WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 70, 15 December 1921, Page 6

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

NOTES AT RANDOM

(By T.D.H.)

Sir James Craig cannot recognise the unity of Ireland.—Well, is there anyone who cau ?

Sarcasm is as often used for concealing x a. lack of comprehension as for exposing a flaw.

Mr. Pan’s inability to find money for a new Wellington college is not to be described as parsimony.

It is curious that after his recent interchanges with the Victoria College Council, tho Minister, of Education should yesterday Itell tho Wellington .Collego Governors to whitewash their institu-i tion.

Wellington College building, now described os in a very bad state, was erected in 1874, and is thus 47 years old in its oldest parts. The big wooden Government Buildings on LambtonjQuay, which still appear to be in a very fair state of preservation, wero begun in 1876. The old wooden Government House. beside the new Parliamentary Buildings was begun in 1868 and completed in 1871, and is therefore older than I*iO oldest, part of Wellington College bv several years. It is depressing to reflect that whereas the contract prico for this large and handsome Government House was only .£10,583, the College Gwwnors will now require £170,000 to build a new college. It is true tho contractor got the still older Government House then on tho site thrown in for disposal. Evon with that extra sop he failed to complete the contract. Mr. John Martin was his surety to the extent of £lOOO, and sooner than lose that sum took over tho contract. Before 'he had completed the building the cost had run, info £16,245—50 instead of dropping £lOOO Mr. Martin lost over £5OOO.

The old original Government House, removed by tho contractor in 1868, was re-erccted in Murphy Street, where it is, I believe, still in occupation. It dates to an era far earlier- than the ot'hor buildings mentioned above, for it was erected a-s Colonel s house in 1849, and I think I have read somewhere that the frame and boarding were brought out from Britain. Tho experts ought to to able to "give us some interesting information from these buildings as io the probable life of our timber houses.

Dr. Bumpus came in yesterday to say he 'had read Major Fitzurse’s narrative yesterday with interest. It was characteristic of Major Fitzurse. Other peoplo having lost their bullets would have given up all hope for the day, but Major Fitzurse persevered and was rewarded. The Doctor hopes the editor of the "School Journal” will publish the facts as an example to school children. It has a much totter moral tone than, the depressing tale about King Alfred and the pancakes, for instance—and moreover, there is considerable doubt as to whether that incident ever occurred. The Doctor fails entirely to see that anyone has ever benefited by learning that in 1066 or 55 8.C., or whenever it was. King Alfred let those pancakes burn. How manv tens of thousands of pounds have been spent in printing and circulating that story, and flogging millions of children for not knowing what King Alfred said to the good wife, and what the good wife said to King Alfred? Tho Doctor hopes that Mr. Parr, in his economy campaign, will cut out this misdirected effort in education, and giro us something with a moral and uplift that can to vouched for by peoplo we know.

As I seemed to be fond of reminiscences, Dr. Bumpus said ho might perhaps relate a remarkable experience that befell on his first voyage to New Zealand. It was about a sea serpent. . .. I told the Doctor I could not publish it. I did not havo tho nerve. However true it is . • . and I am sure it is true. ... it is out of fashion. It is fifteen yeears since wo had a. now story about ',hc sea serpent. The last one came from Kawhia way. Sea serpents in couples, dozens, scores, hundreds, wero seen patrolling tho ocean by '-he members of a party that had gathered at a settler’s house on the coast following Gio arrival of several cases of Scotch. Tho apparition was as inexplainable as the appearance, of whisky in flint part of the King Country. .Since then the sea serpent has been drawn no more on the hooks of journalism.

Dr. Bumpus says he is sorry the. Press has fallen' into this modern scepticism. There is no credit in believing things that easy to believe. havo al« ways believed,” says the Doctor. the story of Jonah and the Great Fish. I am glad I believe it. If it- were explained as being, -after all. a scientific possibility. I should not be proud of tolieving it. It would require no exercise of faith, and there would bo no credit to mo in believing it. Dr. Bumpus deplores mv attitude to the sea serpent. “The world.” he says, "keeps on kicking down-the ancient landmarks, and the world is going to the dogs. The Doctor says lie lias even found some people who do not b-lieve the tales of Major Fitzurse himself.

It has been recalled in Britain that Joseph Chamberlain once tried to write a play. George Henry I,owes once contended that everyone had made an attempt at dramatic composition. . ”5 os.” he said, "even Herbert Spencer.” “Ah.” interposed Huxley, "his must havo boon a tragedy, and I know wliai the. catastrophe would be—a theory killed by a fact.”

Ex-President Wilson has always been fond of tolling stories about tho superiority of the Scots. Ho recounted recently an argument between an American and a Scot. "IVe’ve got a fine lot of young men in Noo York. ’ the A alike© boasted. "Nao doot,” replied the Scot; "a guid manv o’ oor laddies have bren emigrating lately.” The American was none too pleased at this remark, and waxed sarcastic. "Ah. well,’ he remarked produced George Washington, who could not fell a lie, and Ji® was no Scotsman.” "Och, aye.” retorted Caledonia’s son. "a Scot could tell a lie, but he wouldna’.”

How did we feel and act on August 4, 1914? Most of us have almost, forgotten. In the letters of the late Mr. Page, the American Ambassador in London at the time, there are many striking IK'i'sonal touches. It is a far cry back io the frame of mind of these extracts from one of Mr. Page’s letters written a dav or two after war broke out: 'I went’to sec the German Ambassador at three o’clock in the afternoon. He came down iu his pyjamas—a crazy man. I feared he might literally go mad. Ho is of the anti-war party, and he has. done his best, and utterly failed. ’This interview was one of the most pathetic experiences of my life. The poor man had not slept for several nights.” In the same letter Mr. Pago says ho will never forget "Sir Edward Grey’s telling me of the ultimatum —while he wepb" nor the poor German Ambassador, "almost a demented man.” "nor '-he King as ho declaimed at me for half an hour and threw up his hands and said: 'My God, Mr. Page, what else could we do?’” nor the Austrian Ambassador, "wringing his hands and weeping, and crying out, 'My dear colleague, my dear colleague.' *’ A THOUGHT FOR TO-DAY. The wisest thing, we suppose, That a man can do for his land, Is the work that lice under his nose, With the tools that lie under his hand,