The Passing Show.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17976, 22 March 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Passing Show.

A CORRESPONDENT of the Waikato Times has set out to solve the railway problem. His scheme deserves—and will no doubt receive—earnest consideration, and “ Free Lance ” feels sure that if a plebiscite were taken the proposal would be carried by an overwhelming majority. The principle being approved, it remains for the author of the proposal to elaborate upon it and arrange details. One thing is certain: New Zealand’s populace is now a moving one but if we could travel by train without charge and take our household impedimenta with us probably the majority of us would travel far more, and most of us would ken our own country from the North Cape to the southernmost tip of Stewart Island. There would then be no wish to curtail railway construction; the general desire would'.be the other way. We would want iron rails in all directions and the demand for rolling stock would be heavy. That,, too, would be a good thing; for it would do much to solve the unemployment problem. Yes, the scheme is an excellent one. But “ Free Lance ” fears it will not be given effect to until after the dawn of the mlllenium. * * * * * Mr II- E. Holland, the leader of the Labour Party advises his friends to prepare for an election which he apparently thinks will eventuate before the end of the third session of the present Parliament. It is sage advice, for anyone watching the trend of political events must be convinced that it will require much diplomacy on the part of Ministers to survive the forthcoming session. The position, however, is that while the two outside parties—Reform and Labour—are dissatisfied with the Government and are anxious to thrust them forth, they hate each other so heartedly that they are unlikely to support each o-ther in an' attempt to eject the Government. Reform will not support Labour and Labour certainly will not pull the chestnuts out of the blaze for Reform. Under the circumstances Mr Holland’s dreams of the Premiership are not likely to materialise in the present House. The constitutional position he conjures up will not arise. # # # # * The salvation of New Zealand depends not on party but on men, and unfortunately men of the right stamp will not offer their services. The country requires more principle and less opportunism in its politics. We all know that party advantage at present, has.a bigger “pull” than the welfare of the people; we need to reverse the process and place the latter first. It is pleasing to note that there are some courageous men in the present House who have seen the gleam and have determined to follow it. If more of the members were imbued with the same independent spirit they could do much to improve the situation, but to break away from party and to act independently requires courage and character —attributes which too frequently are lacking in the make-up of those who reach the legislative hall The spirit which animated the vicar and curate of Thaxted when they dared to pray for the success of the Soviet's efforts to “ build up a kingnom where the poor will be raised up and the exploiters be kept low” is what is needed in the politics in this and every country We need m'en who will dare to stand up boldly for that which they believe, even if they know that their cause is not popular.

In this connection it is permissible to point out that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the ideal of the Communist; it aims to put humanity before pro- \ perty, and that, surely is praiseworthy. But when it comes to methods the Communist’s procedure is wrong. He seeks to attain by a short cut that which can only be secured by the slower process of evolution, and he by attacking and suppressing Christianity is warring against the very force which, above all others, would assist him in the realisation of his ideal. If we had a real Christian community we would have of communist State- Unfortunately we have not yet had experience of a truly Christian community. The fault is not in Christian precept but in its professors' practice. They are for the most part apparently animated by selfishness rather than selflessness, and that is the antithesis of Christianity. *****

The Commonwealth Audi lor-General in a recent report dealt out some trenchant criticism, in which he drew attention to the need for more work, less sport, and a curtailment of extravagant expenditure if the country desired to regain its financial equilibrium . How about, this Dominion . Are we not becoming sports mad? Every day week in and week out. we specialise

Comment and Criticism.

(By “Free Lance.’’)

in some form of sport. Some of our tradespeople appear to make a business of their recreation and a recreation of their business judging by the time devoted to them. Tournaments are followed from one centre to another, and all kinds of pastimes are made the subject of international contests. This week in Hamilton for instance, we have had tennis, croquet and bowling fixtures, each of which has attracted a large concourse of players and spectators from their legitimate vocations. There are bitter wails of “ hard times ” but our sports grounds show little indication of them. If, however, we go on as at present we will soon find ourselves in the same plight as Australia, and will be forced to a '' course which if we were wise we would adopt voluntarily. We are living on our capital, and wasting raw material. Tha awakening must come.

A certain noted golf player has been accorded much publicity. Whether it will be of the remunerative sort has yet to be. demonstrated. Unfortunately he was a passenger on a steamer'which had a case of malignant disease on board and he had to be quarantined. He' also had to be vaccinated. A companion with whom he was travelling had to undergo the same ordeal. Apparently, however, the latter reacted better than the former, for the one was liberated and the other held- This occasioned trouble, for “ the ways of the authority were not equal, there wasM es P ec -t °f Persons with them.’ Then the conditions in quarantine were not comparable with those obtaining in a first class hotel. Some of the facilities had to be used in common, “Jack" and the High Duke being in that respect equal—an unheard of thing apparently in the Land of Negroes and Dollars where all men are supposed to be equal—a comradeship of brotherhood, the last word in democracy, Then comes the day of release, and more trouble. The chief golf organisation, anxious that as large a crowd of interested wielders of the cleek should see the top-notchers in action, fixed the admission fee at a reasonable figure. This was really too much; he could not exhibit his prowess before plebians who could not afford to pay an exorbitant price. He would sooner appear before a gallery of one who subscribed 10s to see him than four inferior folk who could only donate 5s for the treat. Methinks if that great golfer, the world’s best, desires to recover some of those thousands of dollars he has dropped he will have to adopt a different attitude. Australians, if _ “ Free Lance " knows anything of them, will be much more inclined to get their backs up than to put up their half quids to see such a specimen of manhood perform. * * • • • The other "day the cablegrams informed' us that blackmail on a highly organise! scale is practised in London; that there are women, apparently outwardly respectable, who meet at recognised headquarters and at stated intervals in order to elaborate schemes for securing pabulum on which to “hound down” and squeeze men and women who for the nonce are prominent in the public eye. It seems incredible to the average person that anybody, women especially, can descend to such low levels; that they can, may surely be accepted as prima facie evidence of the truth of the Darwinian theory, for such conduct can only be classified as brutish; and ev en if those who indulge in it do stand upright, their morals have not commenced the upward evolutionary process. We hear little of blackmail in this Dominion, but a Southern newspaper has been making inquiries amongst the legal fraternity, and it has ascertained that though the evil does not exist here to the same degree as in some other countries, it is not uncommon. Cases were narrated in which men- had been fleeced in sums from £SO to £IOO. This is not to be taken as evidence that the blackmailers’ victims were guilty of indiscretions. but they had been deliberately “plotted" into positions which appeared compromising, and, recognising the . difficulty of convincing the cynics of their innocence, they allowed themselves to be “stampeded" into “parting up" in order w avert threatened publicity. This is a false move, for which the victim probably pays dearlv ere the account is closed. If the victim would stand his ground and dare his adversary to do his worst he would in 999 cases out of 1000 emerge scathless, with reputation unsoiled, and at the same time he would be serving his day and generation well, for a blackmailer once foiled, would lose confidence in himself and would probably retire post haste from and unsavoury business. (