WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

CHIU STM AS CELEBRATIONS. ALL RECORDS BEATEN. (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, December 21. That the Christmas trade in the capital city has been satisfactory—at any rate from the sellers’ point of view—may he judged from the tact that the shopkeepers express themselves well pleased with the business they have done. They report that their customers have not only spent moie than thev did last year, hut also have insisted noon getting better value for their money. Flimsy toys of the branpie type, ephemeral balloons, gaudy baubles in their innumerable array have scarcely held their own even with the little folk, hoys and girls not yet in their teens eschewing the joys of two or three years ago and demanding trains that will move along, bats and balls that the big brother can wield and go-carts that will carry the baby with some measure of safety. The discrimination of the children has entailed a heavier expenditure by the parents, and the shopkeepers, having anticipated the development of the ■■ young idea,” have profited accordingly. German-made toys, undisguised a ltd unabashed, are in evidence everywhere. and neither in quality nor in price do they reproach the “ late enemy.” The more serious side of Christ mas shopping has been equally satisfactory. Grocers, drapers, iniiterors, butchers and tradesmen of every olher description that have catered wisolv for the seasonal trade have done well. There lias been money a bout and it lots been spoilt freely. DIFFERENT’ METHODS.

Battler unkindly, it would seem, one of the local papers published some remarks made by Miss Baber, the principal of the Marsdeu Diocesan School, at the breaking-up of that institution the other day. “Girls.” the lady principal said. “ have come to us possessing proficiency certificates, hut 110 knowledge ol history, french or Latin, nothing ii'.uch beyond arithmetic, and that of no great mental value; no power of expressing themselves in gootl English, nor with any hut the most rudimentary knowledge of English literature. These things, of course, cannot lie achieved when the sole ambition is to pass the sixth standard in arithmetic. Truth to tell, the last year or two. I believe other ideals have begun lo prevail, and the inspectors who visited us took great interest in the history and literature side of outwork.” Had it not boon a lady speaking the taste and discretion of these words very well might have been questioned ; hut Mr IT. A. Parkinson, the secretary of the New Zealand Educational Institute, has made the score about even by implying that -Miss Balter's purpose 111 disparaging the State school system was to glorify her own establishment. “The spirit of the time.” he writes io the journal which published Miss Baber’s unhappy observations, “allows to the advertising branch of a business undertaking a good deal of latitude in the pushing of wares; but there is a decided objection to this being carried to the length of misrepresentation of the gootls purveyed livIiv others itt the same line of business.” Miss Baber's sense of propriety suffered no greater lapse Hum did Mr Parkinson's conception of humour. AY FIE AT CONTROL.

Tin> announcement <<f the .Minister of Agriculture that there will lie no wheat control in I! (26-27 is creating a good deal of amusement hero. People disposed to iest about ibis serious matter are recalling the many announcements of a similar kind Mr Xosworthy lias made since lie took the wheat-growers ami the millers under his wing. “The consumer never is. but always to bo blessed.” one of the humorists paraphrased to-dav and pn.v.ed on to a recital of the Milli ter’ continued effort.-, to rim with tin- hare and hunt with the hounds. A year or two ago when Mr Xosivorthy succeeded in persuadinglilt- Iluii.-e of Represent a lives to impo>e what amounted to prohibitive dune-, on imported wheat and llotir lie I hanked heaven, so this authority say?, that tinkering with the encouragement of local industry was at an end and that the whole question was finally settled. But before the next harvest was ripening lie was a- thick in the discus-Jot! as ever Ik* had been, and again the growers got their wav and tl-eir price. This, however, was to lie the very last occasion on which the Slate would intervene. The philosophic observers smiled and awaited developments. Now they find the old ruse being praelised again and are laughing outright. People who take their polities less seriously are demanding ilm head ot the Minister on a chargor. MOTOR BUS INVASION.

Much in the comfort and convenience of hundreds id' residents in Wellington and its suburbs private enterprise in the shape of motor buses entered into competition with the State railways and the municipal trams, 'the buses are gaining ground iptiekly at the expense of the old means of transit and the State and the Municipality are devising means to stay their progress. It is now proposed to introduce regulations that will put the buses out of action against municipally owned tramways, trains and motor buses and there is no saving what the result will he. But Eastbourne, the delightful little suburb across the harbour, has what if claims in lie file only munici-pally-owned ferry sendee in the world, and its council is moving to have its boats given the same protection against private enterpirse as the other municipally-owned services are seeking. The Fast bourne residents appear to lie divided on the subject, ns is only natural, many of them reaping substantial advantages from the existence of the double route, and public opinion in the city seems disposed to resent the interference of the local authorities with enterprises which have been established to satisfy an obvious need of the community. It looks a.s if the new and much extended operations of "control,” as demonstrated in the constitution of the Dairy Board and similar undertakings, were going to by put to another searching test.