TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 22293, 7 April 1934, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

To Serve Science. Sir Robert H. Davis, in a lecture at the Royal Society of Arts, London, said that he had often asked himself why convicted murderers should not be used as experimental subjects. ‘‘When experimenting,” he continued, “there sometimes comes a stage when the scientist (who may perhaps be just on the threshold of an important discovery) finds the lower animal of no further use. A living man who could give an account of his symptoms under treatment might make all the difference. I am quite sure that if such criminals were given a choice between certain execution and a chance' of surviving the scientist’s experiments, very few would refuse to take the risk. While expiating their crime they would be helping the progress of research, and some of them might even be the instruments of such far-reaching discoveries for the benefit of suffering humanity as to warrant their inclusion among the saints—in the scientific sense. Their survival would not necessarily mean release from prison; the extreme penalty would be communted to a suitable term.” Post-war Revolutions. A new paganism was the common driving force behind the post-war revolutions, declared Professor Toynbee in a lecture on the German revolution. An “intellectual proletariat” had been the spearpoint of the revolutions not only in Germany, but also in Italy, Japan and Russia. The ideal of the Nazi revolution was the same as that of the Fascist revolution in Italy, the Communist revolution in Russia, and the militant revolution in Japan. It was a pagan worship of the totalitarian national State. “This r.co-paganismjs a genuine religion—hence its power,” declared the professor, “but it is also a very low religion—hence its danger. It has made these revolutionary entries into our post-war society because it has found a spiritual vacuum left by the recent widespread loss of faith in the higher religions which mankind has inherited from the past. The natural thirst for some spiritual ideal is so intense that human beings will eagerly welcome the coarsest and crudest ideal that can bo offered to them rather than submit to the painfulness of living with none at all. This is the greatest challenge that Hitlerism presents to the German people and t< the rest of mankind.” Professor Toynbee added that (he Nazi revolution was Germany’s attempt to catch up with her western neighbours who defeated her in the war. Its short aim was to recover equality of status with Great Britain and France; its long aim was to give Germany the national solidarity which France and Great Britain already possessed. The Nazi revolution had carried into power the urban lower middle class, which came into power in France in 1789 and in England in 1832. This class had a reputation for being mild and helpless, but English experience since 1832 showed that it was really capable of effective political action, while French experience since 1789 showed it was capable of savagery. Since 1914 the German lower middle class had been ruined by inflation and crushed between capital and labour Now it had violently asserted itself against both these other classes.

Last evening the Dominion Meteorologist issued the following information: There is little change in the meteorological situation. An anti-cyclone still covers New Zealand and extends far to the eastward, while a shallow depression lies along the east coast of Australia. Forecast: Winds moderate to fresh, northeasterly to northerly prevailing; southerly at first in parts of the Cook Strait area. Seas New Zealand waters rather rough north off East Cape, elsewhere smooth to moderate. Eastern Tasman Sea moderate to strong northerly winds, moderate seas. Weather fair to fine, and mild in most districts with clouds gradually increasing generally, and mist or fog likely on parts of the East Coast later. Some scattered drizzling rain probable.

The Acting Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department states that mails which left Auckland on March 6, per s.s. Aorangi, via Vancouver, arrived at London on April 4.

The Main Highways Board was criticized by members of the executive of the South Island Motor Union for alleged vacillation in its efforts to secure uniformity of road signs. A circular was received from the board setting out recommendations to be embodied in the erection of future signs Mr J. S. Hawkes said that the board had stipulated one colour last year and another this year. Yellow had been suggested for use in signs, but there were dozens of shades of yellow, and most of them had been adopted by. the different associations. It was decided to bring the board’s attention to certain decisions which were arrived at when the need for uniformity of signs in use throughout New Zealand was discussed at the quarterly meeting of the union held at Nelson recently*

The railway bookings from Winton for Easter totalled 201 as against 119 last year.—Correspondent.

The vital statistics for Winton and district for the month of March were as follows: Births 3, deaths 1, marriages 4. The figures for the quarter ending March were: Births 17, deaths 4, marriages s.—Correspondent.

The effect on the Christchurch municipal elections of the deletion of proportional representation from the New Zealand Labour Party’s platform was mentioned to a delegate to the conference by a reporter of the Press. He said that it was expected that at an early date the Labour members of the Christchurch City Council would discuss with the North Canterbury Labour Representation Committee the procedure to be followed in accordance with the decision of the conference.

The number of volumes in the free library of the New Zealand Blind Institute is 5834, comprising 4110 in Braille and 1724 in Moon type, according to a report presented at the annual meeting of contributors. Groups of books of a minmum of 40 volumes are also maintained by the institute in the three principal southern libraries. Last year 48 Braille and 76 Moon volumes were purchased, these figures being considerably below those for previous years. The number of regular readers was 331 and contact was maintained with 900 blind persons.

