CURRENT COMMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

CURRENT COMMENT.

OTHER POINTS OF-VIEW.

(By

M.O.S.)

Hopes are held by most people in New Zealand that at the next entertainment of the British Rugby football team steps will be taken to serve one of the New Zealand selectors with his dinner alone out in the kitehen. ♦ * # ♦ Owing to tlie higher petrol tax, it is learned that the bagwash companies of Auckland are considering raising their charges, says a Press Association message; A mure rigid example of economising in this direction is, however, the case of the man who is giving up his cigarette lighter. * * * * Generally speaking, the only men in the eouniry who will escape the taxation proposals are the men who liave no money, -in some quarters there is a strong opinion that they should be. given some to sec- what it-feels like having it taken away again.- ■ . • The Government cast a wide and very s closely-meshed net dor' its revenue, i broadly ■ speaking, it has acted on the ‘ principle that, all men are divided into ' two classes: • •- ? (a) Those who smoke, bet, drink and i go to.pictures; and (b) those who pay income tax. '\ It is pleasing to note that this action ; of the Government directly supports the. advice often given in this column, and often given by other moralists that ■ people who smoke, bet, drink and go to' pictures will never, never have enough to pay income tax. •** . 9 If by any chance they do, then it serves them* right. This goes to show that you can never caMi a moralist out. • * * * Everyone admits, however, that the .Government had to do something, and, in one or two cases the taxes have met with unqualified approval. This may seem a strange statement to make, but few people will quarrel with the accuracy of the following propositions (a) Pedestrians will support the tax on motorists; and (b) motorists .will support the tax on liquor. For everybody knows that motorists never touch-liquor; except, perhaps, one light shandy at least four hours before the collision takes place. « ■» w # : As was really only natural, one or two voices have been raised ,in protest, not always-.strictly- disinterested and altruistic. Accordingly, it is with great pleasure that one is able to place before the public a new drawing room game to be used when the party begins to flag. The little, game, which anyone can play, is simply called, .“Who Said?" Fascinating as it is in itself, .prizes may be given to the successful competitor. Unfinished sentences are passed round the room and the successful competitor is fhe one who can fill in along the dotted lines, in the shortest time, the occupations and interests of the men who, upon reading the taxation proposals, made the following remarks: —: “This came as a blow,” said Mr. H. R. Sellars, secretary of the New Zealand .... Conference, whcii the additional--2$ per cent, taxation.of ..... investments was referred, to him. “There was no suggestion that.it would be imposed.” “The Auckland ..... Association is of opinion that the increased ..... tax is unlikely to help road-making to any great extent, and can only be interpreted as a desperate effort to overcome the shortages in the general, revenue.” Mr. Henry Hayward, . y. . , director, said: “It is not a case of a swollen head with the Government, but swollen overhead. The tax,” he added, “is being imposed at a time .when the . . , . business is staggering., under the effect of the change-over from ..... to ...... pictures.” ♦ # # # The general public, on the other hand, merely said , . . ! It is considered inadvisable, however, to introduce this last specimen into the drawing room. * # « * Turning from, the cold world of finance to the more spiritual sphere of music, it is interesting to note that the latest popular records are “Ever so Goosey” and “Why Does the Hyena Laugh?” If we saw a man drinking dish water we should try to stop him, and teach hint to drink clean, fresh water. With music, few people care.-Fortunately, the few who. do care, care so intensely that they are pleased to give their free time in'preparing a week of music. It is a commonplace that if parents spent as much time over a child’s music as they do over its morals they would soon be able to ease up a little on the morals. Something of this hatred of the machinemade, machine-fed mind made a poet who lately died write with such bitterness as to be almost melodramatic; — For God’s sake let us be men. Not monkeys minding machines Or sitting with our tails curled While the machine amuses us, the radio or film or gramophone, Monkeys with a bland grin on our faces. The hyena no doubt finds the monkeys amusing, so that is why he laughs. 4? # # ' One had intended to be cheerful all through to-day, and not to stumble against pet aversions, bark one’s shins and shrill with annoyance. Luckily, there is still room enough left to close in a a happier mood and, rather curiously it can be done with an epitaph. It is one of the epitaphs of the Greeks and such a perfect, lovely thing that one really needs no reason for giving it. fit ill, should anyone be unreasonably logical, one may say it is not current, it is hoc comment, even, but it is an other, and r.n exquisite other, point of view. The Daughters of Samos often wish Cretins back, the chatterbox, who knew pretty games, sweetest of workmate's, ever tajkniij; but she shut her eyes herein the ’dream we mppt all dream.