The Daily News. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1911. BOYS AND BOOKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 231, 4 February 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1911. BOYS AND BOOKS.

Two women were lately murdered by a couple of youthful station hands at Narrandera (N.S.W.), the motive being plunder. An important phase of the dreadful tragedy was that the boy murderers had been reading "bushranging literature.'' There is a law both in Australia and New Zealand making it illegal -to sell "immoral" literature, but, as far as can be ascertained, the sale of "penny dreadfuls" proceeds merrily, and obviously to the occasional destruction of human life. •In a recent hideous French murder by two boys, English files told us that botli boys had been influenced by pernicious reading. "Literature" that glorifies murderers, robbers and "heroes" of the kind is infinitely more harmful than that which is prohibited for its uncleanness, and if States are successful in killing the one they could be equally successful in killing the other. Happily there are fewer major crimes committed by youths in New Zealand than in Australia, but the effect of permitted "penny dreadfuls" has been shown in some of the cases I heard against boy criminals in this coun- ! try. It is a perfectly natural inclination with most boys to play at being "bad men." Boys' games are mostly of the swashbuckling , order, with plenty of ; pirates and Red Indians, revolvers and swords thrown in. The perpetrators of the class of literature which, it may be inferred, led to the murder of two women, understand the passion of the small boy for revelling in "deeds of derring do," and consequently produce literary offal disgusting to a matured mind, but splendid to the impressionable youth. In a recent critical paper on the "penny dreadful," an eminent ex-detective declared that publishers of that class of literature insisted that there should be a "sensation on every page." He also proved that the writers who turned out miles of "Deadwood Dicks" had absolutely no knowledge of the deeds they wrote about or the kind of persons who committed them. The production of this food for young minds is as much business as is the selling of clothing. Two or three years ago a party of Gisborne boys, having imbibed "Sweeney Tod," or some equally interesting literature, wont in for a systematic burglary business. Following on this, a couple of youths, also devotees of the fine arts, undertook a series of burglaries which puzzled the authorities. The boys were captured under arms. A city paper undertook a series of enquiries in order to determine how great the pestilence of such literature was. It was then discovered that by far the larger proportion of booksellers did not sell "penny dreadfuls" at all, but there was the best evidence that the New Zealand city youth who ran be found in all sorts of corners at lunch hour devouring the adventures of "Mexican Mike, the Cross-eyed Cowboy," has obtained his treasure in a shop that sells no books except of this order. The burgling youths above referred to actually broke into one shop in the city for the purpose of stealing "Deadwood Dicks,' and carried off a huge bundle of them. This is sufficient evidence of the wild intoxication of mind such stuff may induce in the youths of the community. Two cases in illustration. Two Victorian boys, sons of respectable parents, had read the stirring story of one of Australia's most infamous bushrangers. It inspired them to steal arms and ammunition. They pulled across the Murray river in a stolen boat, found a fisherman afloat outside his camp, and sb.otvb.ini dead. A New South Wales boy had been chastised by his father for reading "penny dreadfuls." Later the boy hid behind the door of his home, resting a rifle in an aperture. As his father came up the garden path he shot him dead. There is no record that in any of these cases the issue of the books that inspired the murders or burglaries was afterwards forbidden. Presumably, the fact that they contained no indecencies protected them. It is not only the complete story obtainable for a penny or two that sets the mind of the youngsters on fire, for there is a wealth of periodicals specially devised for boys in which the evil doings of the "hero" may extend over six months or a year's papers. We do not, of course, believe that "penny dreadfuls" and allied literature would drive normal boys to crime, but we certainly do believe that they have power to spur abnormal boys to evil deeds. If hushranging literature suggested a crime that would not otherwise have been committed by those Narrandera boys, it should lie an offence to sell such literature. There are communities that rise in righteous indignation at the idea of being shown by pictures a prize-fight more prize than fight, but which are not at all backward in taking youngsters to see einematograms of hushranging "heroes," murdering Red Indians, and glorious cowboys who seem to spend all the time they can spare away from cowpunchin? in shooting folk. The official sense of proportion is frequently a little distorted. While authorities try their best to make the sale of immoral literature illegal, they should gather in the mass of "penny dreadfuls" that so unbalance some youngsters as to make them fiends. And to begin at the source, what is the matter with a censorship of books for juveniles as well as a censorship of plays for adults?'

