Sport and Travel

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1525, 17 July 1919, Page 4

Sport and Travel

The more close-fisted a man is with his money the more generous he is with his advice.

Emigration Officer: “And what are you going to do when you« get there, Pat 9 ” Pat: “Sure, sir I intend to take up land.” “How much?” “Faith, sir, a shovelful at a time,” was Pat’s reply.

General Sir Andrew Russell has donated a £lO trophy for billiard and snooker competitions between the Hastings Returned Soldiers’ Association and the Y.M.C.A.

Mr. Alfred Perceval Graves, who is about to retire from the presidency of the Irish Literary Society, is best known as the author of the wellknown song “Father O’Flynn,” which is now about half a century old.

Mr. Christopher Cross, well-known in maritime and cricketing circles in Wellington many years ago, died recently at Mosman’s Bay, Sydney. He was a son of the late Captain Cross, harbourmaster at Nelson.

A group of men offered Mr. Charles M. Schwab sixty millions of dollars for his holdings in the Bethlehem Steel Works. He went home and told his wife of the offer. “It’s a big offer,” he- said. “Half of what I have is yours. What shall we do? If we sell, your share, invested at 5 per cent., will bring you an income of over a hundred thousand dollars a month for the rest of your life.” “Yes,” replied Mrs. Schwab, “but what would I do with the money and what would you do without your work?” t

Giving evidence at the Coal Commission recently held in England, Sir Charles Wade, Agent-General for New South Wales, said that State ownership does not stop strikes, and that in Victoria at the State coal mines there had been strikes on several occasions. In New South Wales the Government railways and tramway workers had struck. The Commonwealth shipbuilding yards at Sydney and Melbourne had been the scene of strikes, and the State coal mines in New Zealand could not claim to be free of strikes. Apart from the railways a number of State undertakings had not achieved satisfactory financial results.

Responding to the toast of the Royal Family at a recent banquet at the Royal Academy, the Prince of Wales, in referring to the question of housing, said: “We all wish to see our fellow countrymen happy, healthy and contented, and we are agreed that this end cannot be attained without securing decent and comfortable homes for others, the blessings of which we ourselves enjoy. The wonder is that only now have we been brought to realise that this pressing need must be boldly faced and boldly handled. Cannot this representative Society of Art bring its powerful influence to bear on the scheme and ensure to the new homes designs not only utilitarian in character, but also attractive to the eye?”

In referring to the work of the Y.M.C.A. in the war, Mr. W. H. George, commissioner, says that the Y.M.C.A. employed no fewer than 6812 men in France, which gave an idea of the tremendous ground that had to be covered. The American regiments were not allowed to have padres of all religions as were ours. They only had the two organisations at work in the Army, the Y.M.C.A. and the Knights of Columbus (a Roman Catholic body), both of which bodies did good work in their respective spheres. To give an idea of what the Y.M.C.A. had done, Mr. George said that probably in the first years of the war, before the Americans came in, not more than £1,000,000 was subscribed for Y.M.C.A. work, but in the last year the amount reached the colossal sum of £30,000,000, of which the Americans subscribed £25,000,000. It was not generally known that the American Y.M.C.A. met all our transports at Newport News and on the Canal and supplied the men with comforts. They had told the American association that the cost of anything so supplied would be refunded. Latterly the local association had sent one of its own secretaries to the Canal zone to attend to the needs of those on the transports on their way home.

“I am of opinion that no German, naturalised or unnaturalised, should be allowed to hold freehold land in this country,” said the Hon. Rupert Carrington at High Wycombe.

During a recent visit to Sheffield, the King, in replying to a Corporation address of welcome, said: Now that hostilities have ceased many stupendous problems arise, the final solution of which we cannot yet discuss. Our world-wide trade has to be re-estab-lished after the disturbances and losses of the war. Our dislocated industry must be reorganised for peace. Returning soldiers have to be absorbed. The great asset of woman’s work in industry and public life, never so fully realised as during the time of stress, has to be conserved and used to better effect than before. The settlement of these problems, the full attainment of these aims, depend upon the maintenance of that spirit of unity which inspired our national effort and never failed us, in the hour of darkest trial. It was not merely unity between the Army in the field and the workers at home; it was still wider and more pervading. Wealth and Labour fought side- by side in the same trench. Bravery and devotion were exhibited by every rank. Every class and condition, every industry, has suffered its losses.

