CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 130, 10 September 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

A CONTRAST. I At Waitara there has been an exhibition of skill in one of the most necessary businesses of life—ploughing the land. From the time that menand women tore up the earth by dragging a heavy chunk of wood with a timber hook for a mould board and share to the present moment, when modern man's ingenuity has given us so many splendid machines, ploughing has been fascinating, because of what it means to the world. millions of folks on the earth owe their food and existence to the man benind' the plough, and although he may riot •'cut a great figure in the social w,orldihis removal would be a greater catastrophe than floods, earthquakes, fire; bi* 'tidal waves. In old countries the word'"plough-boy" is frequently used in a sense implying derision, but the person' 'Who derides I him depends on him aH'tlfe sitnie. Lately I an exhibition of a very 1 different class i was proceeding in New Plymouth, and, I unfortunately, although .•' immense phy-1 sieal and mental strain f <v/m necessary for it, the world is no'better to-day for the weird determination-to play a piano for more hours than any other person on earth. If there were 'any"'excuse for such exhibitions, one might -pardon them. No one attends to see a'man pounding a piano incessantly he likes music, for art is entirely"? Jest in the physical intention to achieve a worthless result. Many people arej perhaps attracted by a morbid' curiosity, • feeling that it is possible that the' exponent of unnecessary sounds may collapse before he has finished his task: In contests of some other kinds, where' the physical strain is no greater, interferenee is sometimes forthcoming in 6rder to' prevent bodily or mental collapse:- It is a poor compliment to New Plynrouthi'that in thi9 town the piano-placing endurance record has been broken, for neither the piano-player nor the'people' who heard him playing have gained " the slightest benefit from the painful position. The only feeling the normal person, should have, when a task like-this is'finished, is I one of sorrow for persons who engage in j such hopelessly useless pursuits.

[ THE MURDEROUS' CAMORRA. Those cut-throat's, the ' Camorra, are again in the public eye. of them were recently laid by'the h«els in Italy. A cable states that they.have 'been given sentences from five to, ( thirteen years, with long terms of solitary confinement. A more satisfactory...-way with them would be to haiig 1 "thgm. The whole history of the 'Camorra; js marked [with rapine, No < one knows precisely when, „the order of the Camorra was founded-. Some trace its origin to times of chivalry, when secret societies were fd'rhVed to oppose the predominance of feudalism. Others, with probably greater accuracy, maintain that it was started by a gang of thieves, which in the seventeenth century hecame a guild for the purpose of enlarging their business and making the work safer. Every "honorable young man" is eligible for membership in the society, and very strict rules and regulations are observed in the transaction of "business." One of the chief men in the order is called the basista. Pie is the personage that plans high thefts, a promoter of crime, and is generally a servant, butler, cook, etc.v in a wealthy family. This "architect of theft" furnishes the plan of the house or shop to be robbed, informs the society where the valuables are stored, and'gives hints as to the (habits of the owners. The Camorra has also a legion of women in its service; their chief function;'if they are young and pretty, is tb lead astray young aristocrats and rich men and then to blackmail them. Impenetrable secrecy i 9 one of the characteristics of this organisation. The expression which may be said to sum up their constitution is: "Every man who possesses keen eyes, quick legs, shows willingness, and no tongue," may hope to become an honored member of the society. To betray the least secrets of the Camorra is almost inmrialbly punished by death. The disciplinary side of the organisation, like the administrative rules, is very strict. The society is divided into groups, corresponding to the division of Naples into quarters. The various groups combine to elect a head of the society, and this being sways uncontested authority until he is killed, dethroned or sent to prison. Few heads of the Cnmom, it is stated, are lucky enough to die a natural death. It is interesting to learn how recruits are initiated into the order. Young men are tested before being accepted as members, the Camorra ascertaining their courage and sanguinary tendencies by a dramatic duel. Animosity docs not provoke these contests between candidates; ihey are simply tests of courage, and a proof of the adaptability of the persons for crime; the duel serves as a christening. Promotions are for the most part bestowed after some darinrj murder or bloody conflict. As may be imagined, this order is the terror and scourge of fair Naples, and the police seem unable, so far, to grapple with the evil.

THE MENTALLY AFFLICTED. It is appalling to know that one person of every two hundred and ninety people in New Zealand is mentally afflicted. No one knows to what extent , the percentage would he augmented if I it were possible to locate every case of i mental aberration or incipient insanity. J (But the ascertained condition is so | grave that it is worthy of the deepest j study by the specialists who undertake one of the most fascinating and useful pursuits man can be engaged in. It is nod proved in the report of the InspectorGeneral for Hospitals that there is any special cause in New Zealand itself for the very large proportion of the mentally afflicted, and it seems remarkable that in a country where the strain of life is less irksome than in some old countries that mental diseases should be so common. We have always to remember that New Zealand is notably careful in its collection of information and that modern statistical methods, although of great use in dealing with anomalies, serve to emphasise the evil. It is doubtful if a census of the insane were taken until the mid-Victorian age, but the fact that a very large proportion of cases are those of heredity proves that insanity an whatever proportion existed then and before. Crime and mental aberration are, in the judgment of many experts, connected, and it seems certain that if slight mental disturbances w?"a always immediately notified and tri-atea, the proportion of evil deeds would foe less. As the InspectorGeneral points out, relatives of the mentally disturbed hesitate at placing them under control. We know of a case in which, although a man endeavored twice to kill his wife she yet hesitated to place him under control.* Eventually he was restrained, and afterwards poisoned himself in a mental hospital. Naturally the average person is unable to definitely decide as to whether a potential lunatic ia on the sane or insane side of the bor-der-line, for the mentally afflicted are so frequently able to dissimulate and to carry on in a more or less rational BilteyiiiiiiikilMili

sometimes most diflieult for exports to ; definitely decide us to sanity or insanity, unless the variations from normal are specially marked by acts or appearance. Tf by study, treatment and the discovery ! of incipient cases the authorities can rcdiiet' the proportion of insane, they will achieve a result that will repay the most arduous labors.