CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 258, 30 March 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

MOTUROA SEASIDE. Tlie Moturoa Seashlc Improvement Committee has chosen somewhat ambitious methods of attracting attention again to the great possibilities of the Moturoa waterfront us a. holiday resort, but the regatta, being a novelty, should have the desired clfeet of bringing the committee in charge a substantial sum for expenditure in providing facilities for enjoyment on the foreshore. Not many years ago, every country school which picnicked at the New Plymouth seaside made the breakwater its rendezvous, and found the finest stretell of sandy beach that New Plymouth can boast. But when an organised effort was made at the East End to popularise Henui beach and to provide fun and means of fun-making for visitors, Moturoa became a back number. Representations have been made by some school committeemen inland that among the great attractions of Moturoa were the wharf and shipping, the boating and fishing, and these points the Moturoa Seaside Improvement Committee, is stressing in its advocacy of the breakwater beach as "the" place for picnics. The healthy rivalry 'between the East End, West End, and Moturoa Committees can have but one result, the improvement and popularising of the beach, and the town must benefit. We like to see our country friends and our townsfolk enjoying themselves in this healthy fashion, and there is also the knowledge that the regular influx of picnic excursionists brings a; certain amount of grist to the mill. We wish the Moturoa committee every success, and trust that as the result of to-morrow'a anniversary celebrations they will be able to make a start with the erection of their bathing pavilion, and also arrange for the commencement of their tree planting programme. Such being the nature of the committee's intentions, the public should patronise the, seaside carnival liberally.

A GOOD SUGGESTION. The suggestion of the Tradesmen's Association to inaugurate an annual dinner is a good one, and one which it is hoped will be heartily taken up by the people interested. It should be no' halfhearted affair, but a function attended by every business man who can manage, even at great personal inconvenience, to attend. It may not be productive of immediate benefit to tho fr!'."!in'; community, but in time it must become of vast utility by bringing together the men of business in other than their competitive, relation to exchange ideas on matters concerning the welfare of the town and district. Business customs might well bo discussed on general lines, legislation affecting the employer and employee touched on without making the speeches too dry or two partial in their views expressed, and local requirements ventilated. The suggestion is here, offered that the whole of the members of Parliament for Taranaki should be asked to lie present, with a view of enabling- them to learn first hand of the desires and aspirations ot Xew Plymouth as the mouthpiece of the province. Such a proposal has frequently been mentioned, and the example of Auckland cited, but hitherto the idea of a Taranaki commerce annual dinner lias not been taken up. There is no doubt in our mind that the idea, if developed along the right lines, must eventually lie of great benefit to the busiue-.s community and to the district. TOPIC

MEDICAL REFORM. More and more the leann'd physicians turn away from dope, and drugs, turn away from old positions, from •their bottles, flasks and jugs. When 1 used to have conniptions, measles, mumps, or other ills, Doc. would hand me out prescriptions calling for a peek of pills. He would straightway send me bedward, with a trained nurse stern and dour, saying to the latter, "Edward, give him dope eight times an hour." All my bedroom was a litter of old bottles, goblets, spoons and I swallowed powders bitter till I felt like last year's prunes. It was not till I revolted that ! rallied from my ills, not until [ up and bolteil and went hiding in the hills. Now the Doc. writes no prescription when I've left my health behind, naught in Latin or Egrptian for the druggist to unwind. " Yo'i must live," the Doc. says, "sanely, if you'd keep away from grief; men of careless habits vainly look to druggists for relief. Eat good grub and eat it slowly, go to bed at ten o'clock, sidestep all the drinks unholy, every morning take a walk." Then he soaks me for an eagle, and f sigh, '•'f am no flat! Me the sawbones can't inveigle into such a scheme as that!'-'—Walt Mason.