Topics of the Day.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 17, 27 April 1910, Page 48

Topics of the Day.

By

Our London Correspondent.

AN OPEN-AIR YEAR. LONDON, March 11. THIS is to bo an open-air year in London. There are more outdoor events arranged for the coining summer than 1 can e\> r remember in one year before. We are to have a Festival <>f Empire and Pageant of London at the Crystal la’.ue, an .Army Pageaii: at Fulham Pa li»' “. the Jap.in-Briti-h Exhibition at the M iike City, fetes ami exhibitions at the Botanic Gardens, Alexandra Palace and Wembley Park, and amongst other outdoor attractions the usual cricket matches, flower shows, coaching meets, horse parades, balloon laces, an 1 charity fetes. ,\ll th«*-e functions will, between them, draw many millions of people into ihe open air. The White City alone hopes tu enterta.a 8.000,000 visiters this J • r. 1 he fa t appears to be that the English are beginning io appreciate fresh air. < hairjrs in inti »nal nabits are always inicnsting, ami a very marked change i ; b<manifest in the last few* 3• a ' in tho iina'i-hman’s attitude tov.ii :s th. a?r outside the suburban ■v ' wai ’• calls his “castle,” He is <dl rather afraid of th air. 1 ii he i< beginning to ma-t«“r 1 s d h quite a mistake to snppo-■ ti :r the Em/lidjman has always bo» n a belu v.r in tn-h air. 1 here is, 1 kno.v, a wid’-pnad <b a-’mi to that ctT< t. Novels are responsible for it, 1 sappo-e, just. they have perpetuate I another . ■ I -In daily bath, f aking him in the ma<<, the Englishman does not like a daily morning bath. In many cases he uses the bath to keep his coals in. He - '.>« ginning to be ashamed <f not barking oft ner. and he will k mutinies pretend that he has a bath every day. Those are -mn- that he is awakening oat of hi- ind.li i ace tov.irds hygiene. So, too. with fresh ar. Ihe Englishman is learning to apprecia e its value. Already he is much ahead of most- of his European neighbours in this respect, but be -as <ill a good way to go to satisfy cel-mi ii in regard to v- ntilation. As a rule, he di-tru-is an open window, and calls every breath of irc-h air “a draught.” He will sit happily lor hours in a i iwded i >om with every window thui. His p-; 1‘ are the last word in -• allim It is .Imo- i.-ep.-s-ible to g. In a ry I‘ation for <■ .mcii ’ty by in- - .lag on having a re-tau.ant window opened. I. I t’.«- o’.-l lime prejudice against fresh air is on ike decline. The joys oi tho open r- id. the heath, the common, the park aie aiir.i. :ing En i-h-m n in greater numbers every ' ear. M orning gave th.? f a g w. h th.- liking f..r tho opmi air has come a . s. Fresh air is winning its way. But the light against prejudice and igme. 'i. - will be a Jong on.-.