CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 187, 17 November 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

THE-MOTOR COACH FATALITY. The distressing fatality resulting from the capsizing of the motor mail coach at Oakura yesterday is of pathetic interest to everyone, for the cutting short of a promising young life is an event that urges deep thought in the minds of all. In this sad case, a young man, whose interests were largely centred in the Homeland, was removed with dramatic suddenness, the extraordinary feature being that no one but Mr. Stinson was killed. It is commonly known that the late Mr. Stinson had worked practically night and day in the most loyal endeavor to justify the use of motor coaches on Taranaki roads and the sudden and dreadful mishap that cut his life short indicates that no human ingenuity can entirely sruard against machinery accidents. Accidents of even greater gravity have occurred before motor locomotion was commonly used, and besides sorrow at the death of an able and most dutiful young man, one must sympathise with the Transport Company in its misfortune, and rejoice with those who so narrowly escaped death or injury. As yet New Zealand does not build motor passenger coaches, and is, therefore, dependent on eminent makers in the Old World. It seems reasonable that as New Zealand roads have peculiarities not common to the roads of Britain the particular roads for which motor vehicles are to be used should be' studied before such vehicles are built. Perhaps no human ingenuity or mechanical device could have prevented the capsize of yesterday, but i'f any technical defect discoverable by such accidents can be remedied by actual experience, no doubt those interested in the building of passenger vehicles will be ready enough to use all means to minimise the possibility of accidents.

ROSES. At New Plymouth to-day lovers of roses will rejoice at the wealth of the beautjful. blossoms set out for their admiration. As in every other phase of human activity and emulation, the culture of flowers has become a matter 01 persona] pride and rivalry. It can be taken for granted that the persons who love flowers for their beauty have not lost all their naturalness in rubbing shoulders with a work-a-day world. Even though nature's standard is no longer considered quite respectable on a show bench and the human breeders of flowers have varied nature's work, the refining influence of flower culture is unquestioned. In the matter of roses New Plymouth is particularly kind, and the care of growers will result in the production of those types carefully built up by breeders of variants from the natural. It is necessary for success on the show bench to obtain the stock that has produced those results modern Judges most favour, and in the matter of size and contour New Plymouth can certainly hold its own. Whether there will ever be a revolt from the system that produces scentless flowers and variants from nature cannot be foreseen, but that emulation is useful and necessary in all activities is certain. It is, commendable that New Plymouth people have lately entered so heartily into the field of rose culture, and the wealth of beautiful blooms to be benched to-day should spur citizens to a still greater pride in the production of these universally admired blooms.