OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1941, Page 7

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS

(To the Editor.) Si r —I read with considerable amusement a report in Wednesday s issue of the latest effort by the Masterton Borough Council. With traditional obstinacy several members completely failed to face up to the fact that this is the year 1941. The fact that Masterton has managed to get along without pedestrian crossings in Queen Street to date, without dire consequences would appear to be the basis of the opposition's objections. Pedestrian crossings are a necessity in every progressive town. They make motorists improve their road manners and are a definite means of control- over pedestrian traffic. From the point of view of safety, if a single accident can be averted by laying crossings there can be little argument over their institution. The view reported to have been expressed by a councillor that Masterton does not want crossings suggests that he is sadly out of touch with public opinion. I consider that Masterton does want pedestrian crossings and will get them. At the present time councillors who are endeavouring to carry out the wishes of the public are outvoted. Under our system of government the solution lies with those entitled to exercise their vote.—l am, etc., C. J. CARLE. Masterton. August 21.

STORY OF “J.M.B ”

(To the Editor.) gi r recently-released birgraphy of the late Sir James Matthew Barrie, Bart., 0.M., (as told in 600 or more pages of its author, Denis Mackail) is perhaps made more interesting to New Zealand readers in particular by reason of the name of Major-General Freyberg, V.C., D. 5.0., being on so many occasions associated with that of Barrie during his close personal friendship with this world-famed author and playwright, whose memory should never fade in the‘ realms of happy childhood while there remains within reach his most delightful of all stories, “Peter Pan." As one among others of mid-early generation readers so entranced with this author’s original publication in book form, “When a Man’s Single,” based mostly upon “J.M.B.’s” first association with journalism, it seemed impossible that so many scores of following editions were so hard for so talented a writer to complete within any given, long; or short, period of time, and should prove a better stimulus to authorship, for possible newgeneration authors, than any other publication of such nature (that of R.L.S. included). Mention of the latter also brings into focus the strange literary friendship existing between these two -world-famous children’s-tale authors, when though hemisphere-divided, they were corresponding friends. When Barrie was almost at death’s door, how fine to read that it was his friend “Tiny” Freyberg’s wrist (in the next room at the author's place of residence in London) to which the night nurse attached a piece of string to make sure that in her temporary absence from his bedside, he would not lack the immediate attention of his best of all loved personal friends. In any case, it is past the half-cen-tury mark since the late and revered Rev. Robert Wood was accustomed at morning service to read a passage or two from lan Maclaren's contemporary publication, “Beside the Bonny Brier Bush,” written (if memory serves me correctly) at a time when its gifted author (whose real name was the Rev. James Watson) was as ill almost as the other great writer friend, whose “Auld Licht Idylls" could not but attract the attention of true Scottish friends all the world over. With some apology for burdening your wartroubled space with such ruminations, I am, etc., N.J.B. Masterton, August. 21.