AT HOME.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15308, 5 June 1922, Page 6

AT HOME.

MANNERS CHANGE. . ALOOFNESS VANISHING. In the opinion of Mr Donald Mackinnon, as the general outcome of observation in England and Scotland during his recent visit, the manners of the rising generation in Great Britain have changed for the better and for the strengthening of the British people (says the Melbourne Argus). Mr Maekinnon made these comments in an address. Mr Maekinnon said that in the “silly season” when he was in England the newspapers were discussing a so-called deterioration in manners, jit was pointed out, for instance, that young men attended the Eton cricket match without a “top hat” or orthodox dress, but appeared in a “billy-cock hat, and smoked a pipe or cigar. The young Englishmen, as a result of the war, was done with humbug and make-believe, and as far as he was concerned life was going to be real life, not circumscribed by conventions. By the change the Englishman might get rid of a certain amount of polished politeness, but he (Mr Maekinnon) observed that the war had very much altered for the better the young Englishman’s point of view on many matters. Once upon a time, if anyone were to attempt to discuss, say cricket, in a railway carriage in England with a stranger, he was regarded almost as a lunatic, and the stranger looked as if he thought of calling the guard. Now travellers in the train were friendly. The “stand-offishness” had vanished. That change was noticeable in the highest in the land down to the humblest working man. It made Englishmen very much more agreeable for the rough and ready Australian to go among. It also made a lot of difference in the relations of Britons with Americans.

Australia was not going to walk over the Briton in cricket, as we did last year, continued Mr Maekinnon. Australia would find that the young generation in Britain was tuned up to do the very best that was in them, and get rid of systems of management or anything that was detrimental to the progress of the game. Those young British people would be of enormous strength to the Empire.