ACCIDENT AT TE AROHA

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17972, 18 March 1930, Page 6

ACCIDENT AT TE AROHA

HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE.

(By “Gleaner,”) A HAIR OF THE DOG. Apparently the principle of homoepathy has its place even in the prize ring. According to an account of the fight between the Frenchman Camera and Petersen, in New York, after the winning blow had been struck by the Italian, “on the floor the half-sense-less Petersen began to strike himself vigorously on the jaw in an effort to bring himself round.” This seems to call for a good deal of confidence in the principle of “similia similibus curantur,” or “like cures like." After being well and truly floored by Camera most peopie would think that they had had quite enough medicine for the moment. And obviously in this case the treatment did not work —in future the unfortunate Petersen might be advised to reflect on that other proverb which says that the man who is his own physician has a fool for a patient. After having allowed the case to get into Camera’s hands there does not seem to be much point in trying to prescribe for yourself. « * * • A BLOW TO TRADITION.

A disturbing report comes from the City of London. It appears that when the Court of Aldermen dined with the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House last month there was no turtle soup. This is a cataclysmic breach of tradition, for since a century at least no Mansion House banquet has started with any other prelude than a plate of clear turtle soup, with a lump of green semi-transparent fat—the calipash—reposing in the middle. Many dignitaries eat the soup and leave the fat, a few original ones cat the fat and leave the soup, while the younger and more advanced diners sometimes leave the lot, for in the opinion of many the reputation of turtle soup is greatly overdone. The Lord Mayor, at any rate, provided his guests with a land of Russian soup instead, and there is much discussion among followers of City tradition as to the reason for Ibis bold innovation. The City banquet is the last refuge of the genuine turtle, but it seems possible that turtle soup is going the way of turtle fins, which once formed one of the courses at the Lord Mayor’s table. This news will cause some excitement in the West Indies, where the raw material for turtle soup still flourishes; but I believe the choicest specimens come from the Island of Ascension. It is reported that the City Fathers are quite pleased with the Russian soup. * # • * AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING. The Commonwealth Tariff Board, after inquiring at the instance of the late Government into the desirability of substituting for the ooastal clauses of the Navigation Aot some other form of protecting Australian shipping against oversea competition, has recommended that no other sort of protection is practicable. The board received no evidence of disability suffered under the Act except as to the passenger service between Hobart and the eastern ports of the mainland. The board advises that pressure be brought upon the oversea companies to take part in this service in the busy seasons, a traffic which hitherto the companies have declined, although the coastal clauses so far as they applied to Tasmania were suspended some time ago. For this purpose the board suggests altering the conditions of the mail contracts. A part-time subsidy to the inter-State companies concerned is proposed if this remedy proves practicable; otherwise the board is of the opinion that a whole-time subsidy will be necessary. Hopes that the Australian Overseas Transport Association would soon solve the difficulties between owners and shippers seem misplaced up to the present. Unfortunately Australia still remains one of the most difficult countries with which to carry on shipping business. For nearly a year owners have held back from, freight increases, but they will certainly not be able to do so much longer. High dock and port dues and lack of outward cargo are piling up losses on the owners’ side to a point that cannot g® very much farther. The Federal Government has, indeed, made tilings more difficult instead of easier by tariff increases on several lines oi cargoes. # o * * A PRISONERS’ CHARTER. Those who are working for the reform of the prisons through intei national action have made important progress in getting the subject included in the agenda of the League Council at its meeting on January -1. This means that something more wad happen. In all probability the Council will send on to this year’s Assembly the proposal that there should be an inquiry conducted by the League into prison conditions in all the League countries, leading to the adoption of an international convention, or “ prisoners’ charter,” laying downstandards to which members of League of Nations would be expecteu to conform. This move is the outcome of a petition which was sent to the League last year bv the Howard League for Penal Reform, and many women’s societies in this and other countries interested in the subject, and it is now to be raised at the Council in a definite form bv the representative of Cuba. In the petition to the League attention was drawn to the prevalence of cruelty and injustice in the prisons and police cells of many countries, the prolonged imprisonment of persons awaiting trial, the flogging of suspected persons, and other evils. The continued existence of such abuses was described as not only a disgrace to civilisation but a poatsibie cause of international friction. interesting point- was made to the effect that the increasingly serious need for international co-operation iti the war against crime is leading to a closer network of extradition treaties, and this means that the contracting parties may be forced to acquiesce in the backward penal system of the countries to which prisoners are surrendered. It is felt by those who arc urging League action that the time is ripe for a great international effort to level up the prisons of t-he world to a decent standard, such as is demanded bv modern humanitarianism. The fli-st step will be taken by the League Council the week after next.