WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

Till-; LATH PRIME MIN IST HI!. IN .M HMUIt i AM. (Special to “Guard!;\n“.i WELLINGTON, July 23. Party politicians wort- soon at their host in the House lust night when the Prime Minister moved tile second reading of the Mussey Jiurial Ground Bill.

a measure intended In valitlate the aclion ol the Government in acquiring tiie hui'ial ground at Point Ilalswell as a resting plate lor the hue Prime Minister. Mr Coates spoke his part with feeling and dignity, every word being made eloquent hv its very earnestness, and the leader of the Opposition followed him in the spirit of a chivalrous opponent v. it h tributes, of re me mb ranee and appreciation. Mr Wiliurd look the opportunity t-i say ipiite i rankly that an oil painting ol the dead statesman which has been hanging in the lobby of the House during the lasi low days ■, nuite madei|iiate memento ol a man whose name and woli-s will live ia lie- lii'tory ol the i)oniinion for maiiv generations to eome. ihe leader of the Ormosition has a cultured taste in matter- oi this kind and ti ere appears to lie no need to challenge his judgment. But in any ease, it is to lie hoped that a bust of Mr Massey, executed ].v the very best available artist, will be added to the sculptured figures of Mr s-eddon. .Sir Harry Atkinson. Sir John Hall, and Sir John MacKen-.ie which, already stand in the vestibule of Pa rlia nv.'iit House. .HYHXII.H conn's. The Juvenile Courts proposed by th Minister <d' Education in his Child Welfare Bill are not satisfying politicians and other people here who wise to see women justices created ami given charge of these tribunals. Mr T. M. Wit ford, who made it I: is business , ii! ri l l- - his last visit to the I'niled States to "see a good deal of the women’s and children s courts in existence there, does not think Sir James Pan’s proposals are going to equip New Zealand with the kind of institutions the country needs. The idea in America, lie says, i- to free wonon and children as lar as pos.sil.de Iron] the contaminating surroundings ol Hv* < menial courts, with their male magistrates, their male police and their sordid environment. I lie Minister’s proposals do not go lar enough to ellect this in New Zealand. They simply provide for women to sit will: the magistrate as referees and, of course, lor li e voting peoole In he spared the puMicilv of the open lourt. Mr Willord himself would go much lurtl'er in the wav of reform, approaching 'erv nearly to the American system, and in

some respects, lie thinks, improving upon it, lull he recognises m the Minister's present proposals a distinct advance and is ready to give them Ills support. AN IvYK-WITXi:- s. A New Zealand lady, who lately has been tiavellmg in American, “seeing the sights,’’ as she puts it, “without studying any of the Americans’ social problems.” in the course ol a letter to a Wellington friend confirms fo a large extent the views expressed by Mr Willord in regard to juvenile courts. “ My opinion cannot count for much." she writes. •• as I really never have given much *) l t en! ion to such questions during my thirty years of housekeeping. Imi I honestly believe that, the Ameriian women magistrates, of v. horn vim asked me to make inquiries, are doing a lot of good work. Of eotir.-e ibe million apnoinied lo lies' position arc not merely goiit ioc.iie. friends or i-n.-icty lad; ■- out for a new tin ill. Many oi them are higitlv educated women who have taken a degree at some university, ami they all, if the lia I I'-doc-'ii I iiave seen me lair ;:m----pie-. are whole-emo, euinmoii-■ :;iiyj noli:. !! with an intense de-ire Io b ■

doing some good for the t minify and at the M!ie" line', i suspect, to l.c treeing t licttr , Urn- I mill tin: diudgery of society am! domesticity. It K quilt' ir.f' that the Auterieitii Women generally i- much more emancipated than the New Zealand woman, and all we hate In lioa.-t about in eomoari*ou is that we were the first, to get tie.' franchise." All of which goes to show tlmt Sir Jan, a.*, e. moving none 100 soon. TI I F GAMBLING M Y>TFR V.

Though the reverend gentlemen who ((institute the Council of Churches, and who hold their meetings it scents, exclusively in Christchurch, obtain plenty of publicity through the daily newspaper.*, they appear to he making little impression upon the conscience of the community. Probably illicit gambling, which mainly, of (-oiir-se, is associated with horse-racing, is more rampant in Wellington to-dav than it ever has been before, but only a very small proportion of the citizens appear to regard il as a grave menace to society. Very many of the Inisiness men ol Wellington, however, see in the facilities affor-

ded to mere children, hoys and girls, for gambling with bookmakers at bolalisator odds an explanation of many of the disagreeable things that happen in commercial cirdes from time to time. It is notorious that bookmakers’ tout* are to be found in every department of the public service, in all the big commercial and financial institutions and in nitttiv of the smaller places of business. These men are known to every individual within their sphere of operations, and they have outside clients by the score, and yet the police profess to be unable to catch them red-handed in their lloitiing of the law. There is not one of tho*e touts that ever has been before the court and they take no more care to avoid investigation Hiatt doe.* the honest trader. What is going to he done about the matter?