BY THE WAY

Evening Star, Issue 19788, 11 February 1928, Page 2

BY THE WAY

ißy O.V.]

lb! time has come,” the Walrui laid, •' To talk of many ihinps.” It is one of the reproaches against the present day that politeness no longer flowers as luxuriantly as of old. We think that the truth of the charge must be admitted. When the Jacob of the Victorian period courted his Leah he had to serve a long apprenticeship, and pass through many ordeals before he was entitled to address her by her Christian name “ all short,” as the French put it. To-day as likely as not he calls her “ old bean ” a quarter of an hour after the introduction. In “the finest club in Europe”—the House of Commons, to wit—Mr David Kirkwood, sorely heckled by Lady Astor, implored the Speaker to “protect jne from that wurnman.” It was not so that ladies were spoken of while chivalry held sway. It is only fair to add that probably Lady Astor would consider herself safer in the hands of Mr Kirkwood than in those of many a courtly representative of the old regime. In this landslide of manners it is cheering to come across something of the old spirit, the spirit we feared nad passed away for ever. We came across it by accident, as happens most of the good things in life. Did it over occur to you that had you chosen to walk down one street instead of another, or taken some other apparently trivial decision, you might have married someone else? The town clerk of St. Kilda, we observed, calls the attention of his ratepayers to the fact that their rates are now due, and will shortly he overdue, by public advertisement beginning “ Ratepayers are respectfully reminded.” There is courtesy for yon. There is a softening of the blow, in the same column the town clerk of Dunedin directs his ratepayers to “ take notice.” It is a stent, phrase, swift and direct as the cut of a. whip or the sound of a motor horn just behind you. It stimulates to immediate action, but it has not the suave persuasive power of “ respectfully reminded.” • * * * 'The Rev. Mr Archer, Mayor of Christchurch, has the courage of his opinions, and wo respect him for it. Just at present the butchers of bis city threaten to boycott the municipal abattoirs because, we understand, there is, hard by, a municipal butchery. Instead of being intimidated, Mr Archer defies them to do their worst, which wo suspect will not be so very bad. He says that he was elected on a Labor ticket, and lie is going to run the city on Labor principles. It is not quite clear which Labor principles are involved, but probably the idea is to extend municipal activities as far as possible—tbe government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” As we said, we respect Air Archer. Wc also disagree with him, not in the least because Governmental or municipal shops and so forth are expressions of Labor ideals, but because they are, with a few honorable exceptions, less efficient than those run by people whose living depends on satisfying an exacting public. The man whose reserves, if any, must be drawn on if Ids business does not meet with approval, is naturally much more keen than he whoso deficits are provided for by others. The private trader lias, of course, other pitfalls. It is to his apparent, though not to his real interest, to pay low wages, to drive hard bargains.' and to take any legal advantage which presents _ itself. The business world, however, is gradually coming to see that such profits arc illusionary. Once upon a time wc were impressed by the Fabian scheme of municipalising everything gradually, and in tlio fullness of lime supplying the public with good service and sound wares at a low cost. Some experience of Fabianism in action has compelled us to reluctantly admit that wo _ are better served by the heartless capitalist who knows quite well that, unless he toes the mark he will join _ the ranks of the unemployed, a position for which he has little fitness and less inclination. V * * * The present position of street traffic is, wo think, unique. In the middle ages of last century people were convoyed in buses, bone-shaking affairs drawn by dejected-looking horses, _ or by cabs carrying on a iegular service. Stuffy, slow, and smelly, all that one could say in their favor was that they were a shade belter than walking when one was in a Hurry or tired. From them was evolved the horse-drawn tramear, a lug improvement, though the sight of the team straining to drag a heavily-laden car up an incline was trying to the tender-hearted. Soon followed the cable cars for the hills and the steam or electrically-propelled tra incurs for the Hatter cities. The bus then apparently followed the _ stage coach into oblivion, together with its friend, the cab running on regular routes. With the arrival of the motor car even the once lordly hansom disappeared, or practically ro. Now the bus lias returned, modernised and rejuvenated, and threatens to drive the trams off the mads, even as it itself was once driven. In London the tram and tube companies arc very seriously concerned about their future, and someone in Sydney who claims to bo identical with Mr Gunter, consulting engineer to the London General Omnibus Company, who is now in Sydney, says cheerfully that all the fixed rail systems in the world nro faced by initiation by bus competition. Wo cannot remember another ease in which a form of transport, once abandoned, lias been reverted to. The sailing ship has gone, and will never return, despite the efforts and hopes of enthusiasts. The taxi arrived, and the cab became as much an anachronism as the chariot.. Alone, the bus returns. ft is a, sad thought that one day we may lie paying interest on the cost of a tram system which is obsolete. Much of the money we owe as a community was borrowed for “ permanent and reproductive works.” Some of them may have been reproductive in moderation, hut, alas! what can bo called permanent in a world oi change ? * + * * Those clever Americans who have transformed business methods tells us that after all their touchings there is a waste of some 35 per cent, in modern industry. Wc wish some person with a passion for analysis would work out the waste and annoyance arising from indifferent management of our public affairs, though who so undertook the task "would have to .surmount difficulties to which the labors of Hercules were a joke, and in the end would probably find that only the hem of the garment, as it were, had been touched. Why public matters should exercise this numbing effect; on the intellect is a mystery. Committees have much the same power. When a man sets forth to a committee meeting he leaves his brains behind him, possibly lest some of his fellow-committeemen should steal them, swallows a few pages of the Oxford Dictionary, and feels ready for the worst. Occasionally some mismanagement, or want of forethought, emerges from the nick and refuses to be hidden. At present Anderson’s Bay and Central Otago wiil for water. The inhabitants of the Taieri Plain fear that they may get too much of it. These are no new tilings. They have been long endured and much commented on. Reports have been written' about them and eminent authorities have been consulted. Tolstoy remarks that the rich will do anything for the poor except get off Gicir backs. Authority will do anything’ for the people except give them what they

want. When one thinks of the sums spent on our harbor and in our city, and compares them with the results, one fears that waste is not confined to industry. It seems quite likely that the Central Otago and Taieri Plain settlers have much the same impression regarding their districts. K * « * ODE TO A CELEBRATED STREAM. (Dedicated to the Citizens of Green Island.) Around our shores there beats the great Pacific, As probably you know. The noise it makes is frequently terrific When winter breezes blow. Kings, politicians, harbor boards, and dreamers It treats with much disdain, And even firemen in the local steamers Have menaced it in vain; And yet the tiny stream whose sullen water Down through Green Island steals, From that, grim place wherein the butchers slaughter The mutton for our meals, Betrays no fear of meeting with this ocean, In anger or at rest; But has instead a quite well-founded notion That it will come off best. Some power, malignant and mysterious, Permits it to discharge Odors which, to say fnc least, are serious, Taking them “ by and large.” When tnqsc approach one hears the sea recoiling In terror from the strife; Strong men affirm, with indignation boiling, They cut them with a knife. Oh, wo are glad that they are well to lee wo rd, And tho dull pen wc ply Far from tho place where .'lowly wanders seaward The stream called Kaikorni.