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Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1886, 21 October 1913, Page 2

There may be, and doubtless are, blessings in living in a "free" country. But (asks tho London "Ditily Telegraph") are those blessings of, the unmixed order? Before answeriug, rend and mark carefully the following' Berlin's street ordinances have been iruido very sovere of late, oito of the clauses reading, 'Whoever, in defiance of tho law and order, shall eauso a disturbance of the peace or perpetrate a public nuisance, is punishable by a fms up to 150 marks, or confinement.'" This applies, it is added, not only to the unlicensed playing.of street music, but also to all cases whero "played in buildings,' it can be heard in tho streets." Further- . more, the new law requires that "when music is played or sung in rooms which connect with streets the windows and doors of tho rooms must bo kept tightly closed. _ No loud singing, whistling, or harrahing, and no bell-ritiging is allowed in the streets." This may sound some- 1 what drastic. But who that has suffered, as most of us have, in our own beautiful, free country, from neighbours who strum the piano or scrape a fiddle, or practise singing with open windows, and whose • ears are daily and hourly tortuwd by slirill and raucous street eoies will not feel inclined to envy tho inhabitants of a cifpital which is ruled in such matters with an iron hand.