TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 90, 18 April 1911, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Reasonable people in. and out of Wel- , "lington should be For Parliament pleased with a resoluand Public. tion of the Libraries' Conference, urging that "the General Assembly Library shall be treated as a Dominion Library, and thrown open as fully as practicable to the general use of the public." Nominally the library exists for the enlightenment, of legislators. Actually it exists to furnish more amusement, thaii instruction to some of the people's representatives. Thay have a far greater appetite for the fiction than serious works to help them to deal intelligently with the Bills submitted to them. The institution has essentially to be, a reference library, and more a reference library from the legislative viewpoint than any other. It has been complained that the scope is not yet wide enough pa the legislative side, as it does not sufficiently keep pace with the legislative activities of other countries. It is also urged that every effort should be made to make the library a thoroughly national oue, with shelves richly stored with the treasure of times old and new. New Zealand has not one large comprehensive library, and it does not seem "that any centre except Wellington can have such a library for years to come. Wellington's opportunity, which is also New Zealand's opportunity, lies in the Parliamentary Library. -This is one strong reason why full thought for the future should be given to the design of the new building, which is included in the jumbled specification for Parliament Buildings. We have already shown that the clauses referring to the library are unsatisfactory. The importance of this work calls for keen attention on the part of those who wish to see the foundation of a worthy national library. Muddlement to-day will bring a heavy penalty inthe future. Tho whim of a Minister of the day must not be allowed to spoil a national work. From the time when the first tree fell beneath the obsidian The Sport blade of the men of the of the Axe. stone age to the present day, when our forests are fast disappearing before the steel edge of the American implement, the axe has always been a favourite tool and weapon of mankind. Was it no:, young George Washington who established an eternal standard of veracity over that little affair of the cherry tree and the hatchet? How many generations of axe-loving boys since have had that shining exemplar of truthfulness set before them? — "I could not tell a lie, father; I did it with my little hatchet." The words are yn perishable. Then was not the- axe further immortalised — if possible — in high politics by the prowess of the Grand Old Man, the late Bjghi Hon, W- E. Gladstone, after

pass, let it pass under the stairdy, swingthe bitter factions of party warfare, returned to the sacred grove at Hawarden to sacrifice an oak to Pan — or, maybe, to propitiate the gods who rule over the fate of parting. "Oh. Woodman, Spare that Tree," was the subject of a notable carloon of that day. The axe is- the honestest weapon and the most faithful tool of man, and nowhere will be found more loyal and trusty mates than among axemen. Axemanship is a thing to b& encouraged, if it does in some degree contribute to the passing of the virgin forest we all regret. But if it must ing blows of axes wielded by New Zealand's truest pioneers rather than wither away and die upstanding. And may more trees be planted, that the generations of axemen may nob cease for lack of wood to chop. Meanwhile such gatherings of axemen as that which raised old memories of a whilom wooded valley at Upper Hufct yesterday will do much to keep alive the fine old traditions of bush-craft and bush-life, when the bush is no more ; for I'he axe gives us the most -sporting of all callings and the most useful of all sports. An Australian oarsman has wrested the championship oi Champion the Dominion from a native Oarsmen, son, George Whelch, and thus William FogweU's name goes up on the list of champions. The victory was clean cut, and there can b'j no doubt but that the better man won. There is some consolation to patriots in the fact that even if a foreigner does hold the champion belt of New Zealand, a New Zealander wears the higHest honours in the world as the man at the head of the river. So if might be argued that the greater includes -the less — that Arnst is morally champion sculler of New Zealand. Meanwhile congratulations are due to Fogwell, who has profited by previous defeats, and has had tho heart to persevere. The Dominion, it goes without saying, will have to Took out a challenger for the new champion. At present there is no rising star visible on the horizon. Men like Lawson, of Nelson, Jackson, of Blenheim, and others of or about the same calibre are hardly class enough, judging by their more modern performances. The search for a worthy challenger should be good for sculling generally in these parts, and potential oarsmen have always before their eyes the wonderfully rapid ascension of Richard Arnst. In some respects Arnst is an abnormality. But what he did others equally physically gifted may also do, or get very close. With no one daring to throw down the gage of battle to him, Arnst is a. lonely champion today. There has been a good deal of talk of this and that, of matches possible and probable, of his becoming, in desperation, a "hope of the white race," and as j such an aspirant for the honours of the prize ring. It is highly improbable that he takes much stock of his chances as a fighter, and it-is just as improbable that there is any known man in Australasia (or elsewhore) to-day who could find money to risk in a contest with the doughty Tai Tapu man. It is really difficult to know what the champion has in mind, for he has developed a' business acumen and a fine diplomacy of late years. But there is no money in cycling, little more in pigeon shooting, and less (for Arnst— and ho knows it) in the glove arena. Ho "must needs sits back in his boat and wait, or go into business, which [is not unlikely. In this event how many challengers will be in evidence?