BY THE WAY

Evening Star, Issue 20061, 29 December 1928, Page 2

BY THE WAY

■ '♦ ■ * ( [By Q.V.]

\ H The time has come,” the Walrus said, 14 To talk of many things.” Christmas comes but once a year, a distinction it shares with the other 304 days in the calendar. It is a season of joy—or should be—to many, a time of great strain and tribulation to others, among whom we may reckon the staff of tho Post and Telegraph Department, wdio must curse “ the festive season ” most heartily. So lar as 1928 is concerned, it has now joined the “ faded pomps of yesterday.” The weather might have been better here, but Christmas is not.so dependent on weather conditions as other holidays. It is tho time for reunions of families, when grown-up sons and daughters lly back to the parent nest for a day or two, and inwardly wonder where the awe they used to feel of Pa and Ma lias disappeared tm, and why it was ever felt. It is a time when domestic mysteries arc! cleared up. The culprit wdio broke the window ever so many years ago stands self-confessed. Ma learns how much of her jam and other household stores went to sweeten camping expeditions, and Pa finds out wdicro his smaller tools went to, and why. Wo ourselves had an electric torch once in days when electric torches cost more than they do now —but no matter —wc do not grudge it under the circumstances. This particular Christmas was the least rowdy wo can remember, thanks to tho police, Once upon a time going down George street on Christmas Eve was like “ going over tho top,” and the wise stayed at home and read the ‘ Outlook.’ Well, it is all over now, and we are busy preparing good resolutions for. the New Year, a game which may bo played by both young and old, though, wc suspect, seldom to much advantage.

Our new Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stalhvorlhy, lias confided to his constituents that lie regards his elevation fo Cabinet rank as a Divine call. There came a call from Wellington, it was a call Divine, and naturally it was forwarded to Auckland. The calls with which we arc most familiar in the South arc those for sums ranging from ono to five shillings per share, payable within one month. We sincerely trust that Providence, having arranged for Mr Stallworthy’s appointment, will not let it go at that, but will keep an eye -on him hereafter, for wo feel sure that he will be the better for all the assistance which may be vouchsafed to him. as who among ns would not be. There are quite a number of matters connected with Public Health which need consideration of the wisest kind, and we should sleep more calmly if we knew that even a higher intelligence than that of Mr Stallworthy, able though he may be, was keeping an eye on the Hospital Hoards. Jt is strange that there should be so much physical and mental trouble in a country like Now Zealand, seemingly an ideal spot from a health point of view. Wo have formed a theory of our own on the subject, which wo present to the local branch of the B.M.A. for consideration. According to this hypothesis, tho early settlers might be roughly divided into two classes, the hustlers and the muddlers, tho former worked themselves and their families mercilessly, mining their own constitutions and those of their successors. Tho muddlers did.not work hard enough, they were content to drift along, often in most insanitary conditions, living on badly cooked food, sleeping in rooms with hermetically sealed windows, and clothing themselves poorly. They also loft behind them plenty of work for Mr Stallworthy and his celestial assistants. Whether Ids claims and hopes w.ll be borne out by events, time will shew; but we expect the best, though without overweening confidence.

The British political parties are already dressing their shop windows in anticipation of the elections. According to die London ‘ Sunday Express,’ the Lalourites will offer to transport a quarier of a million British unemployed, with their wives and families, “to tie dominions.” A minimum wage, amount unstated, is to be fixed, and, as usual, the Government will toot the bill. Mr Lansbury, however, who reprosoits Bow and Bromley in the Labour interest, says that some enemy has dole this thing, probably one of the staf of the ‘ Sunday Express.’ He does tot, however, repudiate the scheme with any fervour, and even admits tlat it might have a few good points about it. Ho seems to think that it bad bettor be undertaken by the present- Government “ under Labour superviiion,” and “ with the approval of the hbour unions in the dominions.” Wo should imagine that the latter clause vouid present a good many difficulties. Wo read a lot about the “ solidarity of Labour/’ but when it is a matter of importing competitors even at a ninimum wage, it is hardly to be expected that 'those at present in billets vill welcome the newcolners very cordiallj. Here am I holding down a moderaicly good job at fair wages without overmuch trouble. Am 1 to stretch out a fiiendly hand to a man, perhaps just as; good as myself, who will be only toi pleased to step into my shoos? It is not human nature, which is even stronge* than any solidarity of Labour, or Captal either. Should the scheme over eiine to anything, which seems doubtfij, there ought to bo a lot of picking) in it for somebody. The shipping ctmpanics, for example, would find it a very present help in making profits ? and a perfect host of inspectors, a£ei)ts at both ends, and contractors of till sorts would hailit with glee. Tire unemployed problem is one of the hardest! that Britain has had to deal with fey many years, but we doubt if the ‘ Sunday Express ’ idea is going to do mud towards solving it. The fact is that Hie world is getting too small, soon tip “standing room only ” signs will hafe to’ be displayed,, and then there w)l be trouble on a large scale.

Ifijjl [ . The jrclimiuary announcement of a film is Jjerhaps not where one would look fol accuracy, but we confess to learning with .some astonishment from that soiree that Annie Laurie was_the Scotch foan of Arc, and figured in a good dal of fighting in the turbulent Ilighlards of the past. According to the sont, she resided at Maxwellton braes, vhich are a long way from the Highlanls, being near Dumfries in the south, (far from being a sort of Helen MacGre'or, who could wield the claymore all a pinclr a,s well as Rob Roy himself,Annie declined the advances of her adnlrer, married another, and had a large family . The disappointed swain was a lit of a ne’er-do-well, like some other Scottish bards, and ultimately took hiriself and his disappointments to America where he also married, and, as the liwyers say, “ had issue.” Some years ;|o one of the American magazines -fie ‘ Bookman,’ we fancy—published as article on the famous song, based ot particulars gathered from one of the iescendants of the hero, if one may dll • him a hero, Maxwellton

braes aro certainly “ bounie,” but have not seen much fighting, save a little in the days of the Covenanters. The names of Clavcrhouse and DalWoll are ■ still remembered with execration in those parts, or were, when tho writer lived in the vicinity. * * * * An obliging lady is Florence Eugene Thompson, of Auckland. Florence had been living with a gentleman friend, apparently the tie was one of those indeterminate marriages, or trial unions, advocated in advanced circles at present. The .course of true love never did run smooth, and those accursed financial troubles which visit the most advanced amongst us stepped in between them. With the impulsiveness of youth, Florence decided that life was no longer worth living—and truly, in the absence of a certain amount of cash, there is very little in it. So she announced her intention of throwing herself from the Grafton Bridge. A friendly member of the force pointed out that this was breaking the regulations, and that it was “ condemned by heavenly, fined by earthly laws.” The lady saw the force of the argument, and in the most handsome fashion offered to go over the end of tho wharf instead, when presumably it would be a matter for tho Harbour Board to deal with. Even this did not satisfy the Law, which took Her into custody, and by latest advices .she was remanded for a week till tho law made up its mind as to the best course of procedure'in Her case. It seems sad that Sir Joseph Ward’s seventy millions had not been borrowed before this. Had some of it been available._ the whole matter might have been adjusted by a small grant either to Florence direct, or to her friend, the unknown warrior, so to speak. According to the Scripture, the love of money is tho root of ail evil, but the want of it is responsible for a good deal also.