NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1929, Page 5

NEWS AND NOTES.

THE FLOOD OF DETECTIVE STORIES. ■ .

“ It is a fact that, Ifor one reason or another, we are going through a period when everybody, from the Prime Minister downwards—is ‘ habitually reading detective stories. Perhaps it is that there is a particular kind of strain in our lives that leads us to feel that literature makes too great demands upon our attention and emotions. Anyway, the vogue for detective stories is t-crrilie, and the supply extraordinarily inadequate. . . I shouldn’t mind so much if the stories were good, but they are not.”—Mr J. C. Squire, Editor of the London “ Mercurv.”

“ GOODWILL.” “The glib use of the expression ‘ goodwill ’ avails us nothing. It is more often than not used as a spellbinder and has, lost much of its real meaning hy the animadversion aroused through an exorbitant figure being ascribed to its value in company prospectuses,” says the “Cost Accountant.” “The goodwill of the majority of businesses. when capitalised, far exceeds the value of the profits for whatever period used as an indication of the prosperity of the undertaking, but when it is assessed at a figure out of all proportion to earnings of the concern it ceases to convey its true meaning. So it is when the phrase is loosely bandied about in connection with its application to industry. We need the reminder that ‘ working an enduring co-operation must he grounded in knowledge.* and the first requirement is' that we rightly appraise the meaning ol the terms wc employ and to use our good sense in honestly facing the problems which confront us. The second requirement is that we must see to it, when the knowledge is properly assimilated, that we have, as the Lancashire men say, ‘ the wit to use it.’ ”