Whether knowledge of the future could be of any great value to mankind is doubted by Mr E. D. Mosley, S. When commenting on a case of fortune telling in the Christchurcn Magistrate’s Court, he expressed the opinion that it was just as well that man did not know anything of the future. “Even if it were possible to tell fortunes accurately, would it be of any benefit to us?” he asked. “Why worry about the future, so long as we live honestly. Perhaps if we knew what was to happen in the future that knowledge would interrupt our whole lives.” The Railway Department announces in this issue a considerable reduction in the rate on small lots of goods from Invercargill to Dunedin and from Dunedin, Caversham, and Burnside to Invercargill. These rates are now operative.—Advt. So many inquiries have been received of late concerning the running of further Sunday excursion trains between Invercargill and Dunedin, that the New Zealand Railways Department has decided to run another fast train at cheap excursion fares to Dunedin on Sunday, April 22. “Summer Time” does not terminate until the following Sunday so that given a fine day it is expected the traffic will be particularly heavy and intending excursionists are advised to book early. Full particulars are advertised in this issue.—Advt. Ring 1446 for first grade Coal and dry Firewood at moderate prices. H. T. Fairbairn, 101 Nith Street. Yard, 142 Earn Street. —Advt. Connoiseurs ask for it. “DEWAR’S WHISKY.”—Advt. Our Alteration Sale ends to-day. Shop this morning at Wicks’ Ltd., Cash Drapers. Every article reduced.—Advt. No rise! Prices of new.cst leather overcoats and tweed overcoats at absolutely old prices. Never again will prices and qualities be so good. Also the newest suits for Easter. All reduced at Carter’s Make Room Sale.—Advt. For Influenza —Take no risks, take 98, 2/6, from first class stores.—Advt. Children’s coats in newest styles 16 to 34 inch 11/6 to 45/-. Small boys’ coats 12/6 to 15/6 at Miss Noble’s, The Baby Shop, Dee street.—Advt. KNEES AND ANKLES READY TO BURST. So painful, stiff and swollen were her knees and ankles that she felt they would burst if she attempted to move or use them. This was the condition of a Christchurch Lady before taking TAVENER’S ARTHRITIS PRESCRIPTION. To-day she is able to move about and take lengthy walks without the least exertion, pain or swelling. Her health is perfect and she feels years younger. Write for FREE BOOK on complete Treatment to JAMES T. TAVENER, M.P.S. Ph.C, RHEUMATISM SPECIALIST and CHEMIST, 183 High St., Christchurch (five weeks Treatment 17/6). —Advt. ALMOST A QUARREL. For forty years McTavish and his wife had lived placidly together. Not once had they quarrelled. Then one evening McTavish put down his tea cup, and glaring at his wife, demanded, “Do ye want to poison me that ye gie me tea that tastes like varnish?” “No, Sandy, but ye telt me I was to economise so I bought some cheaper tea,” she replied. “Weel, don’t do it again. Keep on getting Tiger Tea. It’s no economy to buy stuff I canna drink. Tiger Tea’s only 2/10 a lb., and it’s worth every penny o’ it.”—Advt. For stubborn colds and coughs take 98. All first class stores 2/6. —Advt. Thomson and Beattie Ltd. have just received from their London buyer a splendid, low-priced line of Heavy Shetland Knitted Bed Jackets, made in the hug-me-tight style. They are knitted with a loose, lacy effect, and the sleeves are commodious, terminating in close knitted cuffs three inches deep. Priced at only 6/6, they are offered in shades of Pink, Apple, Sky and Peach, each shade with 50 per cent of white. —Advt. GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST. When something is worrying you, don’t nurse it. Get it off your chest. And when a cold troubles you, don’t neglect it. Take Baxter’s Lung Preserver and get it off your chest. “Baxter’s” clears the cold right out of your system, quickly and completely. Has tonic properties, too. Be sure its “Baxter’s”—New Zealand’s most reliable remedy. Three sizes 1/6, 2/6, and 4/6, at your nearest chemist or store.—Advt. DON’T SUFFER WITH YOUR EYES. Don't neglect any slight symptoms of eye trouble, it can easily develop into serious complaints. If you have a cold in the eye—a prevalent complaint this time of the year—if your eyes i water, if they get waxed-up in the | mornings, if they itch, ache or burn, I if they are red and bloodshot ... if ; your eyes feel tired after the cinema : or reading, OPTRINE will bring quick ; relief and, if used regularly, will efj fectively put an end to the trouble. And ■ because of its antiseptic properties. . OPTRINE will safeguard your eyes from further trouble . . . and it will i tone up, strengthen and beautify your I eyes at the same time. Price 3/- per bottle, GEO. H. BROWN, Chemist, 125 I Dee street.—Advt. I When all else fails take 98, from first class stores 2/6.—Advt.