CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 317, 2 June 1911, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

MORE POLICEMEN. No doubt the Wellington magistrate •who dismissed tlie case against the citizen who was helped by his son to paint a house will get a "wigging" from infuriated painter unionists. It would also be quite in accordance wi f U delightful precedent if the gentlemen who see insidious villany in. anything aatagonistic to them do not demand the resignation of the magistrate. The bringing of this case is evidence that the Fainted unionist wanders around engaged in spying on his fellow-man. It is only a matter of time before be brings an action against a carpenter's wife for holding' the candle for her husband, or,'agsun?t, the ' wicked woman who assist} her carter husband to load firewood. It is conceivable that a painters' union is k?s angry with a painter for allowing his son to assist liim than in refusing to employ a unionist painter. I,i time it may become illegal for a clerk to paint his' own House, or a draper to dig his own garden, in which case the woman who pulls weeds qr carries a paint pot might be severely dealt with by The folk seeking to control the destinies of this law-ridden country. I:' the magistrate had done his duty,as laid down by the straw splitters the average yoLth called on to assist his parent "might in future refuse on the ground that it was illegal. At presets in New Zea laiid a large number of peop'e think it desirable to rule the Ike-; of their fellowmen into mathematical line;, which has the effect of killing individuality, self help, independence and skill. Irritating espionage may be very good unionism, but it is bad citizenship. The feeling that it is creditable to "get at" one's fellow-man is fostered by the absurdities organised coteries are guilty of. their inane claptrap, and the parrot cry of "class consciousness." Continual attempts to restrict individual libehy merely produces a dssire to exercise it. Humanity in the bulk "loathes being forced into certain lines of action, and it hates being dealt with like r .n rutomaton. Jf in the future the jaundiced coteries at work in this country obtain possession of the key that winds up every man for his day's work, tin least interesting thing in New Zealand will bo work. At present many member; of coteries look upon work a"s a disagreeable interlude between argument airt quarrel.

A GREAT BENEFACTOR. Satire used by a person who can make it sparkle without hurting has done much good for the world. There is definite place ill society for the man who can teach grave lessons while making the pupil smile. There is frequently hotter medicine in the rapier thrust of the caricaturist than in the bludgeon blow of the lugubrious, long- faced moralist. It is kindlier and' more effective to laugh people out 1 of their faults than to thrash them for having faults. W. S. Gilbert, who is just dead", made the people laugh at themselves] In all English speaking countries the word "gilbertian" is used to describe a pompous absurdity masquerading as a moral force, or a human necessity. Gilbert cheerfully jibed at humbug and made humbugs laugh. He would have fought humbugs less successfully if he had made them cry. With lightsome touch he lampooned men and institutions, and in all his best work his de-

finite purpose was to argue against accepted notions by the excellent process of ridiculing them. Although a great moralist, Gilbert did not follow in the footsteps of those moralists who believe that gloom in holiness and laughter anathema. He found it more effective to satirise than to condemn, to amuse rather than to irritate, and to enliven rather than to deaden. In most of his work he was helped by Sir Arthur Sullivan in a very remarkable degree, for the spirit of the satirist animated the great musician, and made their collaboration in the production of comic operas an admirable thing. The musician did as much for humanity in helping Gilbert to cheer people up as he did in writing noble music to sacred words. When one considers the genius of Gilbert's work and recognises its purpose in his cheery fight against humbug, one regrets that his work, no longer "fashionable," has been superseded by tawdry and superficial "musical plays," artifieally barren and purposely meaningless. Gilbert will be remembered as a groat Englishman who made his fellow-men laugh wholesomely. He was of infinitely more service to humanity than the perpetrators of "problem plays," or the neurotic writers of unnatural books. And he has enriched the language by the word "gilbertian." which may serve as a tribute to his genius as a satirist with a purpose.