TOPICS OF THE TIMES.

Southland Times, Issue 22729, 4 November 1935, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES.

Wisdom Lingers. The conquest of matter (or whatever it really is that we used to call “matter”) promises to be carried by our near descendants to lengths that baffle forecast, remarks the London Observer in comment on the annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Knowledge. Man seems on the point of becoming master of everything—except himself. Ay, there’s the rub. Where is this stupendous equipment going to land us if we have not the wisdom to use it aright and for the general good? In the sphere of human relations we are far from the harmony and concord that have so widened the borders of science. Mutual ignorance and primitive jealousy still divide nation from nation: rivalry and suspicion, untamed by the most terrible

slaughter in history, are not incapable of repeating the tragedy of destruction. Until political ideals can be brought to the .judgment seat of reason like the issues of the learned world there will always be the lurking possibility of our elaborate civilization hacking itself to pieces and its triumphs passing away like the baseless fabric of a vision.

Survival of the Unfit. Do the fittest survive? was the question posed by Commissioner- Lamb, the immigration expert of the Salvation Army, in an address to members of the British Association. He said he felt compelled to answer the question with a negative. War, unemployment, slum populations of low physique, growing slaughter on the roads, and the alarming increase in the dependent part of the population, even apart from the unemployed, were the factors destroying the possibilities of fitness. Scientists must help the race to survive by making it fitter, <by eliminating idleness and poverty, by securing a proper distribution of the British race over the whole of the British Empire, and by helping the statesmen and economists to stop the anomaly of destroying food and paying premiums to producers not to produce, while millions of human beings went unsupplied. While these evils continued, did the men of science really think that on balance the people of the British Empire were to-day possessed of those moral and spiritual qualities that would ensure their survival as a race?

A Re-constituted League. Mr A. A. Milne, poet, playwright, novelist and humorist, wants the League of Nations to be reconstituted. Writing to The Times, he says: A League of Nations is essential for peace, but there is only one workable league: a League of Contented and Honourable Nations. A league based on the snatch-as-snatch-can of the 19th century is a League of Discontent, and a league which openly rests its policy on force is a league which discounts honour in advance. Let the present League go, and let the nations begin again. Since all pacts and conventions to which Italy has put her name are now proved worthless, let them be cancelled by mutual consent, and let it be recognized in future that a word of honour is worth exactly nothing if you do not trust to it. Let the new League begin by being a League of European Nations whose colonies are open on equal terms to all its members, and let it start its career by making a new Treaty of Geneva, whose astonishing feature will be that nations which have sacrificed so much in the cause of war shall prove willing to sacrifice something in the cause of peace.

Case for Food Subsidies. “The State is justified on economic grounds,” said Sir John Orr, _ at the British Association meetings, “in putting in money to oil the wheels of our economic system and speed-up internal trade. Making agriculture prosperous and helping it to expand is one of the most profitable methods of increasing national prosperity. All the money going to the farmer flows back immediately to the towns, stimulates industries, and reduces unemployment. On the other hand, the improvement in physique and reduction in disease which would follow (from his scheme to keep down food prices by subsidies) would reduce expenditure on social and health services. The next five years should be devoted to a great constructive policy based on increased consumption and better utilization of our wealth, a policy designed to bring about a prosperous agriculture, a bet-ter-fed people, and increased internal trade. Rapid progress along the lines which make for a higher standard of living is economically sound. It. is probably the surest way of maintaining the present economic system, because it destroys the cause and the excuse for attacks on it.”

The Dominion meteorologist last night issued the following information: A rather intense westerly depression is crossing New Zealand to-day while another one has just passed Tasmania. An anticyclone is situated to the north. Winds westerly, backing soon temporarily to southerly in parts. Moderate to strong generally and reaching gale force at places. Seas in New Zealand waters rough on the west coast and about Cook and Foveaux Straits, elsewhere moderate, but rising south of East Cape. In the eastern Tasman strong south-west winds and rough seas. Winds, however, later veering to westerlies. Weather cold, unsettled and squally with rain in most districts. Snow on some of the ranges of the South Island and hail on parts of the coastal areas.

The desirability of fires for competitors to warm themselves by at swimming carnivals was questioned by Mr A. J. Hopping at the annual meeting of the Geraldine Swimming Club, when he said that the younger swimmers roasted themselves by the fire and then dived into the cold water, a procedure which he thought must be injurious to health. An. opinion was expressed that the fires would probably be necessary to prevent a dearth of visiting swimmers at carnivals, and that a general warning issued to the younger swimmers would be the best way to handle the situation. Another member suggested that while the presence of a fire might be injurious, the absence of a fire might be even more injurious. Mr Hopping said he thought that a warning would not be taken much notice of, and that they would probably be better without fires. It was decided to refer the question to a medical member of the club for an opinion.

