CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 288, 29 April 1911, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

COPYRIGHT. Canada was possibly suffering from some species of mental derangement when it invented its copyright law, a clause of which may make it impossible for Canadians to read books not printed in Canada. Whether this is intended to cultivate the literary graces in Canada, or whether it is intended to reduce the production of written thought to the level of a purely material business transaction, cannot be known, Canada, like Australia and Xe.w Zealand, has no literature. It depends, as do the other two countries, almost entirely on the authors of the older countries for its mental sustenance, its mental stimulus, and its lead on matters that count. The use > of the Canadian copyright law would mean that Britain would be precluded from sending works by British authors to Canada, for it is not reasonable that British publishing firms would trouble about a colonial market if it had to print colonial supplies in the dominions. The New Zealandcr ihay assume that a similar law exists in New Zealand. He will Jook about in vain for books of New Zealand origin on the booksellers' shelves. He is absolutely dependent on London for his' reading. The enactment of n similar copyright law in New Zealand would mean that the stream of books into this Dominion would be diminished and almost stopped. Neither Canadians, Australians nor New Zealanders are loyal to colonial authors, and very few colonial authors exist. The eolonial authors who have made a name have made it in Britain or America, and hare necessarily been obliged to use English or American publishers. To penalise British publishers means penalising the people of the Dominion. In the face of the alleged desire of the Canadian people for "free-trade within the Empire," it is extraordinary that Canada should desire to sit so heavily on British authors. If in the colonies there were a reasonable promise of the development of a local literature, on behalf of local authors, it might tie reasonable enough to stop the flow of British books. If the New Zealand Parliament enacted that every book circulated in New Zealand should be printed in it, the books we read would be unavailable to the crowd. We are an imitative people, and no douut some aspiring politician will sec a chance of making a name for himself in manufacturing a Bill similar to the ridiculous measure Canada has fathered. Canada apparently looks upon the production of books as a mere mechanical business in which the printing press is the chief consideration. Canada might try the experiment of appointing State authors by examination and of showing the Empire that tlie making of books is very similar to the manufacture of horse-shoes or the canning of salmon. And in its desire to swell an already corpulent Statute Book, : New Zealand may rush to the conclusion that nothing is good enough for New Zealanders unless it is written and printed by New Zealanders. Thus shall the mental breadth of the people be still further widened.

RATS! One recent day a defunct but highly odorous rat of large dimensions lay in a New Plymouth roadway. The people .sniffed—-and passed by on the other side. It reminded them of the plague. New Plymouth is infested with rats—large, grey-whiskered veterans that have grown decrepit in their undisturbed and nefarious culling. Other towns in New Zealand, fearful of plague, have instituted campaigns against rats. Myriads have been slain all over New Zealand. New Plymouth has had no cases of plague, so the rats remain undisturbed. The waterfront teems with rodents; they dart about among the merchandise of the town, gambol with great tameness in Pukekura Park, and scuttle through the drains. It has been proved that these rats are sometimes diseased. A local gentleman has described with minute faithfulness the appearance of dead specimens. Rats nibble our food. They arr indescribably filthy, are tireless, destructive and undisturbed. The Borough Council has apparently not noticed the rats, but it is sincerely hoped that the new Council may observe their size, their numbers and their filthiness. Even if New Plymouth people do not believe that the local rats carry disease, they may be disposed to believe that they carry wax matches. Only last week a local resident found a rat nest in an obscure corner of his stable. It contained 57 wax vestas, some being "live" specimens. Every city fire brigade inspector in New Zealand has at times pointed out the danger of the incendiary rat. Local bodies frequently offer bonuses for the heads of small birds. Small birds destroy crops (and insects). Rats destroy house's and people. The new Borough Council might do useful work by spending a few pounds in "scalp-money," and even if it failed to apprehend the rider of an unlighted "bike" for once while it was capturing a sackful of rats, no one would blame it. In the meantime, manv ceilings and the water-front are vocaTwith the squeals of myriads of rats.