After Dinner Gossipand Echoes of the Week.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XVI, 17 October 1903, Page 15

After Dinner Gossipand Echoes of the Week.

The Pumlshln* of Children A correspondent from Invercargill way has just dropped across a copy of the "Graphic,” perhaps a month old, in which I was animadverting in redhot mood on a case of gross cruelty to children, where the defence was that the child was naughty and that the alleged cruelty was merely parental, or rather sisterly, correction, perhaps rather rigorously administered. My correspondent writes: “In the case you mention you are unquestionably right, and no condemnation could be too severe for such callous brutality, but all the same some harm unquestionably results from the ultra-sentimental and father morbid manner in which any punishment of children is now viewed.” He is, he states, a genuine lover of children, but believes that the modern system of codling is a mistake. “We were all of us,” he says, “spanked, caned, or perhaps birched, and it certainly did no harm, and probably the good effects were at the time considerable.” The whole problem of children’s punishments is thus raised, and much as it would interest me to launch out into a detailed discussion thereof, that is impossible in the space an article in these columns should legitimately occupy. All one can do is to mention one or two of the most interesting and much debated points—corporal punishment, for instance. There is an undoubted reaction against corporal punishment nowadays, a reaction which is probably carried to extremes in some instances, for, as a writer in a recent number of the “Fortnightly Review ” remarked: “When in the battle of will or obedience with children you have eliminated corporal punishment from your weapons, you have kept nothing for your final conflict, and have allowed any resolute young opponent to see’ that his or her ultimate victory is a foregone conclusion.” This is unquestionably true, and the sentence contains a word on which the whole crux of the matter lies. That word is the word ‘■final.” Corporal punishment must be, to be effective, the last resort. The practice of giving a slap or a small spanking for every trivial fault, or for every small outburst of temper, is bad both for the executioner and the victim. The effect is as ephemeral as the tingling. and familiarity breeds contempt, not merely for the punishment, but for the laws and commands for the disregard of which it is administered. When whipping is resorted to it should be final and conclusive, and while without undue severity, such as will be remembered once and for all. Wherefore it must be obvious that for very yonn» children corporal punishment is out of the question, and further, that it is utterly useless save in the very gravest cases of wilful untruth or deliberate and continued disobedience. What, then, is one to do for minor eases’ fi-cho answers the perplexed and perturbed parent What? For infants, for example, what is to be done? If a dark cupboard terrifies enough to be a punishment at all, it is absolutely criminal, and if the child is not imaginative and frightened of the dark, the so-called corrective becomes a matter of instant Scorn. To deprive, or to attempt a diet of dry bread is bound to end in auure with a child of spirit, for it probably will starve itself till it goes to bed hungry, and thus you drive' up against one of the laws of health. Scolding or lecturing may have its effect With some, but it is hopeless with the majority. “Call them by what grand name you will,” says Edward Cooper, in this connection; “it makes no difference. Tire grand name does not at all impress the child, who for many generations has called them ‘sermons,’ ‘pi-jaw,* ‘ ra fig'ngs,’ and so on, and loathes them no less, and listens to them no more, under their new title. Brevity is the Bout of punishment. Scoldings and

moral lessons will avail very little; they will be received either with polite silence and resignation, or with the stern rebuke once administered by a seven-year-old gentleman whose morning ride had to be delayed by a lecture on the impropriety of keeping dead crabs in all his trouser pockets: "They were alive when I put them in. You are wasting a gweat deal of my pwecious time.” As the writer in "the “Fortnightly Review” says:—“The conclusion of the whole matter is, I suppose, that punishment is only a valuable part of the education of children when wielded by a perfectly just guardian who is prepared to go all lengths in using it. If the child’s naughtiness has no limits, and your punishments have, a small sinner will realise this fact quite as soon as the judge; and. having reached your lilnits, will proceed to enjoy himself. There will always indeed rest a certain doubt as to the power of the Deity to “go one better.” “If God wanted me to be good, and I wouldn’t be good, which would win?” is an eternal nursery problem. But the earthly guardian’s retribution will soon become contemptible. It counts for little enough, I suppose, in any case. Rove and patience are the last secret of child management, the innermost writing in the innermost adytum of nursery life —love, which can force a response at last from the chilliest little soul; humble patience which knows how co wait fo? the harvest.