It was mentioned in the Supreme Court at Palmerston North that in New Zealand the law does not require pedestrians to observe either side as correct. The Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, stated to counsel that in England it was common law that pedestrians should keep to the right-hand side—a sensible idea. Commenting further on the matter at a later juncture, one of the counsel concerned, suggested that the time would come when a jury would have to find that pedestrians must walk on the right-hand side of the road. “That, of course, would have to be made the subject matter of legislation if it were desired to establish such a law,” said the Chief Justice, when he proceeded to his summing up. It was not his province to advise upon matters of legislation, but it was likely that such a law would be desirable. It was certain that if such a rule of the road had obtained in England for a very long time, it was a very sound one. The jury added a rider to its verdict in the case before the Court, expressing a favourable opinion on the proposal that pedestrians should keep to the right-hand side of the road.

The extent to which Japanese goods were winning markets in British possessions overseas was commented on by Mr Gerald Mcrrison, on his return to Christchurch from a tour of eight months in England on the Continent and in America. Mr Morrison said that on the return journey he had tried at Colombo, Aden, Suez and Port Said, to buy British-made silk and cotton goods, but only Japanese goods were available, and it seemed impossible to buy anything British in these lines. The lack of British-made goods was most noticeable, and the Japanese appeared to have won the whole of the trade in these goods at the ports he had visited.

No cessation of the persecution of Jews in Germany was noticed by Mr Gerald Morrison, of Christchurch, during a recent visit to that country. Mr Morrison said in an interview that antiJewish riots were going on all the time he was in the country, and the Jews were subjected to all sorts of restrictions, even to the using of telephone booths. “The Jews won’t leave the country because they cannot take their money with them,” he said. “More Jews would go if they could, but Hitler sees to it that they don’t take any money with them. All people when they reach the border are searched to see that they are not taking money out of the country illegally.”

A boat, the gift of a Rotorua resident, arrived in Hamilton last week, and will be made available to the Hamilton police and life-saving club for assisting those in distress in the river. Reference to the gift was made by Inspector C. W. Lopdell, when presenting Mrs W. Williams, mother of Constable C. H. Williams, who lost his life when trying to rescue a young woman from drowning in the Waikato River at Hamilton on August 13, with the Royal Humane Society’s silver medal and “In Memoriam” certificate. Mr Lopdell said that when the fatality occurred a practical-minded Rotorua woman wrote to him and he interviewed her. She then offered to donate the boat and to pay for the erection of cabinets for life lines along the riverbank. The offer had been accepted with gratitude. Mr Lopdell referred to the formation of the life-saving club in Hamilton, and he appealed to the public to support the club with funds so that its members could secure the equipment they required.

It’s time to think of English Mails. Remember your friends abroad. Six views of Invercargill from the air, showing the extent and superb layout of the city, 1/- packet. Calendars with N.Z. scenes, 1/-, 1/3; Maori Heads, 9d. Parchment Shop. Lists with N.Z. decorations 1/6. N.Z. Scenic Greeting Cards, with Envelopes, 6d. Kia Ora Suede Novelties, from 1/- to 16/6. Needle Cases, Address Books, Book Marks, Shop Lists, Match Holders, Shaving Paper, Comb Cases, Autographs, Pipe Racks, Tie Holders, Book Covers. And the gorgeous N.Z. Xmas Annuals 2/- each—and the Times Pictorial 6d. Hyndman’s, Ltd., Dee Street, will fill your orders.—Advt.

Single Bed size Floral Jaspe Bedspreads 3/6; for Double Bed size our price is only 5/6. —Wicks’, Ltd., Cash Drapers, Dee Street.—Advt. If you are in need of a baby outfit don’t forget to call at Miss Noble’s, The Baby Shop, Dee street. She specializes in all baby wear.—Advt. Important news for young men. Carter’s Clothing Store have a large stock of the latest Suits in all sizes, also the Aeroplane High School Shirts have arrived; this Cloth is light, good Navy Dye and tough wearing. See Carter’s advert, front page.—Advt. Thomson and Beattie are “clearing” their showroom. Everything, throughout the noisy Exhibition is reduced except a few fixed price lines. This firm’s successful Rebuilding Expansion Sale right in the heart of Summer is an event of tremendous importance to those preparing for holidays. Frocks are going fom 33/6 and the latest English Coats from 19/6, 29/6, 49/6 to sgns. This is a sale you cannot afford to miss. —Advt. Coatees for spring wear, are the right thing, they give the wearer that little bit of extra something that makes all the difference, and combined with warmth and comfort are a much needed asset to the wardrobe. We have them in all the best quality skins, and make them to order also at no extra cost. Priced as low as £4 10/- to £l5, from—THE MUTUAL FUR COY., Manufacturing Furriers, Tay Street. —Advt. STEWART’S ECZEMA TREATMENT for BABY ECZEMA And Teething Rashes. IT NEVER FAILS TO RELIEVE. Complete Treatment: 5/-. STEWART’S PHARMACY, Dee Street. —Advt “THERE IS A TIME FOR ALL THINGS.” -Proverb And the time to attack a cough or cold is before it gets you down. Fortify yourself against attack. Always keep a bottle of Baxter’s Lung Preserver handy—quickly vanquishes chest and bronchial troubles. More than a wonderful remedy for colds. “Baxter’s” also has splendid tonic properties that build up the constitution. Chemists and stores, 1/6, 2/6 and 4/6.— Advt.