatever the ideals of this country are as regards peace and disarmament, there shall be no more unilateral disarmament, because we are the stewards of the peace of the world, and we must retain to ourselves the forces for attaining our object. We can get fair play for our great industries and we can get a chance for our agriculture. There is infinite scope for us to behave as handmaids to the House of Commons and yet to spur them on to energy if they fail.”

“Wc are asking too much of the gold standard when we expect it to do more than guarantee a stable rate of exchange in the case of normal commercial relations and a normal regulation of the currency,” writes Professor Gustav Cassel, the well-known economist. “By expecting too much of the gold standard, public attention has been diverted from the glaring economic blunders that have been committed. Additional obstacles have been placed in the way of international commerce, economically indefensible demands for transfers of capital have been pressed beyond all reason, and even in those countries which have been most abundantly supplied with gold, the level of prices has been forcibly lowered, instead of being allowed to rise. Ths pressure to which the international gold standard system has been subjected by these preposterous demands has resulted in its fintj collapse. And yet people expect that the gold standard will revive of itself. But this is a delusion. An international gold standard system is, under present conditions, impossible. The mere fact that in some countries the demands for gold reserves have been screwed up to a standard for which the gold supplies of the world are quite inadequate, while the policy of holding reserves of foreign exchange in lieu of reserves of gold has been utterly discredited, debars other countries from reverting to a gold standard. To provide a basis for a general return to a. gold standard, the lamentable conditions under which the world commerce is now being carried on must be changed so radically that, even in the most favourable circumstances, this will require years of the most strenuous efforts.”

The Battalion Band was favoured by splendid weather for its programme of music given on the South Invercargill Domain yesterday afternoon. A large attendance was present and the programme of well-known pieces was thoroughly enjoyed. During the afternoon the Caledonian Pipe Band played in the Rose Gardens, a large attendance also being present.

Last evening the Government Meteorologist issued the following forecast: The anti-cyclone mentioned yesterday is moving off New Zealand. A fairly deep depression is located in the Tasman Sea and is being followed by a rather intense anticyclone. Forecast: Winds east to north and light to moderate but freshening, backing to south in the southern districts after about 16 hours. Seas smooth to moderate in the eastern Tasman Sea and moderate to strong north-east to northerly winds and moderate but rising seas. Weather fair and warm at first in most places but rain developing in the north and north-east and extending later to other districts.

There is no accounting for unusual surnames. This fact was stressed by Dr. J. W. Mcllraitli, senior inspector of schools, when reporting on a certain country school at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board. “In this school,” he said, “there are only eight children, three of whom are Coffins and two Graves. The teacher’s name, appropriately enough, is Sadd.”

A definition of the degrees of deafness was given by Mrs G. A. Hurd-Wood in the course of an address in the Auckland Town Hall. “The deaf,” said Mrs HurdWood, “are those who have come into this world without the sense of hearing. The deafened are those who, having had thetr full powers of hearing, have lost them; while hard of hearing refers to the thousands with various degrees of defective hearing.”

“It’s the loveliest harbour I have ever been in,” said Major Gordon Home, of London, looking at Wellington harbour on Monday morning from the deck of the Ulimaroa by which he arrived from Sydney. “In comparison with this, Sydney harbour is not worth thinking about. Hong Kong has a glorious harbour, but this is so different from it in many ways. It hasn't, the same bare boldness in its surroundings. It’s got all the beauties ol Scotland and the Lakes district.” Major Home said he thought it rather odd that people had come to him to tell him about New Zealand without telling him that Wellington was one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.

The question of the prevalence of goitre in certain districts was discussed at the annual conference of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, and the following resolution was adopted: “In view of the continued high incidence of goitre in New Zealand, its important relationship to the health of mothers and children, and our relative lack of knowledge regarding the factors which govern the incidence of goitre, in particular in relationship to the nature of the soil and food supply of the people, we urge the necessity for further research work into the causation and effects of goitre. Further, that arrangements be made to coordinate the soil and animal research at present being conducted at Massey College with the research at present directed by Professor Hercus to the elucidation of goitre in man.”

That many students would be thrown back on their parents for help, because they would not be able to pay their way, was the effect of the proposed reduction of allowances to students being trained for teachers, anticipated by Mr J. G. Polson, Principal of the ■ Christchurch Teachers’ Training College (states the Christchurch Press). The proposal of the commission was that a total of £52 a year should be substituted for the present £lOO a year, and Mr Polson considered that few students would be able to carry on under the reduced allowance. It simply meant he said, that their parents would have to contribute towards their support during the years they were at the training college. In most cases board amounted to £4B a year at least, and if the total allowances amounted to £52 a year, there would not be much left wherewith to buy books and to meet incidental expenses. The -effect of making a cut, practically of 50 per cent., without warning would be to create a sense of unfairness, even after making due allowance for the fact that circumstances demand sacrifices all round.

“I’m up against it. Two of my boys who have finished with school have no work to do. Now the third' is coming home. What can I do? Can you help me to get them something to do on the land?” “This appeal,” said Mr N. C. Gribble to Auckland Rotarians, “was made to me by a man who was obviously in despair.” The speaker gave a striking address on “The Boy—the Nation’s Best Asset.” In New Zealand, said Mr Gribble, 12,000 boys leave school every year. Onethird of these are in the Auckland province. Roughly, 20 per cent, of these go to agriculture and 60 per cent, to Government posts, professions, and town jobs. Our greatest asset was going to waste. The speaker largely blamed our educational system,. which did not meet the requirements of au agricultural community. Mr Gribble outlined the work of the Future Farmers’ Committee, and said it was essential that arrangements should be made whereby the boy learning farm woik should have the opportunity later on of owning his own farm. This problem was a challenge to the adults of the community to see that boys were properly started out in life.