Our Self-Absorbednesa. The almost absolute indifference and lack of interest which the vast, majority of New Zealanders feel with regard to Australia and all that concerns her is feally rather extraordinary. For the affairs and troubles of the parent country we have some small attention, but for the concerns of our big brother, Australia, we do not trouble to possess aught but the most vague and general information, or to pretend to the slightest show of consideration. True, if any of the States wish a lesson in football. we are willing to show, as what youngster is not, that the younger son is the better and the clever man! Granted, also, that we are roused to enthusiasm by the possession of a mare who can go over to Australia and twice handsomely defeat their great racing champion of the same sex. But when this is done, we too have done with Australia. Truth to tell, we look upon the great Commonwealth with some contempt, good-natured, but sincere and hearty. The big brother is to our mind so infinitely inferior. He has no “vril,” as Lytton called it—no push (to our idea); he does not. as we do, devise experimental legislation for the edification or amusement of the Nations; and above all, perhaps, he has net produced a King Richard Seddon to boom Imperialism, to teach Chamberlain a lesson, and to rule the huge territory with a rod of iron. Wherefore, we have never paid much regard to Australia—have never taken her very seriously. Wherefore should we—the world’s eye is on us, not on Australia.We are certain, and we don’t want to know about anything much except about ourselves, and how rich we are. and how wise, and how much we are admired, and how this or that scramble for the spoils will go. A fico for Australia; the elder brother is a very worthy person in his way, but dull, so very dull, and, as I have hinted, are not the affairs of any Little Peddlington of far greater concern to itself than the most momentous happenings in the world beyond? Little Peddlington wants a pump, wo want a railway, or a ’Frisco service, or what not. We are convinced the world watches, and while affairs of such moment hang in the balance, how should we have even a passing thought, even

the smallest flicker of interest, for anything concerning Big. sleepy, lumbering Australia. whose offer to join the partnership we so promp.'.y and projierly declined with a characteristic "Not much"’ The a bore reflections were aroused by the fact that th» choice of a capital for the Commonwealth aroused just about an much comment and considerably leas interest, or excitement, than would a cable to the effect that the Parliament House cat had been safely delivered of a sextette, or whatever cat families are called. I d<> not know, after all, that we are called upon to exhibit any particular concern in such a matter. I merely mention it as an instance of our indifference to all that concerns Australia. And of that it is certainly typical. + ♦ + A Capital of the Future. However, apropos of the foregoing, a capital has been chosen for the Commonwealth, and by the will vi the people in Parliament assembled, the favour has fallen on Tumut. Well, what's in a name? Tunnit is certainly somewhat unlovely, and assuredly not impressive, but after all it will serve, and when Tumut has the riches and population of another London, as it assuredly mayhave some day, no one will grumble at her name. And after all. even in this connection, Tumut seems superior to several towns and sites which were suggested. Orange, for instance, has disagreeable suggestions of some day- being sucked dry, and one would dread the constant and interminable press and Parliamentary witticisms on this point when party spirit or inter-State jealousies ran high. Yass is impossibleIt is open to street boy inanities and broad chaff of every sort, and is more unlovely far than Tumut, which indeed becomes beautiful by comparison. EdenBomballa, has all the objections of a double name. Bomballa has a roundness and is a nice mouthful, but EdenBomballa recalls the Chuzzlewit Eden and suggests sinister comparisions and refutations as to not being “all built yet.” And so on through the various namesTumut is perhaps as good as any in the list of submitted sites. It was chosen apparently as Cardinal .Sarto was chosen Pope, because the supporters of either of the two favourites (if one may so call them) would rather vote for a third party than give the victory to their special rival. The report of the delegates was highly favourable to Tumut, which is, by the way, 310 miles from Sydney, and some 70 more from Melbourne. It has at present some 14,000 inhabitants, and is the centre of a very thriving and enormously fertile region capable of supplying the largest of cities with food-stuff, wines, etc- At present the railway does not connect, but it is within the trifling distance of 21 miles, a mere bagatelle. So now, the site having been secured, all that is left to do is to build the capital, the only difficulty in the way being the small matter of ways and means. So far as building goes the following table will give an idea of what is intended—the years in the far column being the estimated time for the erection of the build-

