TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 43, 20 February 1930, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Housing conditions in New Zealand, as the Director of Town Planning stated to the Rotary Club, reach a reasonably high standard. In raising this standard the system of State aid has certainly been a factor. ThaJ much must be admitted; but it is by no means so clear that the State system, carried so far as it has been carried, has not brought disadvantages in its train. Mr. Mawson is not justified in brushing aside this criticism as coming from "so-called economists—a name used, I think, to cloak certain vested interests." Economics must be considered as well as planning. When this consideration is given it is found that, while the housing standard is high, it is also expensive. This may be attributable in part to the fact that private capital has been squeezed out of the dwelling-provision industry. The State Advances system has led the people to rely mainly upon the Government for house-building funds. Moreover, as the terms, of houseownership are easy, speculation has been encouraged. It is not advisable that the State should abandon its house-financing, but it is desirable that the aid should be reserved for those in necessitous', circumstances, and that an effort should be made to bring private finance again into the business. ■ Gray's Elegy gave honour to the humble—to tlisse who, without hope of glory or great reward, worked faithfully. The poet found a theme in the "short and simple annals of the poor." It has remained for France to confer national distinction upon a representative of this class. Joseph Zalewski, farm labourer, aged 103, has been appointed Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. The citation says: "Starting work on a farm at the age of ten, he has remained a native of the soil ever since. Even now lie works in the fields with his great-grandchildren." The honour is not wholly unique, for France has previously honoured simple citizens for their faithful performance of simple duties; but it is an honour which all the world will applaud. National honours are too often bestowed only upon the people who do great things in a great way, even when their greatness is the cause of great trouble. It is forgotten that tile welfare of a nation depends in the last resort upon those who do the everyday work with zeal and trustworthiness. * * * Footballers in some future age may raise a monument to the memory of ex-Dictator General Primo de Rivera of Spain. One of his last official acts tended to the encouragement of the historic British game which has lately been making marked progress

with Spanish youth. The Dictator's Government issued a decree that children under fourteen years of age should be excluded from bull-fights. The connection between this order and the progress of football may not appear very clear, but there is a connection. Football in recent years has presented a counter-attraction to the bull-ring. As yet the counterattraction is not strong. For the great majority of Spaniards bullfighting maintains its strong hold. But the appearance of an alternative sport, added to a growing active distaste for the bull-ring among the educated classes, made the Dictator's decree possible. Nevertheless, the issue of the decree (according/ to a writer in "The Times") afforded further proof of the courage of de Rivera.

Indeed, it may be assumed (stated the writer) that no Spanish Government depending on an Assembly with tho ordinary powers of a Parliament would have dared to introduce the measure.

It is probable that the decree will lessen the popularity of bull-fighting because of the implied suggestion that it is an undesirable sport and because, further, it iis a sport for which the taste must be acquired young. And perhaps in future years the young Spaniard whose ambition is now to be a leading matador will aspire instead to be a champion halfback. De Rivera has not done as much for football as Drake did for bowls in his day, but he has helped. ' ♦ • • White, lines to direct motor traffic are having a gradual educative influence in Wellington. Motorists heed them for their direction—at least when a traffic officer is looking on. They are not so particular in stopping or slowing down when approaching the lines which mark pedestrian crossings. Possibly they excuse themselves by saying that the pedestrians are also blind to these lines, but pedestrian heedlessness will not be overcome until it is seen that the marked crossings really mean safety. It is for the motorists to attend to this. The street markings, however, are a step in the right direction. Slowly but surely they will teach. their lesson. London has proved this so far that experiments are now being made with an illuminated road line to guide motorists after dark. However good the street lighting may be, a white line is not ! easily picked up at night. To overcome this defect,, London is testing a line of alternate sections of white vitreous tiles and laminated glass thick enough to bear traffic strains. The line is 5 inches wide and is sunk 5 inches into the roadway. Under the tiles and glass there is a steel channel containing electric lamps. The results of the test should be interesting, for we have here several street junctions which need some strong reminder of caution when the traffic officers are off duty in the evening. ■.:.■. ■ t