RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 658, 8 April 1914, Page 3

RANDOM REMARKS.

By "Onlooker."

"Ladies and Gentlemen." The old familiar introduction to a public ad drees conveys to us the intention of the speaker to appeal to the highest intelligence of the audience, and also to the still higher intuition and sentiment enshrined in the feminine section of those to whom he is appealing. In the barbarous days before female franchise was introduced, the custom of addressing an audience as "gentlemen" prevailed, and with such an opening one concluded that cold, hard logic was to be used. The time is now with us when an audience is greeted with "men and women" aa an opening phrase, and one accustomed to the more polished form of address begins to wonder what is going to follow. By some, no doubt, this form of greeting will be considered the hall-mark of , democratic principles. By others it will be considered an evidence of a studied disregard of the small courteßiea of life. In the scheme of really important tnings in life it may not be considered at all.

It cannot be (denied that courteous address has a distinct effect on all of us. From the sturdiest democrat to the haughtiest aristocrat it has an unfailing appeal, and it may be doubted if anything is to be gained for democracy by neglecting wilfully the little courtesies. Another aspect of the question worth considering is that therß is a distinct ethical difference between men and women, and ladle 3 and gentlemen. The man who swings a pick and shovel may be a finer gentleman than one who never had to bother about work, while the woman who croons her own baby to sleep and darns her husband's socks may be an infinitely better type of lady than one who relies upon Wealth and appearance to justify her claims to the title. The true lady and the true gentleman are those who are dignified by certain inherent qualities irrespective altogether of their sphere in life; the sham articles are met with in every sphere, while all can be classed as men or women. Personally, I sympathise with the person who prefers to addres3 an audience of ladies and gentlemen.

The bowler as a man and a brother may be all that can be desired in human form; the bowler as an. indivduql who devotes time and effort to rolling a wooden sphere up and down a green and indulges in weird contortions the while is a conundrum to his best friends. Many of the troubles which assail the career of a bowler are due to humourists of the club to which he belongs. It may seem strange to outsiders that humur should be associated with the historic pastirhe.but the discreditable fact remains. A skeleton exists in every cupboard, and despite the strenuous efforts of devoted and dignified bowlers a spirit of levity, embodying scorn of tradition and hallowed association, has crept into the local bowling ranks. The dignity and force of the orthodox players are admirable in every sense, and have done much to maintain the standing of the game, but the baneful effects of the insidious humourist keep cropping up. The competition for the Jackson Cup gave rise to some stirring contests and aroused intense enthusiasm until the complications provided by the humourists became revealed. However, the final game of the competition promises to compensate for all the trouble, and completely offset the machiavellian efforts of the committee of humourists.

It is a well established fact that inspiration is to a large -extent governed by environment. The best work of all the great modern thinker?, writers, preachers, scientists and others who strut upon the lighted portion of the Btage of life is accomplished amid surroundings conducive to exalted thought and the inspiration of world moving ideas. Statesmen might be included in the list of great one?, but there ia some'doubt as to the originality of their ideas. Mr Massev more than hints that the Liberal legislation of past years was cribbed from him by his opponents, while Sir Joseph Ward makes a point of the fact taat the present Government has adopted the Liberal platform. In the circumstances the political element may be left in a sphere of its own. Shakespere and his contemporaries may rot'have been accustomed to luxurious environment, or even to the conveniences which the present day scribes regard as necessaries. Roller top desks had not been invented in those days, or they might have been considered indispensable to the equipment of the great man's study. A particular friend of mine who possesses aspirations, and the ability to achieve them, has recently invested in a desk of the roller top variety. Ha sue 3 visions in conse-

qUience, but I have doubt 3 if the desk will assist towards the materialisation of hl3 day dreams. Still., one never knows; that da3k may preserve from baby's vandal hands the priceless outpourings of inspiration destined to be immortalised by posterity.

Signs of piogreas continue to thrust themselves on the inhabitants of Te Kuiti. and we have at length succeeded in inducing the Justice Department to provide more police protection for the progress which has already taken place. Tha improvement in the town streets which has taken place this summer will doubtless imbue the people with an added sense of Eelf-respect and responsibility, and careless citizens will awaken to the that by-laws exist. According to some of the councillors they are not very good by-laws, but they are being revised and improved to meet the exigencies of modern civilisation. The work of revision is in extremely capable hands, and as a time limit was set for the accomplishment of the work (no refreshments allowed) the aid benighted laws are in serious danger of extinction. An oversight which occurred in the constitution of the committee, however, should be remedied before the final revision takes place. The Justice Department, represented by the police, should certainly have a voice in she construction of the by-laws. All sorts of new features could be introduced for the purpose of landing variety and entertainment to prosacutions. It is rumoured that the by-law dealing with unlighted vehicles travelling in the moonlight is to be amended or eliminated, but I can hardly credit tha report.