CURRENT TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3600, 12 October 1920, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

(By Argus.) The looked-for final clash between the Huias and Pirates in the last game of the Eugby competition took place on Saturday, -and attracted a record crowd. The game was absolutely lifeless, except for. the brilliancy of the Piralres .at times, and the large icrowd were greatly disappointed lat the failure of the Huias to make a decent contest of the game. The losing team never had a chance at any stage of the game, and should have been beaten by a larger score. The result was not altogether due to the fact that the Pirates played better than u-r . ‘ but was more attributable to the fact that the Huias played a more disorganised and indifferent game than any : Ithey played during the season. The Pirates certainly showed improvement but the Huias. were about ten points . worse than in any previous game j

Now that the winter patsimes have ■been abandoned, the cricket enthusiasts are getting a competition going. The local advocates of the sport are endeavouring- to get a local team or two in the field, and are sounding the adjoining townships- with the object of ascertaining If a sufficient number of teams can be secured for a competition. The visit of the Englishmen to Australia and -of an amateur English team to New Zealand should have the effect of reviving the sport in Now Zealand.^ The great battle of leasehold versus ' freehold has; been raging again, and after repeated failures to induce previous Governments "to give them the freehold, the Te Aroha and Eo l orua lessees have worT their point at last. The grating of the freehold in these cases will involve the Government further, as the lessees of native land at! Greymouth, Te Kuifl, Taumarunui, and other places will be certain to take | advantage of the weakness of the ! Government. In the case of National endowment lands, the selling of the freehold to the lessees practically means that the property of all t he people is being sold for the benefit of the few lessees. In years to come, it will be contended against the National Government and againsr the present Government thalt were responsible for

‘soiling - to individuals lands that should have boon retained to provide revenue for the relief of the burden of taxation for the .people as a whole. If the policy of the indiscriminate granting - of the freehold is to be continued or expended, the results will be farreaching and will constitute n nenalty not only on the people of our t, : w but •upon all posterity. If the Government

is so far conservative that it can see no good in any land of nationalisation, and supports Its principles to the extent of selling the national endowments, it

would not be altogether surprising to see it go the whole hog and sell Ur» railways and other national tions as well. In fact a decisio: adopt- the latter course would not one whit more illogical than the selling of the freehold of State-owned lands. There are about 700 returned soldiers in Fiji, and the Government is faced with the problem of keeping its promises to assist all the returned men in the Island. The sum of £35,000 was. utilised iu purchasing a dairy settlement. on which twenty men. ate being: placed. The bulk of the returned men are anxious to go in for cotton-grow-ing, but the effort ao settle the twenty men referred to evidently proved too much for the authorities and it has been announced that no more money can be provided out of loans for thesettlement of soldiers. The “diggers” are naturally very angry, and have appointed a deputation to lay their claims before the Government. The to arrange a campaign for raising funds for the Taihape Hospital has decided to hold a carnival week, commencing on Ist November. The carnival will be in the nature of a money-raising competition between town and country, apd there should not be much difficulty experienced in raising the £IOOO aimed at.

Rumours are rife at present. It is really remarkable how the alleged truth spreads, and the real truth remains hidden. The first rumour was to the effect that there was rioting on the Wellington wharves and that shots were fired. On Sunday and Monday, the scandal monger had it that the sum of £4OO had been between the Hina players in connection with the loss of Saturday's game. Had the Pirates lost the mmourist would probably have had it that the sum paid over was £BOO. It is remarkable that such a large number of people are not sports enough to lost a packet of cigarettes in a wager on a football match without making ridiculous allegations about the team hebpg "squared.”