CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 217, 22 December 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

OUR TORTURED LANGUAGE. The Attorney-General lately mentioned that New Zealand schoolboys spoke "in a slovenly manner." All sorts of boys and men have done so for many generations, and one hardly knows what to do about it. You see the schoolmaster can't follow boys night and day, and a boy is just as likely to use the word "boshter" at the top of a tall tree as ihe is to use the word "rotter" in the playground. There is a curious and wholly unexplained desire on the part of both youngsters and oldsters of all nations to vary the mother tongue. Slang of a kind is as common at Oxford or Cambridge as it is in New Plymouth or Auckland. Nearly all the commonly accepted slang phrases used in New Zealand are evidence of unoriginality and the aptitude for imitation. If a learned person strays into a town, and ejaculates on every occasion that everything is "decent," he will have hundreds of imitator's, who will sum up creation with the same unexpressive expression. What could be more inexpressive than "awfully nice," or "bonsing," "bosker," "bos'hter." People of education frequently perpetrate the absurdity of varying "good-bye" with "hoo-bloomin' ray," which does not seem -to meet the case even as logically as "so long," or "too-ra-loo." If boys are to be less slovenly, we suppose men will have to give over mentioning on their return from the races that they "have done in their little bit" or are "flyblown" (a beautiful and polished expression). Whether we are Ministers of the Crown or farm laborers w.e eat "tucker," earn "boodle," or "brass," or "gonce." Very few of us talk like a leaf out' of Lamb's essays, and even if the Chief Justice does not know what a "spud" is, other people do. We ride "prads" and smoke "fags" and "weed," go to the "gaff," wear "buns" or "hardhitters," "belltoppers" and "pants." And some of us "shout" without saying a word, "sing-out," and do various other things to disturb dead lexicographers. If New Zealand schoolboys' slang is sillier than the slang of the "smart set," or the iextraordinary travesty of English found in American short stories, it is "slovenly" indeed. But perhaps Dr. Findlay was only "slinging off," or "poking borax," or "pulling the leg" of the public! -P'IWWKi

ONE MAN, ONE VOTE. The victory of the Liberal Party at the British elections is a victory of mass over class, people over privilege, democracy over aristocracy, for under the antiquated system of voting still carried out in Britain privilege and property count more than ordinary citizenship. The plurality of votes which is the special privilege of the landholder, who thus has a "drop" on the man who needs representation the most, is, of course, not the only advantage the rich man has. Not many years ago the rich man openly bought votes wholesale, and "used every means 'his wealth allowed for filling Parliament with unrepresentatives of the people. Happily the time when thousands of voters might Ibe won by a free distribution of beer or other bribes are over, but there is .still no questions that "money makes the mare go," even if she goes at a lesser pace. The Liberal Party being safe, it is probable enough that Mr. Asquith's threatened "one man, one vote" Bill will be acceptable to Parliament, and if it is so, the flagrant injustice of plural voting will be swept away to the place where the abominable system of purchasing votes with presents is gone. In time it is hoped that the peer possessing a million acres will be no more effective in filling the seats in Westminster than the rent-paying artisan, who is now struggling out of his bonds and is gradually becoming freer. The South African cry, "One man one vote, one vote one rifle," is an indication that the newest colony is grasping the true idea of a citizen's right and a citizen's- obligation. Mr. 'Steyn, in his cry, concedes that the man who is permitted tihe same franchise as every other man should do something for the privilege. The idea that a man who has the povcr to exercise a vote should be compelled to stand by the defence of his country is wholly good, and one that may take a long time to be recognised in the Home Land. Britain would be unassailable if the "one man one vote, one vote one rifle" notion were the rule, and its Parliament will be thoroughly representative if it adds to "one man one vote" "one woman one vote," too. But Mr. Asquitli does not suggest the latter revolution.

THE EDISON STORAGE BATTERY. The statement of the Mayor of Gisborne (Mr. Lysnar), 011 his return from England last week, that be had brought back a contract signed by the Edison Storage Battery Co. for municipal trams, also Edison's guarantee, is of more than ordinary interest to the ratepayers of New Plymouth and other towns contemplating the introduction of tramways. Mr. Lysnar, who is a keen and successful man of business, spent some time in America and 'hatl a long interview with the famous inventor, who by practical demonstration of the work of the cars, which are running in New York, convinced the New Zealander of the success arid also their suitablity for a town of the 1 character of Gisborne. Some of the New Zealand engineers 'have raised doubts as to the efficiency of the storage battery, as applied to street cars, and great interest will therefore be centred in the trials it is proposed the cars should receive in Gisborne. If they are successful, it will mean a good deal to those towns of the Dominion which though desirous of going in for trams kesitate to shoulder the big cost entailed by adopting the overhead trolley system. Writing to a Wanganui friend on the subject of storage "battery trams, Mr. Geo. Winstone, of Winstone, Ltd., Auckland, who has just returned from a visit to the States, says:—"ln reply to your enquiry about storage battery electric cars, I have pleasure in informing you that I made enquiry respecting this system on my recent visit to New York. I visited the Edison factory. Mr. Edison informed me that he had, after three years of careful experiments, succeeded in making a battery strong enouarh, without being too heavy, to adopt for commercial use. They had fitted up two horse-cars on a line where only horses were used (not electric ..as mentioned by you). These were found to be so satisfactory that they had received orders to replace all the horse-cars with storage battery cars. I have not since heard if that statement were correct. You will ■be interested to know that the West Roskill Road Board (of which I am a member) contemplate introducing a tramway system, and that we are in communication with the Edison Company for details of various kinds in regard thereto. But as the latter is only going forward bv this mail the replv will possibly j me tooUftte to be of 'aiy service ; to you.-.

If a successful discovery has been made, there can be no doubt of its advantage over the overhead system, for many reasons." It is evident from this letter and from tlie statements of .Mr. Lysnar, that the cars have great possibilities, and are by 110 means the failure some of the Dominion engineers would have us believe. If Edison is prepared to guarantee the success of his ears, Gisborne will take no risk in adopting the new system, the running of which is sure to be followed with the keenest interest everywhere.