NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1982, 12 February 1914, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Is the course of an interview on the town-planning movement, D-r. Barrett, of Melbourne who is .at present in Auckland, remarked that, "as we are conimit'tedto government by count of heads, it is desirable that the heads should be carried on healthy bodies, and that they should contain as much'sense as it is possible fof them to hold." It is true that strong minds sometimes exist in weak bodies, and ; that . strong bodies are sometimes allied with weak fninds, but, of course, the ideal is a sound mind in a sound bodj, and one- of the best means of realising this ideal is to provide a healthy environment for the people. We are already doing a great deal in this direction in New Zealand by the adoption of improved systems oi Salutation, and the formation of recreation grounds for old and young. We arc not doing s.o much as in . being done in some other parts of the world, but we have not such seri-. ous disadvantages to cope with".as : exist in many of the crowded cities of older lands, It is our business to see that slum. areas do not get established in the centres of 'population.' It has become one of the main functions of the Government and the mnvurjpiilities to look after the healtli of the people, arid to 'du what they can to beautify their sui-round'iag-s. _ Ugliness is naturally associated with a low' Standard of life, and beauty fends - to beget rp-, nrtement. Town-planning m'iist go hand-ifl-hand with good housing, otherwise the results will never bo satisfactory. People may argue as to whether the pig makes the.sty;; or the sty the pig; but whichever" theory may be correct it is tho;3us} of the public authorities to"prevent' the ety_" from Riming into .existenceand being a nuisance to the whole-'■ community. Dr. Barrett stated that he understood that in Victors; tho new Government was making .tht 'housing t|uestir;n cue of the. plauta of its platform In New fcealanci a good start has already been .'made ' in Mm direction of 'improving the dwellings of the people, and' dnrinp last session an important amendment was made in the law iniordcr to increase the r.owe.vs of the local bodies' (to assist the workers in providin;., themselves wish healthy and cOmfov'able homes. Without wholesome dwellings and plenty of fwsh air.an improvement in the physical fitness of.the people cannot reasonably be expected. • The Prime Minister and his colleagues must, at times, derive a good deal of amusement from the efforts made by a section of the Opposition Press to discover grounds for abusing the Government.' Thcn\is, for instance, a nice touch of unconseioun humour in a' wild attack on Mb. Massby, published in the columns of the local Anti-Reform journal yesterday. In its endeavour to find a subject which would enable it fro unbosom itself of its daily portion of-abusive epithets directed against the Government, it seized on a r<* mark alleged to have been made by Mr. MasseY concerning the position in Ulster. The actual words attributed to the Prime Minister are that ho was "most anxious about the situation in Ulster." _ Whether Ma. Massey ever made- this quite innoecnt and harmless remark, the AntiReform journal docs not trouble to inquire, bat instead it twists ania distorts it into a most dangerous utterance, likely.to create an unfortunate impression' concerning the loyalty of New Zealand, and a great deal more in a similar strain. It is very ridiculous, of course, but v. serves to show very well the Class of stuff that is- served up by the journal in question under the impression that it is doing something to injure tho Government. If Mn, MASSES did at any time express concern regarding the position in Ulster, he only did what Mil. Asquith, ItTt! Bonar Law, Sir Edward Cakson, Mr. Rebmosd, and indeed'everybody else- is doing, and with good reason. Mr. Massey should be flattered tu find that his Anti-Reform friends are so hard-pressed that they are • driven to such absurd shifts in order to keep up an appearance of attacking the Government. Small wonder is it, in the circumstances, that the Reform Party are in such nigh spirits nowadays. The action of Yuan Shih-Kai, the Chinese President, in restoring the worship of Heaven and the ceiv monies connected therewith, gives support to the- rumour that his ultimate aim . is to. become Emperor of China and founder of a new dynasty. The Emperor was Tc'garded by the Chinese as the Son of Heaven, anu was supposed to be Goo's chosen representative on earth, who was responsible for the general well-bein-of the people. Professor Giles, in his book on The Civilkiiiibn of China, states that the Emperor proceeded in state once every year to the Temple of Heaven at Peking, and after the performance of sacrificial- worship he entered alone 'the central raised building with circulav blue4iled roof, and there placed himself in communication with the , Supremo Being, submitting for approval or otherwise his stewardship during the preceding twelve months. The President is also reviving the

Imperial sacrifices which ceased when I the Republic was established, and the grounds of the Altar fif Heaven were . appropriated for public uec. In the January number of the IvlerI national licvfcw nf Missions, it is stated that _ recently there has been a reaction in. favour of Confucianism, and an.effort is being made to have this form of belief declared the State religion of China, notwithstanding the fact that the President gave an assurance that all religions would be regarded as being on the same footing. The whole situation in China..at the present time is extremely interesting. The astut<) President appears to be winning all alone; the lino,.and his enemies have been completely routed. They made the mistake of going too fast with their reform schemes, and failed in carry the mass of the people with them._ The mult Was that a reaction s-st in, and Yuan*. Siiih-Kai seized the opportunity of getting control of government. For all . practical purposes,he is now Dictator. and it is quite possible that before, lone he may revive the Imperial office with himself as Emperor,