The possibility of manufacturing macaroni and vermicelli in New Zealand were discussed at a meeting of the Disabled Soldiers’ Re-establishment Committee in Christchurch. It was decided to make further inquiries into the proposal. The secretary (Mr W. E. Lcadley) said that he had been investigating the possibilities of establishing new industries which would absorb disabled ex-soldiers. Mr D. Colquhoun, of the Department of Industries and Commerce, had given the following evidence before the Rehabilitation Commission; “If a Central Board were established, the question of setting up men in new industries would need to be of a character not requiring a large amount of capital. There is no factory in the Dominion manufacturing macaroni and vermicelli.” In reply to further inquiries, said Mr Lcadley, Mr Colquhoun had supplied further facts, as follows:—“The quantity' and value of macaroni and vermicelli ( imported into New Zealand, principally’ from Australia and Canada, over a period of three years was as follows: 1928, 716,1541 b, value £14,236; 1929, 710,9491 b, value £12,875; 1930, 676,7671 b, value £11,897. Customs tariff was: British preferential free, except for primage 3 per cent., general 25 per cent.; Australian reciprocal, 30 per cent.”

“We are living in a time when abnormal conditions prevail, when sin and crime of every description are increasing with alarming rapidity. Crimes that half a century ago would have shocked the world are now of everyday occurrence.” With these-introductory remarks Pastor Mitchell spoke in Everybody’s Hall on world conditions in the light of the Bible Prophecy to an interested audience last night. He stated that we were living in a very specific era marked out in Bible prophecy as the “last days/' Some of the statistics read were: A total of 5,585,696 marriages blighted by divorce in America in 20 years. In 1916 there were five counties in the United States in which the number of divorces exceeded the number of marriages. In 1927 there was a divorce in America every four minutes on the average. This lack of affection was not confined to America, for the records of 19 countries showed that divorces had doubled in the past decade, and according to the New Zealand Year Book, they were on the increase here. Each week' 200 lives were sacrificed to violence. In 1927 there was an average of a suicide every three minutes. There was a change stealing over humanity, and it had its significance. The world was being hardened by sin. Satan was influencing the world against the sacred standards of righteousness, and many’ whose duty it was to hold high standards were letting down the barriers and evil was flooding the world. The final outcome as described in scripture is to be dealt with in following addresses, which will be advertised.- • l

Tlie Railway’ Department has decided to run excursion trains from Clinton to Colac and Bluff to Tuatapere on Easter Sunday at specially reduced fares. Train times and fares are advertised in this issue.—Advt. Happy, happy children make happy’ mothers and fathers at Easter when the eggs and chicks arc purchased at Ayson’s two shops, Dee Street.—Advt. Value did you say? You should see our stock of Ladies’ Vests, at 1/11, 2/G and 2/11. They’ are just wonderful.— Wicks’ Hose and Vest Shop, Dee Street. — Ladies’ Nightdresses, in cosy Cream Winceyette, nicely trimmed, 7/9 to 9/11; with long sleeves and open front, 7/11 and 9/11—at Miss Noble’s, The Baby Shop, Dee Street. —Advt. The right Spirit:— DEWAR’S WHISKY. —Advt. Something new. Thomson and Beattie have just'opened a shipment of the latest all leather Dominion made "Hold-all” Bags. These bags are extremely well made and have strong solid leather handles. The measurements are as follows, 13£in length, 9in height, 4|in in width. A reliable Zip fastener closes the top—shades of brown trimmed with leather strips in diagonal design across corner. The price is 27/6. Ideal for Easter or week-end trips.—Advt. Specials for Easter at Carter’s Make Room Sale: Five Guinea Worsted Suits now £3 15/-; 8/11 Poplin Shirts now 5/5; 11/6 Fawn Pants or Singlets 7/11; Boys’ Shirts 1/11; best quality School Hose, all sizes, 2/6. —Advt. “What perfect pictures!” Clear, bright sparkling snaps that will smile up at .you from your album, years after you place them there. That’s the kind you get from BROWN’S PHARMACY. Careful developing of course is the first requisite for good pictures. And after that good printing. We use only the famous VELOX PAPER, so wonderfully graded to meet all amateur requirements. So when we get a flat dull negative, we use VELOX "Regular,” or for one with harsh contrasts we choose Velox “Soecial.” Others we print on Velox "Medium.” Result—a perfect picture from every negative and more pleased customers for BROWN, THE CHEMIST, 125 Dee street. —Advt. HOW TO SOOTHE WHOOPING COUGH.

Parents need never hesitate in giving Baxter’s Lung Preserver to children. In the case of whooping cough, keep the child warm and give “Baxter’s” as directed on the bottle.

This rich, warm, soothing compound quickly relieves inflammation and permits comfortable breathing. Its unique tonic properties will also hasten the child’s recovery.

Children like, taking "Baxter’s” and that alone is a big help. Never be without "Baxter’s.” 4/6. family size. Also 1/6. and 2/6. at all chemists and stores. —Advt. '