All thingiT considered, it is a modest programme, but it is safe to prophecy it will not be carried out for four times that amount. Now if?—but that, is another story after all —and this article is already too long.

A Fallen Idol of Finance. A year or two ag<> Mr Pierpont Morgan, the millionaire financier of the United States, wo regarded by his countrymen almost as a god, and everyone was eager for a share of liu favours. Now ruined shareholders in his great organisations, regarding him as the cause of their miseries, are threatening to take his life. The depreciation of the values of the stock of these great trusts has been enormous. In the United Stales Steel Corporation the decline has been no less than X 30.000.000 for the twelve months. There is a long list of smaller trusts which have gone into liquidation. It was feared not long since that the mainmouth trusts were going to rule the world. Legislation against them was introduced into Congress, and some of it became law. The High Court of the United States also struck a heavy blow at trusts when it declared it illegal for a person who had acquired large interests in several companies to use his voting power to compel amalgamations. The promoter has virtually to acquire tile whole of them before he can amalgamate. But apart from these things the general laws of finance and commerce have operated to define the limits at which amalgamation of businesses is possible on a. basis of profit-making. When the great oil trusts wore founded in America the cost of production was enormously reduced. Instead of each well having its separate pipes all the produce of many wells was brought by gravitation to the seaboard in one great pipe, and in this and other ways amalgamation reduced cost. It was thought that the same thing could be definitely repeated, and that the bigger each business was made the less would be the proportionate cost, owing to savings in management and economy of large processes. But experience has proved that a great deal of what is gained in saving expense of oversight is lost in efficiency. The master’s eye is needed, and huge concerns get beyond the power of any man’s ability to oversee. The promoters—where they were honest —- hoped that the high prices they gave for indirtdual concerns—far above their value—

would be compensated for by corresponding economies both in management and production. The hope has been disappointed. Even in prosperous times tlie returns from the capital invested in these great trusts lias only averaged about 11 per cent., and a great, many have utterly failed. The day of the great world trust which is to buy up the globe and manage it on American principles is still distant. ■fr 4- 4A Church Matter. Bishop Julius is noted for his unconventionality. On more than one occasion he has caused a lifting of the eyebrows among church people and followers of other creeds, but his latest act in appointing an archdeacon for a defitfi’ period of six years, instead of for life, a system which hitherto has been part and parcel, as it were, of the Anglican creed, will fall as a bomb-shell in orthodox circles. Surprise is a mild term for the feeling excited by the announcement. of this innovation in the diocese of the Bishop of Christchurch. It really marks an important epoch in the affairs of the Church of the Province of New Zealand commonly known as the Church of England. It speaks well for the future of that Church when it has leaders who realise that fresh circumstances need fresh methods, and in dealing with such instances have the courage to break customs of such ancient usage, that some people have come to regard them as laws, and accept them with the same finality. Bishop Julius has informed a newspaper representative that the new departure lias been decided upon in order to prevent the possibility of the position of archdeacon being held by any person who from age or other causes might be rendered incompetent after the lapse of years to properly discharge the attendant duties. It is also intended to prepare the way for “considerable changes which are likely to take place in diocesan administration in the future," and the innovation appears to have the appn vnl of the rest of the bishops. But f< r the fnct that this new departure i~ to p > • • i for further