I do not believe that the new friendship and mutual understanding which the close contact of war has developed will fail us in the difficulties of reconstruction (said King George in the course of an address to the citizens of Sheffield recently). Rather I believe that the country will emerge from the war, with all its attendant suffering and self-sacrifice, strengthened z and more closely united in its inspirations towards higher ideals of civilisation and progress. I am pleased to learn that in Sheffield the spirit of conciliation is manifesting itself in joint conferences between employers and workmen; also that your city has not been behindhand in dealing with the pressing question of housing, in which the Queen and I are keenly interested. In common with many manufacturing towns, you have areas of houses that it is desirable to improve at the earliest possible opportunity. This can best be done by the provision of houses in adequate numbers on sites well laid out, with ample gardens, sufficient air spaces, and enough rooms to maintain in comfort an average family.

The Parisians are particularly struck by English hospitality, and the friendly, simple, unceremonious way in which English people receive their guests, writes the Paris correspondent of the “Times.” They are also impressed by our cheerfulness when at leisure, and declare that the hardest worked of our diplomats have the same faculty for play as the sternest of our soldiers and sailors. Our democratic spirit is also a continual surprise to them, and the comments on the news that Commander and Lady Patricia Ramsay are to come in an official capacity to Paris have been many and varied. The old myth of the English lord who only travelled as a “grand seigneur” is entirely dispelled by the sight of all that is most aristocratic in our race using trams, omnibuses, and trains with the rest of the world; and that other myth of the Englishman in frock coat and tall hat is also exploded by the daily sight of Mr. Balfour in a soft felt hat and Lord Robert Cecil in a soft collar.

Captain Leo M. Myers, King’s Royal Rifle Corps (Auckland), who for the past year has been organising the Riflemen’s Aid Society at Home for the benefit of discharged members of the brigade, is about to hand over the duty to a paid officer. At the annual meeting General Sir Neville Lyttelton (chairman) said that he could not allow the occasion to pass without expressing appreciation of the extremely valuable services Captain Myers had rendered gratuitously, sparing neither time, health, nor trouble to make the new developments a success. His services were thoroughly appreciated, especially by those with whom he was in daily contact, and the very great and comprehensive development in the work was largely due to him. Field-Marshal Lord Grenfell seconded the resolution of appreciation, stating'that Captain Myers had performed a most difficult task in starting the society in its new home and upon a New Zealand basis. It was due to his zeal and knowledge that so large a measure of success bad attended recent developments.

“Even while the deaths numbered over two millions, and each day huge piles of dead were being burned in the different cremation grounds, the Japanese went about their daily business quite undisturbed,” remarked Mr. Edward Batt, a New Zealander who has just returned from a tour through Japan, China, and the Philippine Islands. “You see, the Japanese are fatalists, and think that no precautions can alter the destiny allotted them. Their great worry appeared to be that it was impossible for each family to recover the ashes of their individual dead.”

A leading American film producer has been holding forth on the subject of war pictures, to the following effect: —“To a superficial observer it would 'appear that the war film has had its day—that the theatre-going public has become surfeited with pictures dealing with the great conflict, whether the scenes be laid on the battlefields of France or the spyinfested areas of the United States. It is claimed®that such productions have now been relegated to the unprofitable class. Many with whom I have talked have expressed themselves positively on this point, and have announced their intention of having nothing further to do with war plays. I find myself unable to agree with their contentions or their conclusions, without qualifying them with a number of ‘ifs.’ I cannot believe that the world could so quickly lose interest in the most tremendously dramatic period in all history. The real fault has not been in the selection of the subject or the background, but in the character and quality of the plays created. Piffle has been substituted, for patriotism; German spies have been dragged in by the heels whether they “belonged’ or not, simply to give every story a ‘war angle’; pointless hodge-podges have been thrown together, labelled with flamboyant titles, and dumped upon the film market; flag-waving has taken the place of plot and heart interest —and because these things have lost their vogue, we are told that the public is tired of war pictures! The objection is not to war pictures. It is to the kind of war pictures. But the screen is its own worst enemy, and its pointless, tiresome productions unfailingly react against every producer and every exhibitor in the industry. It is the poorly conceived war drama which has brought this class of picture into disrepute, and which threatens to cast into the discard the very type of film which possesses unequalled possibilities both as to production and exhibition.”

