CURRENT TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 373, 26 April 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

A WORD OF APPRECIATION. Volunteer firemen are the least pretentious of all public servants who give their services free to the community, and it is perhaps because of this that the deeds of lire brigades are not oftener recognised. J\ew Plymouth owes much to the local brigade. There is much that is inspiring in the extraordinary manner of these friends of the public. On Saturday night the hoses were playing on the Devon-street fire at the moment the bell rang the alarm, and it is obvious to the least observant that without the devotion of the brigade much of Devon-street (and perhaps other streets) would have been devastated, These quiet, orderly firemen rush to the fray, and steal away after the enemy is conquered, seeking no praise, glad to have done their self-imposed duty. Such work is a grand example in citizenship and self-abnegation. The devotion necessary in a fire-fighter is demonstrated as forcibly in New Plymouth as in any town that can be named, and this is shown by the fraternity existing in the ranks of the brigade and the fact that the men nearly all have long service. Admirably disciplined and highly skilled, our local brigade has won many victories. There may be great acts of heroism shown during a lire of large dimensions, but it is clearly a finer act to keep a fire confined to a small limit, and in very numerous cases locally this has been done. One of the few ways the public can show appreciation of the quiet, manly, and self-sacri-ficing work of the brigade is by interest in their work and their play—an interest that may frequently be helped from the pocket. The occasions on -which citizens are grateful enough to let their enthusiasm cost money are noticeable for their fewness.

APATHETIC CITIZENS. It is a proud thing to be a citizen. Tho town does much for you. What do you do for the town? Of course-, you pay your rates and all that soft of thing, but your liability does not end there. One citizen at a local meeting last evening said that New Plymouth people are apathetic about their own affairs. So they are. So are the citizens of most towns. Most towns are run by a small seetion of people—New Plymouth is, too. As the citizen referred to said, it is necessary to go round begging men to fill public positions. People do not rush meetings called for the benefit of the town, unless there is likely to be a ; 'row. ,; People say the night is too cold or the road too dark, or make some equally excellent excuse. Call a meeting of ratepayers to vote on a loan proposal, and note the dreadful meagreness of the attendance. Stick up a bill or two announcing that Jack Johnson and Tommy Burns will fight at the Theatre Royal. Do you think the cold wind off the mountain will affect the attendance? It's no use preaching to people about their duty. The only way to appeal to a congregation of citizens is to appeal to the individual citizen's pocket. And as most municipalities borrow the money they spend and collect the interest in small amounts from the present citizens and their children—what matter? To create the real interest of citizens you provide him with a'> sensation, and is there are no great sensations to offer to the people of New Plymouth at present, it is sadly surmised that the majority will continue to refrain from actively associating themselves with progress.

DISCIPLINE. Most notable sailors and soldiers, as well as other British public men who come to the colonies, lecture us in a

polite way about our lack of discipline, and Admiral Bosanquet, Governor of South Australia, is the last celebrity to touch on it. It is perfectly true that colonials are not so carefully trained to servitude as people of the'older coun-

tries, but it is also perfectly true that there is no person who likes discipline better than the colonial, provided the man who applies it knows what lie is

about. Admiral Bosanquet naturally spoke of the discipline essentia] to the success of the Navy, and we all know that the system is the •finest in vhe world. In every daily relation we are persistently disciplined. The discipline of a commercial firm is as. necessary for success as it is in a fighting force. The haphazard, go-as-you-please concerns ■fail: the undisciplined military rabble is routed; the ship's company without seamanship and a perfect trust in every, superior is a prey to the enemy. It is not so essential to point out the faults of indiscipline as to .provide the necessary folk to instil discipline. Discipline is based on respect. The constable on his beat is not necessarily a better physical man than you, but' he lias the discipline and organisation of the State at his back. The judge on the Bench is able to sentence you because the cen-

turies of British discipline have created his power; the Navy midshipman may only Ibe a boy, but be controls men because he is the agent of the Admiralty i and the wholfc system' of training, order' and organisation, the result of efficient and patient insistence on a given course, 1 helps him. And When the day comes for the colonies to have navies of their own,' the occasion will create the disciplinarians. Given something worth being dis- 1 ciplined for and men able to insist on the highest type of controlled service, the colonial is capable of showing that he can be as obedient and as self-sacri-ficing as the thousands of men of his blood who have cheerfully faced the or i deals that won for us the Empire and the part of it we are proud to inherit.

POWDEKTIAM STREET BRIDGE, i During the post few days a petition has been in circulation among ratepayers protesting against the erection of anything lint a full-width bridge over tha Htiatoki in Poivderliam street. The po- : tition has (been largely signed, and will he presented to the Council this even-, inc. As onr readers are aware, we are strongly opposed to any variation in the scheme—in the matter of widtn, at least—apnrovwl by ratepayers, and also to the fliversinn of any of the money voted for the bridge to any other purpose. The .Council does not seem ttf have taken, the ratepayers into its confidence over this work, lieinsr content to leave it practically to the Mayor and engineer. We find no fault with either of th«se. gentlemen. Mr. Tisca has proved himself a very capable and successful First Citizen. We do. how-' ever, think tJiut if unforeseen circum-, stances had made it necessary, in the judgment of (lie Council, to modify or' change absolutely the. original plan's of a work of so important a character as this, the ratepayers should 'have been' consulted and the Council's .plans made inihlic. We understand that there is now a disposition shown by the Mayor and councillors to comply with the wishes of the great majority of the ratepayers in regard to the erecting ot

retailing vails and the providing of a. bridge the lull width of the street, .iiiit, this circumstance should not affect the determination of the deputationists to ap]iroach the Council and obtain from it a clear and deiinite statement of its intentions in regard to the work. if the Council has seen the wisdom of conforming to the petitioners' wishes, well and good. If, on the other hand, the Council intends to proceed with the narrow, inconvenient and utterly inadequate structure, and use the surplus money for the Gill street bridge, its duty is plain—the members should hand in their resignations.