changes, the nature of which can as yet only I* guessed at, it would be hard to say why an archdeacon has been chosen as the starting point. Can it be that the system of appointment for a fixed term will gradually be applied to those in charge of parishes—a change most sweeping in its effect on the constitution of the Church, but one which nevertheless has many advocates in various dioceses? Such a proposition may appear impossible, but it is the logical corollary of this latest appointment by Bishop Julius. They are going to discuss the question of certain alterations in the Book of Common Prayer at the next General Synod, and these two incidents. taken in conjunction with other signs, indicate that the affairs of the Church are in the keeping of broadminded men. who arc determined that the, tree shall not die for lack of judicious pruning. ♦ ♦ ♦ A Romantic Lady Gold Miner. Air. Hughes, the Lord Mayor of Sydney, had a curious letter last week (writes “Dora” in the Australian). It was from the Queen of Koumania, “Carmen Sylva,” asking the Mayor to find out the address of the Countess de Hautmont. The Countess, so the Queen laid, has a gold mine in Australia, and sent tiie result of the first day’s work out of her mine to the Queen, as a token of gratitude for the comfort Carmen Sylva’s writings have given her (the Countess l-.as been an invalid for years). The Queen wrote to her, and thanked her for her gift, but not being sure of the Countess’ address, she registered the letter, ami it was returned to her. Her Majesty, in her letter to the Lord Mayor, went on to say that she had mislaid the Countess’J note with the gift, so could not ImJ the name of her country place, “and w I am in the greatest distress, not knowing how to reach her after so much gentle thought and kindness, and the great pleasure I derived from her sweet attention.” Mr. Hughes put a notice in the paper, and had a reply from the Countess,' saying that she had been living in retirement for some time in one of Sydney’s most populous suburbs, but wanted her address kept secret, so the Lord Mayor has sent the Queen’s letter on to her. + * * ■ Chinamen on Strike. A large number of Chinese cabinetmakers arc or. strike at the time of writing, writes “Atticus,” the object of the strike la ing to break up a ring of employers that has performed the rather peculiar teat of cornering the timber merchants and glaziers. When John Chow -trikes, he provides white unionists with a lessen or two. He docs the thing very quietly, and ibcie is no street-corner oratory. ihcii are no wild and whirling words. It is usual for the strikers to congregate in some building, and lie low, leaving the whole management in the hands of one or two guileful and discreet Confucians. The latter do what talking is necessary, but for the rest, mum’s the word. On the occasion of a former Chinese strike in Melbourne, the celestials, finding pressmen hot and persistent in quest of information, employed one, Ket Lee. as a sort of press agent to meet the icporters and tell them what he pleased. Kt: Lee was very voluble; he would tell the pressmen anything, and keep at it all day. Later, a couple of indignant reporters waited on a strike officer. “Wha’ fo’ you makce Kot Lee represent you?” said the scribes, “he no cabinet 'maker, he know nothing!” The Chinaman smiled blandly. “That is why, gentlemen,” he said in purest English.

mgs — Houses of Parliament £750.000 7 years. Governor-General’s Residence 75.000 3 Post Office 100,000 3 Custom House .. 50.000 2 .. Secretariat 80.000 3 ,. Military Academy . 1 Barraeks ' Commandant’s Residence . I - 200.000 4 Arsenal and Factory .. .. 1 Treasury Courts of Justice ..) 50,000 2 M Law OffleeR. Federal .. . • | Records House. Src. .. National Hall, with Art Gal300.000 5 lerv and Library 150.00 0 10 ,. Minor Departments, e.g., Finance and Trade Fisheries ' Health . f 80.000 3 „ Statistics Patent, and Copyright, I 1 Audit. &c Premier’s Official Residence 10.000 1 •» Minister for War 7.600 1 .. Taeasurer .. 7.500 Attorney-General — 7.000 1 ” Laying-ont City. &c 250,000 £2.117,500