FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 122, 13 August 1927, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN” BUNDLES OF TWELVE The portly Oscar Asche —what a euphemistic word “portly” is, by the way-—has been haunting the Chinese and Japanese print rooms at the British Museum. The reason is not difficult to seek. He is yearning for another "Chu Chin Chow,” which netted so many millions for its lucky producers to spend. Asche, whose recent theatrical failures are common knowledge, is planning an Oriental pageant-play, “Kong,” in ■which he will cast himself for the name-part. Kong is a pirate chief with a sinister iron spike in place of one of his hands — an impolite Captain Hook. Presumably Chinese will be slain by the doughty Kong and heaped decoratively round jade pillars in neat bundles of twelve There' seems to be a recognised formula for these productions. INCREASING EXPORTS “Dear Look-out Man: Noting the lack of spirit and independence on the part of some of our members of Parliament, who have only to hear the crack of the Party whip to recant any utterance made in a moment of Dutch courage and at once fawn at the feet of the clique-bossed ‘leaders.’ They have offended, I think I see a further opportunity to increase our exports. We are now seeking to build up an export trade in boneless beef and boneless veal. What about exporting spineless politicians? We have a larger supply than is needed for local consumption.—‘Exporter.’ ” A TIMELY PLEA The fervent hope expressed by Mr. PI. G. R. Mason, M.P., that the mental hospitals of the Dominion will not suffer from the economy axe the Government is just now using with a Washingtonian enthusiasm, will be echoed by all who have regard for the interests -of the mentally afflicted. A year or so ago an inspection of the mental hospital at Avondale disclosed a state of affairs that was little to the credit of the hospitals administration—or, rather, to the Government which starved the administration in this respect. A new and particularly vigorous medical superintendent was in charge, and he had stirred the department to make several alterations which had the effect of making the institution less prison-like but the place was in many respects miserable enough, despite the jealous efforts of the staff to make the best of things. The lack of suitable provision for really effective classification and segregation, the dismal aspect of some of the wards, and the wretchedly depressing furnishings of the greater portion of this huge city of wandering minds, were the worst features. These defects may to some extent have been improved; but the whole scheme of buildings is out of line with the modern idea of a mental hospital, and the consensus of expei“ opinion is that the unfortunate patients cannot have thoroughly efficient treatment in such an obsolete environment. The new hospital promised by the Government, away from a thickly-populated area such as Avandale has become, seems as many years off as ever. In the meanwhile, society (which in this case is represented by the State) must do its full duty in seeing to the comfort and treatment of these unhappy people, and any economy which will be inimical to their welfare will be very strongly resented by public opinion.

THE SOFT ANSWER Better than furious recrimination, more effective than any violentlyworded abuse, was the scathingly satirical reply of Auckland East’s re-turned-soldier member, Mr. J. A. Lee, to Mr. Waite’s rancorous allegations against the Labour Party and its attitude in the war. “We should get a small vote on the Public Works Estimates to buy the member for Clutha a box of lead soldiers,” he said; “and we should then give him a small room in the basement, where he will be able to amuse himself while the rest of us get on with the business of the country.” Only that and nothing more! If all members of Parliament would reply to foolish and extravagant accusations on the same lines, there would be a great saving in the cost of “Hansard” and the time of Parliament. WHAT DO THEY KNOW? Kipling lingers in the mind —or some of him. Reading of the attitude of those patriotic parish-pumpers who object to outside local bodies being brought into their precious city of Auckland in a Greater Auckland scheme (because they think they will have to supply them with better services than the outsiders can at present afford to be rated for), the judicial mind considers the case of these gentlemen. And lie paraphrases Kipling and asks, “What do they know of Auckland, who only Auckland know?”