Notes by the Way

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 95, 27 August 1923, Page 5

Notes by the Way

(By "Onlooker.")

How we appreciate the kindness of our friends. When we stumble by the wayside, how glad they are to lend the helping hand! It is so nice to be reminded of one's errors, tend by tho way perhaps "Kipling" had dream 8 of the "Great War" when he wrote. "Lest We Forget." The point the writer tried to make is the number of people who ta 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, spurred on the other fellow and said "We will »*ver forget what you are doing for us"; but in 1919, 1920-22-22-23 their memories ' are blank as to what they cheered for and the things they promised during the war. J will coin a new phrase, and sav "Don't let us forget"— never, that we owe our present freedom to those who paid with their lives, limbs and sight. We will leave it at that. -0-0-0-0-0-0-Once in a business place there hung a sign "God helps the man who helps himself," and underneath the proprietor had printed the Words: "God help the man that does." The writer's experience of the class of men who help themselves is that they are the clas s that keep judges, juries, and prison warders employed!

The returning officers of the various dairy factories are in for a good time. The ballot by all shareholders for or against the Dairy Pool must take place on or before October Ist this season, and the member for Stratford is responsible for the opportunity given to the suppliers to express their personal opinion and back it up with a vote.

Parliament is a queer place where even Brett Harte's Heathen Chinese would find himself lost for ways that are dark and the New Zealand politician is peculiar. The promises of a new electoral law, gaming laws, and increased permits for decent clubs like Stratford are put on one Bide. Why are the proprietary clubs in existence in. New Zealand around Auckland, for instanceP And are the people who run them possessed of great mana, so that things shall stay as they are?

Tfle crowd that invaded the Recreation Grounds on Saturday to view the wonderful game of football between High School and Te Aute College remind me of a crowd of women I once saw outside a fashionable store which was holding a great sale of lingere. The women were in force at New Plymouth and were loud in their praises of the Boys. It was good, clean football and full of ginger. When Taranaki took the field against Hawke's Bay, what ft change /

there was from the old teams who upheld "the honor x>f Taranaki, and »ade themi a name throughout New Zealand. The public soon tired of the match, and thousands went home Wore the finish, loud expressions of disapproval being heard concerning our players.

It is no business of mine, the aver- ! age man says, but everything that wrongfully effects the people is our business. The responsibility of the citizen lays on him the obligation to know the conditions of his own community, and to do all in bis power to prevent any evil, that threatens his home, his town, or the county he lives in. And the responsibility of ithe State lays on the Government of the day to prevent or remove all those conditions which needlessly undermine the health, well being, or efficiency of the people. The State should gee that there tnere is at least a weekly examination of all school children and the cost would easily come back in less epidemics, healthier children, and happier. parents. -o-o-o-o-o-o-The season of Spring is with us, and if you are a planter I hand you a, few lines written by> an old friend of mine : "TW only possible way to get flower s and fruits out of your garden is to piauu seeds and roots." Similarly, tne only possible way to get flowers and fruit out of life is to plant the seeds and root* that will grow and bear the * beauty uf blossom and the delight of fruit. The secret of a worth-while life is not what you get out of it—it is what you put into it. The astonishing absurdity of people *-ko put nothing into life and keep on expecting great things from it would be funny if it was not so tragic in, the end. To-day is planting time. Surely planting" ought to be a business with us, not an accident. Make it worth while and bow, some seed to-day.