AUCKLAND HAPPENINGS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 20 June 1918, Page 3

AUCKLAND HAPPENINGS.

[From Our Own Correspondent!

Auckland, June 17

THE "QUEEN CITY."

As an Aucklander myself, and one who has known the city, on and off, for the last quarter of a century or more, I was naturally interested in the remarks of Sir Eobt. Anderson, [the other day .regarding " the Queen City of the M^h." " When I was in Aucklart.,three years ago," said Sir Robert,'"" I expressed the opinion that a great future awaited the place. The views I then expressed were regarded by some old Aucklanders as rather too optimistic. They smiled, but during my present visit-a number of these gentlemen have been good enough to tell me that they think I was right, and that Auckland, with all its undeveloped resources, has undoubtedly a great future in front of it. The other centres of the Dominion, of course, will increase in size and importance, but they cannot hope to rival Auckland in its rapid development." How "the other centres of the Dominion" will view these complimentary references to Auckland remains to be seen. I have knocked about so much in my time that I have become quite Cosmopolitan, and although I like this city well enough I like others, not to be found in New Zealand, better. So my opinion is quite unbiassed when I say that 1 believe .Auckland is destined in days to come to come to [develop into another Sydney, and one of the things that is likely to help bring this about is the development of hydro-electric power throughout the Auckland Piovince. This scheme, as you are doubtless aware, is already engaging the attention of our business men.

HOW DID IT GET THERE?

The recent discovery of a minefield off the North Coast of New Zealand, and right in the track of shipping, is not the first discovery of the kind, but it has created a very uncanny feeling here. But for the vigilance exercised by the Naval Department of the Goverment in locating this hidden danger the New Zealand papers might have had to chronicle a frightful disaster ere now, and one which would doubtless have afforded the Germans the liveliest satisfaction. How did this mine-field get where it was found ? The mines discovered awhile ago in Cook's Strait are supposed to have been laid by the "Wolf," and quite possibly the newlydiscovered one may have been laid by the "Wolf" also. But there are many Germans at large in this, free to move £about and come and go as they will, and it is quite conceivable that some of these foes in our mids\ are responsible for the presence of that mine off the North Coast. I will repeat here "what I have said Over and over again in my letters to the Press, and that is that every German in New Zealand, naturalised or unnaturalised, man or woman, should be interned for the period of the war, and for a reasonable time after the war is ever.

OUR WAY—AND THEIRS.

Our treatment of German prisoners of war — the whole Empire's treatment of them—is in startling contrast to Germany's treatment of English, French, Italian, and American prisoners. Is there a prison camp in Germany where enemy prisoners are treated as we are treating the Germans interned at Motuihi ? These fellows are comfortably housed and fed. They do no work of any kind for us. They are simply deprived of their liberty. Even their rights are carefully protected, as was shown only a day or two ago when one of the Motuihi prisoners obtained judgment, at Auckland Supreme Court, against a British-born - -subject for debt. What hope would a British^-born subject, interned in Germany, have of proceeding for debt against a German ? The bare suggestion of such a thing would be regarded as the richest of jokes by the in*,famous Huns. But we not only respect the legal rights of Germans who are, unfortunately fo- us, resident amongst us, but Ajually retain in our Civil lifcvice full-blooded Germans %nd pay them well from the public exchequer. It would be interesting to know what the Kaiser thinks of this amiable weakness of ours. "THE INFLUENCE OF SATAN." I quite enjoyed the address delivered at the Tivoli Theatre, a few nights ago, by the #cv. A. A. Murpay, under the title I have used at the head of this paragraph. There are not, I take it, a great many. (educated) people in this 20th Century who believe in •' a personal devil," but the Rev. Mr M-U^ay does, That

makes him an interesting person to listen to. He told us that to deny the personality of Satan was quite a common thing to-day but those who did deny it were all wrong, for he undoubtedly existed —horns, tail, cloven-hoofs, and all —I presume, of course. Well, John Wesley was a devout believer in witchcraft. But Wesley did not flourish in the 20th Century.

WHAT IS SAUCE FOR THE

GOOSE, ETC

The recent police-raid orv a certain house at Kelburn (Wellington), was discussed at the last meeting of the Auckland Women's Political League, when a resolution was carried unanimously t6 the effect that the meeting vehemently protested against the discrimination made by the police between men and women on the occasion of the Kelburn raid, and demanded that in any future raids of the kind any menfound on the premises should be arrested, searched, and treated exactly the same as the women visitors. /With that expression of opinion I am entirely in accord. It is simply monstrous, to my mind, that there should be one standard of morality for men and another for women, and I sincerely hope that the public attention this Kelburn case has excited all over the Dominion may be the first step towards a better state of things. Too long has the woman, in cases of sexual immorality, had to bear all the shame, and what is regarded in her as something past forgiveness by society is looked" upon in the man concerned as being a fault so venial as to be really hardly worth mentioning. The sooner this injustice meets with the condemnation it merits the better.

41 POPULAR" MUSIC

WANTED.

At last meeting of the Auckland City Fathers somebody suggested that the Organ Recitals vat the Town Hall should be of a more popular character. Later the organist advised the Council that his audiences "were increasing in number, and that the adoption of a lower standard of programme "would be a regrettable departure from the generally acknowledged purpose of municipal music, which was to raise public taste." That is the attitude professional musicians invariably adopt. "Classical" music is the only music that satisfies them, and anything short of classical music is taboo ! Apropos of this I remember attending a concert, | years ago, at the, Albert Hall, London, at which a world-famed ■ artiste was one of the vocalists. She contributed one or two classical selections, which met! with the usual warm reception. In response to the final encore she sang " Home, sweet Home." How the house rose at her ! The classical selections were forgotten. The dear old familiar song we all love' roused the huge audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. . The singer was compelled to repeat the last verse again and again ! The introduction of this song may have been " a regrettable departure," etc. But there was no doubt about its being a welcome one. To appreciate classical music you must possess an educated ear and a cultivated taste. " Home, sweet Home " appeals to all. So does "Kathleen Mavourneen," "Annie Laurie," "Within a Mile o' Edkr boro' Toon," and scores of others. Does the rendering of these old favourites tend to lower public taste ? Let the organist of the Town Hall respond to the demand for popular music and 1 venture to predict that the Town Hall will not be large enough to hold his audiences. The public taste is hardly likely to suffer either. The demand is for music the people can understand and enjoy—that goes straight to their hearts!