CURRENT TOPICS THE IRISH EMIGRANT. An Irish gentleman in Auckland who was one of a deputation to the Prime Minister, complained that few Irish people were leaving the old sod for tin's country. He further made the statement —and it needs no proof—that the sons of the Emerald Isle make splendid settlers. We believe that Irishmen and friends of Ireland should take comfort from the fact that more Irish people are staying (it home than formerly, for Ireland herself must benefit. The Irish people are passionately attached to their own country, for the best of all reasons, but despite this extremely warm regard for the "old sod," the internal troubles of the country have driven its people forth to be a power and an inspiration to every country to which they have turned. In fact, Ireland's loss has been a tremendous gain to every British country and to the United States of America. The friends of Ireland who deplore the fact that New Zealand is not at present attracting Irisnmen should be asked to remember that there is an emphatic falling off in the depaitures of Irish people for any part of the world. One may therefore infer that there is greater contentment in Ireland at present than there has been for many \ ears past. If Irishmen see any prospect of brighter times for their beloved co.mtry, it is reasonable that they shall use their I genius and energy in their native land. How grave a thing for Ireland the emigration of its bone and brain and sinew has beer is emphasised in a single fact. The population declined woefully during a long series of years. In 1841 the population was 8,196,597, but in 1891 it had declined to 4,706,162, and it has since dwindled. There is real assurance that at present the departures are fewer than they have been during the long period named. It is deplorable that an ancient country possessing many great and even unique advantages should have been arrested in its development by the causes that have aided its steady depopulation. If under favorable conditions the Irishman can make his nationality respected on foreign soil, he could produce splendid results in Ireland—if he were permitted to. Perhaps the fact that Irish people are showing a keener desire to stay at home is an earnest of brighter times in the Emerald Isle. When Ireland comes ! into her own she will be re-peopled by the exiled Irish people of all lands whose experience and fervid national spirit will ensure a return to the old-time prosperity and importance of the "distressful country."

PEOPLE MUST BE AMUSED. The Auckland Herald.has discovered that the people of the "Queen City" spend more than half a million pounds per annum in amusing themselves. Aucklanders, as a section of a particularly joyous and healthy community, may be complimented on the fun it gets for so small a sum. One may presume that the average New Zealanders of any other part of tnc country spends as much in enjoying himself as the Aueklander, and that the largest proportion of the cash he sets aside for general, joys goes in racing. He has been gravely informed by the State that he does too much racing, and it is more or less likely that even if he spends more per bead on horses this year the figures will not be so readily available. Although it is shown that Auckland spent on racing during 1910 a sum of £398,102, it is impossible to see how the figures could be verified, for it is neither likely that the bookmaker handed in an account of his transactions, nor the gambler a correct report of his operations. At any rate, the figures given are some indication of the fact that the varied anti-gambling legislation that has been added to the Statute Book of late years has not been wholly deterrent. The average theatrical advance agent admits that "New Zealand is the best show country in the world," and there is no question that the brand of snow demanded and given intimates that the theatre-goer is a discriminating person. If Auckland spends £OO,OOO a year in entertainments, it seems feasiuie that entrepreneurs are "on a good wicket" throughout the country. The ability of a people to enjoy wholesome pleasures is an indication of their ability to work. There is no class in the community that could be referred to as "urnse," and the amusements of the people indicate a healthy and natural desire for the relaxation so necessary as an antidote to toil. One of tne finest phases of national enjoyment is seen in the passion of the people for outdoor sport and exercise. We have no class approximating to that of the English city clerk who so frequently lives an absolutely sunless existence. Because he loves vigorous exercise, sunshine, air and water, the New Zealand indoor worker is frequently indistinguishable in physique and complexion from the outdoor worker. The New Zealander is a born nomad. He likes to move about, to see things—and to spend money. Fortunately, he has not, yet become a person of one street. As long as he has "money to burn" he will suck tlio orange of life—and it is not bad provender.

THE MONEY MARKET. The current issue of the Trade Review remarks:— ''The season's produce is going forward in very satisfactory quantities and realising, on the whole, good prices. Shipments of butter for the seaSon to date arc some 16 per cent, more than for the same period a year ago, wool is 5 per cent, heavier, and mutton and lamb about on a par, while on the other hand cheese shows a trifling decline, and ueef a heavy falling-off. Particulars of our imports and exports exhibit a satisfactory state of affairs; exports have attained the record value of over twcr.ty-two millions for tho year, and exceed imports by nearly oy 2 millions, as compared with a little under five millions in 1909. This will go a good way towards bringing the Dominion back to the position prior to 1908, the year in which imports exceeded exports by over a million. It is usual to see an excess of imports in the December quarter, 1900 being quite an exception, hut in 1908 it was part of a movement that extended through the whole year, and brought about a state of extreme stringency, the mark of which is still visible. The bank returns for the December quarter exhibit an excess of deposits over advances of three millions, or a million more than a year ago, and in the same period Savings Bank deposits exceeded withdrawals by £281,3611, whereas a year ago the excess was only .€30,401. Both these factors show that there is an abundance of funds available for investment, but there still appears to be a lack of securities considered suitable by investors."