TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 21771, 28 July 1932, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Harmony of Colour. Mr Roger Fry, the art expert, in an appendix to the Gorell Committee’s report on Art and Industry, writes: “The idea of ‘quiet’ colour is to use muddy browns, degraded reds and dirty greens, more or less indiscriminately, while ‘gay’ colour consists in a very restricted range of oranges, scarlets and greens. In such circles the idea that colour is a question of harmonies which are almost as distinct as musical harmonies scarcely seems to have occurred at all. No doubt the attempt to gauge the public taste must be attended with many deceptions, nor can one deny that the taste of the public at large is neither cultivated nor discriminating, but there are many indications that it is willing to accept better designs than it gets. After all, people are forced to buy what is before them, but they often do so of sheer necessity and without approval.”

Sacrifice and Example. “Can we ignore that the teeming millions of the world feel that their peace, their work, their bread and life depend on the solution of the problems of practical fellowship among the nations? Do we deceive ourselves that these problems will be solved by fixed schemes which deny that movement which is the very life of nations?” says Signor Grandi, the Italian Foreign Minister, in the Morning Post. “The world is to-day sick unto death of technical experts. Without doubt there exist technical problems in disarmament, reparations and treaties, but before and above all this there exists the human problem, and to put the human factor aside in favour of technical and juridical formulas means the negation of history. Sacrifice is demanded—and example. Example is the sole means of solving the crisis of confidence.” Persistent Offenders. Improved methods of reformative treatment in prisons are advocated in the report of the Department Committee appointed by Mr J. R. Clynes, when Home Secretary, last year, “to inquire into the existing methods of dealing with persistent offenders.” The recommendations include:—The abolition of the term “penal servitude.” The substitution of the terms “imprisonment” and “detention” with two new forms of sentence under the latter term of two to four years and five to ten years. The extension of the term “crime” to include certain sexual offences. The provision of old country houses for women’s institutions. “That the present methods of dealing with persistent offenders are unsatisfactory is the general burden of all the evidence we have received, whether from witnesses who have judicial or magisterial experience, or from representatives of the police, or from prison administrators, or from social workers and philanthropists, or from medical experts and psychologists,” states the committee. “Under the scheme we have proposed it ought to be possible to select from the offenders sentenced to detention those who are most amenable to control, and to transfer them to a public works camp on the understanding that good behaviour and good work in such a camp would mean release cr licence at a comparatively early date ” The report says that one of the drawbacks of the present distinction between imprisonment and penal is that many convicts regard themselves as aristocrats and look down on those who are sentenced merely to imprisonment. If penal servitude were merged in imprisonment, the penal servitude convict should, as in the case of the offender sentenced to imprisonment, be enabled to earn absolute remission and the system of release on licence should be abolished.

Last evening the Government Meteorologist issued the following weather report and forecast: A rather vigorous depression covers the North Island, while a slight anticyclone is still centred over Otago. Pressure is high over eastern Australia. Winds moderate to strong easterly to southerly, reaching gale force at times in and north of Cook Strait, but gradually moderating. Seas (New Zealand waters) moderate south of Farewell Spit, elsewhere rough; eastern Tasman Sea strong southeast to south winds and seas heavy in the northern portion and rather rough to rough in the southern portion; later wind and sea decreasing; weather still cold and squally with showers in most districts; hail or snow in places, but mainly fair on the west coast of the South Island.

With the object of providing the Relief Depot with boots for the workers. Dr Uttley has organized a “boot drive.” To-morrow morning the Southland High School Boys will comb the city for boots, which, though discarded by their owners, are in good enough repair to give useful service to relief workers.

During the course of a talk on the report of the Broadcast Coverage Commission from 4ZP last evening, Mr A. W. Jones commented on the popularity of the Wellington station, 2YA. In collecting data the commission had been informed by listeners which station they preferred to listen to, and 23,658 voted in favour of 2YA. Only 2500 named B class stations, as their first preference.

The following further donations to the Relief Workers’ Association’s drive are acknowledged: M. Anderson (Wrights Bush), two lambs; G. Anderson (Wrights Bush), bag of potatoes; Mrs R. Frew (Wrights Bush), bag of produce; F. G. O’Connell (Otahuti), bag of potatoes; R. J. Hector (Otahuti), fat sheep; D. T. Teviotdale (Isla Bank), three bags of potatoes; J. T. Hazlett (Isla Bank), fat wether; A. A. Officer (Isla Bank), bag of potatoes; A. White (Isla Bank), bag of potatoes; R. Kennedy (Drummond), carcass of mutton and bag of potatoes; Spratt Bros. (Drummond), two carcasses of lamb; H. Mathison (Drummond), produce; J. Morton (Drummond), fat lamb; I. Lindsay (Isla Bank), two bags of potatoes and two bags of swedes; J. Johnson (Isla Bank), produce. The secretary of the association wishes to acknowledge donations of books from the following for the relief workers’ camp at Kapuka: Mr J. L. McG. Watson, Pastor Mitchell, John Kingsland and Son. Further contributions will be received at the secretary’s office, 10 Tay street.

Whether the name had anything tt. do with the price realized is questionable, but at the sale of Mr A. M. Weir’s pedigree Ayrshire cattle yesterday a young bull bearing the name Ivanhoe Phar Lap brought the top price of the sale and changed hands at 35 guineas, while a three-quarter brother declared by the vendor and auctioneer to be of equal quality and breeding was knocked down at 30 guineas.

