FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 166, 4 October 1927, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOKOUT MAN’* XOT THE BEST WAY “That is the way we treat people like you when they come over here,” said Mr. Hunt, -S.M., when sentencing a swindler from overseas to 12 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by two years’ reformative detention. But is it the sane way? Under existing conditions New Zealand maintains gaols and an expensive prison staff largely for the accommodation of rogues from other countries. The criminal in this instance had left Australia, where he had several times been convicted, to try his skill at passing valueless cheques here. As a result, New Zealand undertakes to keep him, at the taxpayers’ expense, for three years, and if all tales be true. New Zealand prisons are pretty comfortable habitations. A country that took a proper pride in keeping itself clean of criminals would have immigration laws which would provide for the deportation of all “crooks” from overseas, immediately on their detection. If crimiifals elsewhere knew that they would not be permitted to stay in the Dominion there would be very few of them come here. * * * BOLSHEVIK DEBTS The Bolsheviks are so intrigued in sending large sums of money abroad to sow revolution among other peoples that they can’t pay their international debts. Still, a little thing like that doesn’t prevent them seeking the aid of more foreign capital. Their latest proposal, made through the medium of M. Rakowsky, Ambassador to France, is that Russia should pay France £2,400,000 a year off what she owes her, for 61 years, on condition that France gave her credits for £6,000,000 a year for six years. After the six years, Russia—having had the best of it by nearly £10,000,000 —would probably repudiate the agreement, and it might be discovered that the money obtained from France had been used to seduce French loyalty and bring about the disruption of F'rance’s industries. No wonder the Press of Paris waxes satirical and suggests that M. Rakowsky would easily find employment as a humorist in a sad world. OVER!

Grafton Bridge is growing in popularity with those who have a temporary feeling that this world does not suit personal requirements. Another man mounted the parapet last week, bent on investigating the possibilities of other realms, and but for a readyminded hospital nurse who was passing at the time, he would by now have known something about that country “from whose bourn no traveller returns.” If this popularity continues, the authorities will have to consider one of three suggestions:—(l) To station an anti-suicide officer pillar; (2) erect cage walls and root over the bridge; (3) dam the lower part of the gully and form an artificial lake. Perhaps the third suggestion is the best; it is wonderful the number of would-be suicides who strike out for dear life when the sudden shock of cold water brings them to their senses. A lake would add picturesqueness to the locality, too, and, stocked by the Acclimatisation Society, would make the bridge a highly interesting place for small boys with fishing-lines. n: ni )!! 11l 111 ill ill 111 r-fc ic IK HI HI

~r HI HI ill lit Hi ri- Hi rK HI Hi IK Hi Hi Hi lit RUSSIA’S JOYFUL JUVENILES Heartening reports of Young Russia liave been made by the six British children who went as "delegates” from the Communistic Party “to study the conditions of children under the rule of the Soviet.” Little Clifford Roberts is charmed with the system under which the cane is abolished and discipline maintained in the schools by pupils’ councils. It is understood that when young Ivan Ivanovitch slaps his teacher in the eye with an ink-pot, the girl pupils of the council lead him gently outside and kiss him back into good humour. Thirteen-year-old Nancy Hall -was thrilled by seeing a ballet in a Leningrad theatre from the late Tsar’s private box. In between acts she was probably entertained by laughable stories of how the Tsar’s little children (who once sat in~that same box) were murdered for their own good by the *kind Bolshies. Billie Baker, a sturdy London youngster, was delighted by the way in which Russian history ignored dead kings and taught the children they were descended from monkeys—so that they could adopt a high outlook on life, presumably. Young Billy will undoubtedly study for a job as monkey-house attendant at the Zoo. Little Norman Paton, aged 12, returned too full for any utterance other than that a revolution is the only hope for this world. And if he starts one at home his pa will probably put his ma to the trouble of darning the seat of his tiny trousers. Still, the trip to Russia should help to make these young British Communists very useful citizens. For every man has his use—if it is only to provide work for the hangman. __