“Can your horse do it?” I put the question to the driver of an oldfashioned four-wheeler in a Cornish town. On the horse’s harness were four blue chevrons, and my destination was at the top of a high hill. “If you don’t mind walking the worst bit he can manage it nicely,” said the driver. “>He’s a good beast; he was in France with the Canadians through the worst of the fighting, and I feel I owe him a little consideration.” Quite frankly, this is an appeal to all purchasers of war horses to see that the proper chevrons are attached to the harness. Easter meant the beginning of popular waggonette trips at seaside resorts, and the pleasure-making of thousands of visitors who wanted an afternoon’s outing by carriage or dog-cart. The men who are home from the wars, ready to show visitors the joys of their special countryside, are likely to give the war horses their due. They know what France meant. But not all the older men realise what our horses suffered in warfare. Even those with wider understanding are doubtful about asking passengers to “get out and walk.” But if “Ned” showed his chevrons he would make a silent appeal that would be irresistible to any sporting English man or woman. Only war horses will be used very largely for pleasure purposes in the coming months. They will set off very patiently with their burden of merry-makers. They will probably attempt more than they do; but the horse who wears the Mons ribbon or a blue chevron will have protection. For no healthy holiday-maker with a pair of sturdy legs would knowingly be guilty of unkindness to a veteran of our wars. And the glimpse of the badge of service will make an appeal from the driver unnecessary. . We shall “get down and walk” ,when the rough road approaches.—“B.D.,” in the “Daily Mail.”

The Prince of Wales, who was 25 on June 23, is to have a home of his own. He will take up his residence at York House, - St. James’, S.W., which is now being cleaned and redecorated for him. This change, it is pointed out, is in keeping with the custom that the Heir to the Throne should on reaching a certain age establish his own household. The Prince’s household will be a small one, as York House is not a very commodious building, and his two equerries will probably take it in turns to reside there. York House was the Prince’s London home in childhood until his father and mother moved to Marlborough House in 1901 after Queen Victoria’s death. During the war Lord Kitchener, and later Sir William Robertson, resided there.

“The New Zealand” for the New Zealanders was the dictum on Wednesday of last week, much to the ire of a number of Melbourne folks who had proceeded to Port Melbourne to “do” the warships, and were not even allowed on the new pier (says “Table Talk” of June 12). But it was seemly that one day should be set apart for the Maorilanders to see their gift ship to the British nation. So the Dominion’s representative (Mr. H. J. Manson) arranged it, and issued cards to the select 300. The guests were received by Commander Calvert, Lieutenant-Commander Boyle and Lieutenant McMasters, who were standing close to the piece of fused steel, which is their proud souvenir of the only time the ship was hit. This was the first object of interest pointed out, the hollow where the shell exploded being indicated. Lieu-tenant-Commander Boyle happened to be standing just at the back of the spot it hit, but fortunately for him the steel was thick enough to stop it. The names of the three engagements in which the New Zealand took part—Heliogoland, Dogger Bank and Jutland—are battle honours emblazoned on the turret. The marks of splinters from the shell are proudly pointed out to visitors. The guests on this occasion were shown all over the ship—upstairs and down, in the Admiral’s cabin, or rather suite, luxurious and very different now from a war-time aspect. Great pride is . taken in the fine collection of plate . and pictures—all gifts from New Zealand and places vjsited in the course of a world’s cruise when first commissioned, and from illustrious visitors to the ship, including Queen Maud and Prince Olaf of Norway, who travelled from Norway to England by it last December. Afternoon tea was served on the upper deck.

The “Daily Mail” on the Queen’s visit to the “by-ways” of Bethnal Green to see for herself the housihg conditions of the poor: Nobody was warned of the visit except those immediately concerned, but the Queen was promptly recognised by the people and had an affectionate reception, characteristic of the East End. The Queen, attended by Lady Ampthill and Mr. Harry Lloyd Verney, her private secretary, was received by Councillor Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis, the Mayor, who presented the town clerk and the borough sanitary inspector. There were no highways in the two hours’ visit. The royal motor car drove up Brady Street, but the streets the Queen intended to visit were too narrow for motor cars, and her Majesty got out and passed through a small passage into a narrow alley called Neath Place, ending in a cul-de-sac. She entered the home of the Hales family at 53 Neath Place. A little girl was on hands and knees scrubbing a bare floor. She looked up shyly as the Queen stooped to enter. “Come inside, lady?” “Where is mummie?” said the Queen. “Mummie’s at work at the paper works.” “And where is daddy?” “He’s at work, too, at the brewery.” “And why are you not at school?” “Because it’s St. Patrick’s Day, lady, and I’m Irish and I have a holiday.” “You are a good girl,” said the Queen, "and I can see you will have the house nice and clean when mummie and daddy come home.” The little girl was Mary Hayes, aged 12. The house, with its two tiny rooms, one on the ground floor and one above, was spotless when visited by a representative of the “Daily Mail” next day. “We were too surprised for words,” said Mrs. Hayes, “when Mary told us that the Queen had looked in.”