NOTES ON NEWS.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 108, 28 November 1918, Page 1

NOTES ON NEWS.

The closing of the banks has caused things to be said in many quarters about those responsible for the closing. In defence of the action the Minister for Finance gives the flimsiest of excuses. Nobody but a politician would advance them. One reason for closing is to prevent the congregation of crowds, as if crowds in banks were as common as all that. Bigger crowds , may be found in any good sized j store. This is specially true in | respect to country banks where i crowds are a rarity. Another \ reason is because of the depleted J staffs. But most businesses are suffering from the same complaint. A shortening of hours would have met this situation, and where the whole staff was laid up that branch could have closed for the time being. To close all banks because people from influenza areas visited them is foolish in view of the fact that the same people go to stores. The commonsense thing to have done in that case would have been to isolate the areas. Again, if banks were judged to be possible places of infection, why' were the bank notes not fumi-j gated ? We are slow of heart J to believe the statement that the banks asked to have their premises closed in view of what has been said by prominent bank officials in Auckland. The position locally has never been acute enough to demand such drastic action as closing the premises, and this is true of many other places. The sudden closing without notice has spelt inconvenience to many, and the only good it seems to have done in most cases is to give the staff a holiday. We, with the bank officials and many others, have been surprised at the action. Truly, politicians have one thing in common with ; the Almighty —■ their ways are past finding out.

For some days past rumors have been prevalent which threw doubt on the Kaiser's abdication. Now we are assured by a high official in London that the Kaiser is still Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. The Allies are alleged to have made a mistake. They have never been officially notified of the abdication, and have used the word *' abdication " to describe an act which is called "renunciation." Wilhelm has simply retired to Holland to see what turns up, and await the day when he can place his crowns on the head of his grandson. It doesn't much matter whether the Kaiser abdicated or " renunciated," whether he bolted from office or gracefully resigned. The Allies are not likely to quibble over the name he uses to describe his overthrow. Neither will they object in the slightest to dealing with him as Kaiser. But if Wilhelm thinks he is going to see a welcome from his own people, and a full pardon from his enemies turn up, he is likely to add to his list of errors. After all, it is not surprising that he should not believe himself to be out of office —it has always been difficult to make him believe the truth.

That certain doctors in Auckland should adopt the unprofessional practise of asking for their fee before leaving the home of a' patient has caused a bit of feeling in some quarters. It is gratifying to note that only a few medicos are involved, and the Hospital board's intention to enquire into the cases is for the double purpose of censuring the guilty and preserving the good name of the innocent. According to the statements of some medical men certain sections of the public are under the impression that doctors are now working for, and paid by, the Public Health Department. This is not so. A doctor is entitled to a fee from any victim of the epidemic he may visit, but it is not in keeping with the best traditions of a noble profession to adopt a pay-on-demand attitude. It is devoutly hoped that the action of a few will in no way lessen the public's appreciation of the self-sacrificing service renddered by the many. Let it be remembered that there are spots on the sun and honor will be bestowed where honor is due. In the Annals of the British navy some stirring stories of enemy ships surrending are re-

< corded. But the most thrilling story is that of the most recent surrender. On November 21st. the submarines of Germany which were to have starved Great Britain into submission were surrendered to the British fleet. It must have been a wormwood and gall-flavored incident to see the British Ensign hoisted on each one with the German flag underneath it. No wonder some of the German officers wept as their boats were given up. To set out to win the whole earth and finish up by winning nothing but a bad character is enough to cause even a Hun to weep, and wail, and gnash his teeth. But these are not tears of repentance they are caused by vexation because no more frightfulness can be committed. Probably they felt like their ancestor —Atilla — and wanted to smash, things like the sledge-hammer of Europe and wept because they dare not.

That Mr Lloyd George should refrain from making an oration when announcing that the Armistice had been signed showed" how truly great he is. A lesser man would have used the occasion as an excuse for letting loose a lot of talk. All that the Prime Minister said after reading the terms of the Armistice was: — "Thus comes an end to the most terrible and the most cruel war which has ever scourged mankind. I hope I may say that on this fateful morning has come the end of all.wars. This is no time for words. Hearts are too full of gratitude to which no tongue can give adequate expression." Lloyd George is a great orator ; he is great enough to know when a theme is beyond human articulation.

The brevity of his speech reminds us of an instance which took place soon after the entry of America into the war.. One of first acts of General Pershing after his arrival in France was to visit the tomb of the Marquis De Lafayette. That tomb is dear to every American. General Pershing was surrounded by a brilliant group of French officers as he stood in that sacred place. The Frenchmen clamoured for a speech. The American drew himself to the salute and cried: " Lafayette, we are here." That brief piece of real eloquence thrilled the whole American union as nothing else could.

The prevailing epidemic has revealed both the best and the worst in many people. As a wind will cause a flag to display its full inscription, so does the presence of trouble cause the real nature of humans to be exposed. Many people classed as ordinary have discovered in this scourge an appeal to the heroic, and by the readiness of their response they have been transformed. Many deeds of self-forgetting service have been performed throughout the length and breadth of the land. The fact that there were none near to witness the performance of them did not hinder the doing. Such deeds serve to invest with more dispicable meaning the selfish acts of many others. Our charity urges us to believe that such acts are caused by panic and not because of callousness. Everyone can render service to the community if it is only by steeling themselves against the dehumanising effects of panic.