The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1930 A CHANTICLEER IN POLITICS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 901, 19 February 1930, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1930 A CHANTICLEER IN POLITICS

|U ANDRE TARDIEU, France’s leading statesman at the 111. moment, is sick of influenza and has lost for a few days the position of Premier. Such a combination of ills might well daunt the average politician, but the new man of destiny in France is of the toughest tribe in the political world. Hot water bottles and wine with the sun in it should, under competent medical treatment, soon disperse the influenza germs, while the trouble m politics will right itself without increasing the fever of the patient. A rash breaks out easily in the French Chamber of Deputies, where, if a Ministry threatens to develop the habit of staying too long in office, the would-be Ministers among over a dozen different party groups become “hungry and angry.” So there is nothing really serious in the report about the latest French political crisis. It is probably less disturbing to the statesmen concerned in it than the phantom rumour as to the prospective resignation of Sir Joseph Ward. There is a] waj s some kind of crisis in French polities with every new moon, and Cabinet reconstruction has become like a specialised industry. Like politicians all the world over, the 605 professional legislators in the Parliament of France do not cultivate quick crops of general elections. Every now and again they arc content with counting out the Government of the day, knowing that tomorrow will bring another Administration with a few new faces, but very little different from its predecessor. That is all there is to the first fall of the Tardieu Government. There will be no occasion for real anxiety until it has been overthrown six times. In the ease of M. Aristide Briand, the “mender of broken crockery” in the political shop, a dozen downfalls merely mellowed his good humour and increased his popularity. As for Andre Tardieu, the man himself will not he worried to the detriment of his present weakened health. He may need to modify his motto which is said to be: “Here I am, here I stay”—rather a hold device for a French statesman. But then he has been described by friendly critics as being cocksure as Rostand’s famous “Chanticleer” who bade the sun rise when he crowed. The political heir of Clemenceau and M. Poincare is only fifty-three years of age, and looks much younger. “A square-shouldered, solid-built man, with the forehead of a hull and prominent jaws somewhat voracious in line.” Those who take politicians on their face value—not always a dependable surface for true valuation—have interpreted M. Tardieu’s hard expression as indicating intelligence and will, but scarcely feeling or imagination. Still, fortunately for many politicians, neither face-reading nor phrenology determines the calibre of statesmen or their selection for high office and responsible tasks. For the past thirty-two years France’s administrative leader (his temporary eclipse may be assumed as being only momentary) has been a promising figure in the diplomatic and political affairs of his country. He began his public career in his twentyfirst year as an attache in Berlin, where he acquired enough knowledge of Germany and the Germans to make him anindispensable delegate at the Paris Peace Conference. There, it may be recalled, he was a colleague of the late Mr. Massey on the commission which was best known as the “Hanging Committee” ; hut the Kaiser, like Long John Silver, “rounded Execution Dock.” Before that spacious time, however, M. Tardieu had not only served as an army officer at the front and in the trenches, rather than in an office, but had rendered excellent service as High Commissioner for France in the United States, where, toward the end of the world war, his principal task was to con duct propaganda in the American Press in behalf of the French cause. It has been admitted that he did that work with extraordinary skill. Although he could not speak English when he left France for Washington, his speeches in that language within six months were a delight to his audiences.

So far, the man of the hour in France has never lost an oppor--1 unity to get on in his career. In addition to possessing more than an ordinary share of quiet political efficiency, he exerts a disconcerting adroitness. He has declared his intention to remain for some time as France’s supreme statesman. With a will like that in reserve the chanticleer in French politics soon will he crowing again.

BETTER PUBLIC BUILDINGS

AUCKLAND POWER BOARD has set other local bodies a fine example in deciding to spend more money on suburban substations in order that those structures may set a standard of architectural worth. The principle was not adopted without some opposition, one of those who challenged it being Mr. M. J. Bennett, a member of the City Council. Mr. Bennett and those who supported him were no doubt prompted by the best of motives. The Power Board is after all a trustee for the people. It is charged with the obligation of spending money wisely, and in view of its strong financial position there are many who would like to see the board at this juncture set in train its long-awaited plan of giving concessions to consumers. Iu spite of these factors, however, the board was wise to reach its decision, and City Councillors appreciative of architectural beauty as a refining influence should welcome rather than criticise its viewpoint. With most New Zealand local bodies there is a tendency to recognise artistic and aesthetic obligations in one direction, while in others they are blissfully disregarded. Most borough councils and town boards gladly endorse the idea of a decorative council building, embellished with a panelled board-room where the members may meet in comfort. But the notion that other buildings of a primarily utilitarian character should also be made attractive appals them. The result is that through cities and suburbs are scattered ghastly structures which commemorate the artistic blindness and perverted economics of the councils which built them. Some prime exajnples of this fatal blundering are to be seen at North Shore, where the pleasant vistas of roads leading down to the sea are marred by ugly and shoek-ingly-placed little buildings that serve an- essential but not verv exalted purpose.

The Power Board’s decision is to apply to sub-stations to be erected in the Drive, Epsom, and Minto Road, Remuera. Both will be located in charming residential districts, and it is reasonable that the residents who have expended so much thought and care on the beautifying of their homes and gardens should be studied now that other than residential buildings are to appear among them. In this the Power Board will not only incur an obligation to erect buildings of tasteful design, but also will have the responsibility of planting the grounds, and maintaining them with as much care as the neighbours devote to their gardens. Having admitted the principle, hoivevw, the board must be careful not to discriminate. Because Epsom and Remuera happen to be favoured localities, it must not restrict its efforts to those suburbs, but when erecting buildings in other and perhaps poorer districts must preserve the same cultivated standards.