PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17231, 24 December 1923, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION.

WHAT OTHER WRITERS ARE SAYING. SCHOOL GAMES. The emphatic endorsement of organised school games, given by the head master of the Auckland Grammar School in his annual report, will meet with ready assent. There may be room to question the advisability of having school boys playing for trophies in public competitions before clamorous crowds of spectators; the benefits of having all physically capable of doing so taking a part in the ordinary school games is not open to doubt in the same degree. Jn the modem development of athletics, one of the regrettable features is the unequal ratio between players -and spectators—-lookers-on. still young and active enough to be participants in, instead of merely vocal supporters of. the I sport. This may be counteracted in some degree by inducing as many school boys as possible to enter actively into the sports, instead of concentrating all the attention on the select few.—“ New Zealand Herald,*’ Auckland. PRODUCE CONTROL BOARD. Dairy, farmers have given their assent to the operation of the Dairy Produce Control Act, and now they have elected their nine representatives who shall sit on the Board of Control—to consists of twelve members in all. There is much that such a board may . do in the interests of the great dairying industry of the Dominion. One task that it may set itself to do without incurring the resentment of opponents of Control is securing regularity of deliveries of butter and cheese iu the British markets. It would not be surprising if this were the first matter taken up. The work of the board will call for the exercise of unlimited tact and business ability of a very high order. The board may rely upon a close watch being kept over its actions. Not only the dairv farmers hut the Dominion as a. whole is concerned in the handing over to a board control of £16,000,000 to £18.000.000 worth of exports of butter and cheese.—“ Evening Post.” Wellington.

WHAT IS THE MEANING? Does Britain shape its European policy under inspiration from Washington?/ Without attempting to answer the question it may be pointed out that Britain s policy or lack of policy lias assisted to bring about 'worse conditions in Europe. Meanwhile the United States is hurrying on a scheme for largely strengthening its navy, I ranee is working day and night on seven days a week to have its fairly strong navy ready for mobilisation on April 1, and Britain announces that the whole of her Mediterranean and Atlantic fleets will assemhble in the Mediterranean for exercise on March 10. three weeks before the whole French fleet can be ready for what France proposes to do. A statement made in the City Temple— presumably not without some foundation—that Woolwich Arsenal is busy turning out millions of gas masks (this since denied by the War Office) is also not without its element of dis quietude. May we find in this sort of thing anything tending to suggest that Britain has been unwise in her attitude towards France? We alraid that any such conclusion if it would not be altogether baseless.—Napier “ Telegraph.”

THE GOLDEN FLEECE. The tfock masters of New Zeaalnd, who were so badly hit by the slump of 1921, have every cause for rejoicing in the high prices their wool, then almost unsaleable, is now commanding. Competition at the wool sales has been keen, the bidding spirited and the prices higher, the sales in every centre being well attended by British and foreign buyers. The demand is really greater than the supply, for the consumption of woo] for clothing purposes, the world over, is outstriping the production. That, from the wool-growers’ standpoint, is very satisfactory, and gives him surcease from the worries and troubles of the depression which afflicted the country when its post-war troubles began. It has been stated that every penny increase in the price of wool means something approaching a million pounds to the wool growers of Now Zealand, and. with the turning tide of prosperity which is acting as such a, stimulus to every branch of primary industry, there should be a marked increase in trade of every description. Sooner or later the money received from wool—much of which has been sold direct to foreign countries—will come into circulation and the producers will be in a position to give increased employment to the workers. —“Manawatu Evening Standard.’’ “ THE CRY FOR UTILITY EDUCATION.” At the annual breaking-up ceremony of the Wellington Technical College, the director of that institution (Mr J H. Howell) made an effective and timely reply to some recent observations by Mr Alpers, of Christchurch, on the subject of secondary education. Mr Alpers roundly condemned “ the cry for utility education,” and maintained that all pupils should be given a good grounding in languages, literature, science and mathematics. As against this V m Wr ’ urged, very reasonably. that: “A system of education, if it is to meet the- needs of the community. must provide opportunities for the development of varied types—the farmer as well as the barrister, the en gineer as well as the artist.” It goes without saying that a system of education satisfying such requirements as Mr Howell outlined need not be narrowly vocational in character. It is perfectly possible to provide for the development of varied types and at the came time maintain good standards of general culture, ft is'probable, indeed, that judicious specialisation in second ary education is one of the readiest means of elevating the present educational standards of the community generally. It is only by a strange confusion of ideas that objection can be raised to a demand for utilitarian education. All education is intended to be a. preparation for life, and it evidently cannot serve that purpose unless it_ is utilitarian.—The “Dominion,” Wellington.