VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1921, Page 3

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

TELEGRAMS,

[B»- TELEGRAPH— m-BR PRKBH ASSOCIATION] THE THEATRE. A CLERGYMAN’S ATTACK. AUCKLAND, Aug. 1 An address, entitled "The Tragedy of the Theatre,” was delivered by the Rev Joseph Kemp at the Baptist Tabernacle before a congregation of between 700 and 800 people. In liis opening remarks, Mr Ivemp said it wits not his intention to make

a wholesale attack on every performance or to assert that every actor and actress was without an ordinary share of morality, nor was lie condemning drama as literature, which was the handmaid of the theatre, and upon

which it drew much of its inspiration. The question was not “Khali 1 read dramatic literature, or shall I go and see and hear a certain moral play?” but “Shall 1 patronise an institution known as the theatre of which the moral play is only a part?” The speaker set forth instances which. 1 ■<• said, went to prove that an actor’s character suffered demoralisation through the successlul assimilation of the characters played. The theatre condemned itself hy its effects upon the audience. There was scarcely an incident, however debasing, 1 hat might not be learned at the theatre, making it a university of vice and immorality for the youthful mind hy its positive teaching of crime. He asked his hearers not to begin with Shakespearean plays and, like so many others, go steadily down in their theatricals.

Mr Kemp concluded with an appeal to voting men and women to leave the I theatre alone. If they went to tliea--1 res they would be judged, and very properly so. not by the plav, but by the institution. If they < tired tor -al'idy'itnd more! strength. 01 for tlieii Minis, and the souls ol i!teir children. o if they wanted to follow ( liiu.st. ••le-ive the theatre alone.” Their seltdeninl, if they were Christians, would bring to them greater joy than their self-indulgence. THE MENACE OF THE ROOKMAKER. SIR EDWIN .MITCH EI.SON’S . SUGGESTIONS. AUCKLAND. Aug. 1. ..Some suggestions concerning bookmakers, from an experienced racing mail’s point of view, were put before the Auckland Racing Club at its annual meeting this afternoon in the p osidential report of Sir Edwin Mitebelsnti. “The bookmaker,” be reported.

",.;il! exists, and is still a great menace to honest and legitimate racing. He plies bis vocation more briskly than ever, notwithstanding the Act that was passed last session, and under which the juries have, with one exception, failed to convict. The only three tilings that will prove effective in putting the bookmaker down and out is to allow tile telegraphing of investments to the secretaries of clubs, the reinstating of the double totalisator, and the taking away from the bookmaker the right of trial by jury. If these reforms arc giveil effect to, the revenue of the Dominion would lie augmented by at least a quarter of a million pounds. Tlmt would mean a total annual revenue from the totalisators of not loss than f;l ,000,(XX) a year. It would not only allow the Government to decrease taxation, Gut would also allow a very much larger amount to be distributed amongst wage-earners than is now possible.”

SUPREME COURT. CHRISTCHURCH, August 3. The Supreme Court is engaged hearing a charge against Julia Marie Fitzgerald. formerly postmistress at Blackball. of opening a postcard addressed to a resident, J. Gilmer. The prosecution alleged the; accused took the postcard into the telephone room and when she came out remarked it. was from Jack’s (Gilmer’s) old girl who had enclosed a pound note. She then sealed the postcard. Gilmer was informed of the •episode by another employee At an inquiry held by the department accused regretted opening the postcard but stated it bad been her habit to deal with Gilmer’s correspondence, with his knowledge. The case is proceeding. •/.

A THREAT TO STRIDE. ■AUCKLAND. August 3. The police were called to a residence at Onehunga, owing to a threat to commit suicide by Edward George Metcalfe, a seaman. They found the door locked ,nnd burst it open and knocked a knife out of Metcalfe’s hand as it was descending on his heart. Metcalfe had written a letter stating his intention to suicide. He. had l>ecn out. of work and owing to theft of small sum of money was before the Court and was remanded for medical observation and treatment.

STORM DAMAGE. AUCKLAND. August 3. During a storm last night, two houses at Mount Albert were struck bv lightning and the chimneys were smashed, bricks falling through the. iron roof of one residence. Forty feet of fencing was also wrecked, a cyclist was thrown from his machine and was unconscious on the road for a quarter of an hour. \ RESERVED JUDGMENT. AUCKLAND, August 3. In a reserved judgment Justice Salmoiid decided that) an employee in any banking or mercantile institute is not entitled to any benefit from the Provident Fund or to any oontribtutions thereto, if it were shown his service bo sevqtvxl priotj to the date when automatically operates. Neither is an employee when severing his connection with such institution, entitled in lieu of notice to other emolument than a percentage of his actual wages.