The monthly meeting of the South Invercargill Y. Branch of the C.T.U. was held on July 25. Miss V. Bailey presided over a good attendance. Solos were contributed by Mrs McDonald. An instructive scientific lecturette on “Labelled Poisons” was given by Miss S. Gair. A question box was arranged, the question being answered appropriately. Mr Fretwell gave a short address on “Hints on Public Speaking.” Several new members were initiated, after which a social hour was spent.

One of the boldest landmarks in Otautau was destroyed last evening when a shop and dwelling occupied by Mr R. Aitken, butcher, was burnt down. The fire was first noticed about 9.45 and it spread so rapidly that the whole building was demolished by 10 o’clock. At one stage it was thought that the Wallace Motor Garage would be set alight by the flames from the burning building, but fortunately the fire did not spread. The fire-fighting equipment of the township was brought out, but refused to work in a satisfactory manner, and very little could be salvaged from the building.

“Some people are under the impression that for future aircraft less landing space will be required than for the aeroplanes in use at present, remarked Squadron Leader J. L. Findlay in an address to the Christchurch branch of the Town Planning Institute. The autogiro, he thought, _ had been responsible for this impression, which, in his opinion, was quite unjustified. He described the autogiro as an “interesting but impracticable toy,” and expressed the opinion (says the Press) that larger landing grounds would be needed in the future to cater for the larger and faster aircraft.

“I am very pleased to report that there is no unemployment among graduates of the school,” stated Professor C. R. Knight in his annual report on the work of the School of Architecture, Auckland University College. “It is most gratifying to find degree students readily absorbed during a severe depression. Several recent graduates are employed in Napier, and from letters received they appear to have been entrusted with considerable responsibility. There is a good deal of unemployment among part-time students, partially trained, who do not wish to leave Auckland and the school. We are offering these candidates every facility to proceed with tUpir studies.”

An interesting commentary on the present wave of economy is afforded by the experience of the caretaker of a Christchurch school which is attended by a large number of children. When there was no talk of depression he used to collect on the average a barrel and a-half of scraps of food in the playground after the school closed each day, and he was able to feed quite a number of fowls in this way. Now he collects barely half a barrel of scraps in a week, and consequently he has reduced the number of his fowls. The credit for the reduction in the waste of food at the school is, of course, partly due to the teachers, who take every opportunity of impressing on the children that it is wrong to waste food while there are so many persons in want.

By some mischance the two penguins which have been a centre of attraction at the Ashburton Domain have fallen victims to the cold weather. It would have been thought (says the Guardian) that if any creature was to be guided by instinct against the perils of a frosty night it would be a penguin, but the birds in the Domain have been found dead under the ice on their pond. When the curator called them for their morning meal they failed to respond as was their custom, and a brief search revealed them under the ice. How they got there no one can tell. There has been ice on the pond for a week or more, and the penguins have been as lively as ever, but in some mysterious manner they got beneath it and were frozen in. They may have been diving through a hole in the ice and been unable to . find the opening again, but there is much against that theory because of the fact that they are such remarkably strong and enduring swimmers. Again, there is the fact that both birds got under the ice, and in view of the number of people who have been visiting the Domain for skating in the past week there is a suggestion that some misguided person killed them and threw their bodies into the pond. Ladies’ Coloured Cotton Hose for wearing in the house; all shades lid pair. Ladies’ Hose 1/9; All Wool 2/4. —Wicks’ Hose and Vest Shop, Ltd., Dee Street. —Advt. MCDONALD’S FOOTWEAR TALK. Increasing public interest in our sales method for July is the report of our selling staff. We will to-day sell and every day till the 31st of this month at a discount of 15 per cent, off ordinary prices. Ask the assistant the ordinary price and claim your 15 per cent. Hundreds are doing it.—CITY BOOT PALACE.—Advt. Children’s winter frocks. We have made a sweeping reduction on every one. The price will suit you at Miss Noble’s, The Baby Shop, Dee Street.— Advt. Health malt toffee with over 12 per cent. malt. Special price this week 1/- per lb at Ayson’s two shops.—Advt.

Biggest Bargains since 1914. Carters were fortunate in securing manufacturer’s surplus stock at 33 1-3 per cent, discount. Men’s Lumbers 25/-, now half-price 12/6. All Wool Crimean Shirts 14/6, reduced to 8/6. See Carter’s Advertisement front page.—Advt. And Now f In Search of Wales N. V. Morton Another beautiful book price 10/, 10/6 posted from the N.Z. BOOK DEPOT, LTD., Esk Street, Invercargill.—Advt. Blanket values are practically back to pre-war. Standards at Thomson and Beattie Ltd. All wool, white, Colonial blankets, usually 24/6, single bed, and 32/6, double bed, are offered during our sale at 16/11 pair, Single, and 22/6 pair Double. You can save pounds by shopping at Thomson and Beattie’s now! —Advt.

Our Annual Sale—it’s a genuine bargain sale. Prices for quality goods have never been as low— tor instance: Fox Tail Collars 5/-, Goat Sets 5/-, Australian Fox Collars 5/-, Shorn Lamb Sets 7/6 and 12/6, Beaver Lamb Collars 7/6, Sable Opossum, Skunk Opossum Collars 15/-, Flank Musquash Collars 20/-. There are only a few of the many bargains being offered. Inspect early.—THE MUTUAL FUR COY., Tay Street.—Advt.