Passing Notes.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 17, 9 July 1920, Page 6

Passing Notes.

BY JACQUES.

Laugh wher« we must, be candid where we can.— Pope.

-Jf. •'r "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," so poetic fellows say; And never yet was uttered truer sentiment than this. My girl has been a month away, and, in her absence, day by day, My hcart is growing fonder — of another « little miss. That "hobgoblin of little minds, consistency," has no terrors for Dr Newman. Addressing a meeting recently at Taikorea he enthusiastically eulogised the antiprofiteering efforts of the Government, which, be said, had kept prices at a lower level here than in any other country in the world, and was carrying on the good work. "The Government," he concluded, "was really sinc_ere in its desire to minimise the evil (the H.C.L.)_as much as any Government could minimise it." So far, so good. But listen again. In the still more recent no-confidence debate the same gentleman averred that the Government's anti-profiteering measures were the scorn and derision of the people. "Nothing, ' ' he said, ' 'had been done that was worth the while, or at all comparable to what had been effected in England and else where and the result was that profiteering was insolently rampant, "while the Governmisnt looked apathetically on. " Surely, Dr Newman must have either a ' shert memory, or a most elastic conOne, R. McKenzie, contrihuting to the Sunday concerts' controversy, puts forward, inter alia, the astounding proposition that in this question "our choice lies between God and the bands" — the implication being of course, that bands (at least those that play on Sundavs) are something in the nature of anti-Christs. Now, I do not know "R. McK." who in other respects may be a very estimable man; but I do know his type, and cannot confess to any admiration for it. It is a type which would force its own shibboleths. willy nilly, on others, and.narrow all life down to its own particular groove. Its vision is so blurred that it cannot see that there may be — as in the isiig of the bird, the blue of the sky, the beauty and fragrance of the flower, the mellow-breath of the morning — gi-eater spirit uali sing influences than can be found within its own gloomy fanes. There are many thousands who have left the church, soul-hungry, and have found satisfaction elsewhere, and in other things. Speaking as one of these I may say that good band music has often raised me to heights that I could never have reached under the duller influences of platitudinous sermons, or unintelligiblo ceremonial. I have often left a Sunday band conoert feeling, somehow, a better man than when I went in, and probably many thousands besides myself could tell of the same experience. Therefore, for "R, McK." to suggest that such things are anti-religious, or even irreligious would be childish — if it were not worse. So our rates are to be again increased We feel no surprise, however, though our language may be painful and free when the demand notices reach us. For years past tbe rates have been stepping heavenward with distressing regularity, and by this time we are as useds. to it as- eels are used to skinning. Whether we are getting anythiug like value for our money is a debatable point, birt one 011 which I do not wish to dilate here. But I do wish to lodge my humble but emphatic protest against the present system of rating. Theoretically, rating on unimproved values possesses many attractive features, but, like many other things beautiful in theory, it is damnable in practice. Under it the poorly paid labourer, struggling to secure a roof over the heads of his wife and weans, may be compelled to contribute as much towards our civic expenditure as his millionaire neighbour, and its operation may easily dispossess the widow of her .home. By many rate time is looked forward to as a time of dread, ar.d the vearly increase in the burden will aaake it still more dreadful to those who, ©v«m now, haordly know how to make both onck meet. I do nofe suggest that land

I values should be freed of rates, but I d0 contend that it is mosct iniquitous to ex tract the whole of our civic revenue fro® them, when so many other sources aie available and appropriate. We are shortly to become a very modd i community. Tbe Reverend Something ] Carlisle is going to see to that. This gentleman — who has "received a call" to Invercargill — seems to be something between a pussyfoot and a "chucker-out " ] if one may fairly judge him out of his own 1 mouth. He is going to play the deuce when he gets here. First, he will "keep 1 his eyes open for sly-grog shops, and if i s,uch are about, he will soon know it"— ] and have them "kicked out." (It does ' not seem to have occured to this parsonical busybody that we have one oi two 1 policemen here already. ) - The liquor must be "kicked out"; gambling musi k I "kicked out," and pictuxe shows niEl'w "kicked out." Well, it looks as tho^V ] the Reverend Carlisle has mapped out 4 very strenuous programme for himself, and 1 we may expect to see much dust flying : here when he comes. By the way, what does he want to "kick out" the picture shows for? That picture pragrammes maj be greatly improved no one will question, but why not aim at improving tbem in-! stead of banishing altogether a cheap and pleasant form of popular entertainment Once Plain Bill's war cry was "A | Square Deal," and this be shouted so | loudly and frequently that we grew toie- 1 lieve him, and thanked Heaven for that rarest of all birds, an honest politicia 1 But time has a nasty trick of disillusion- 1 ment, and of late we have begun to sus- | pect William's good faith, the more so as I the old strident was cry has died away to 1 "the faintest flittermouse squeak." Few, | if any of the lavish promises have ma- 1 terialised, but the most glaring instance | of failure to deliver the goods is shown in i the shameless shelvirig of ihe promised electoral reform. We were assured that we should have "something better than the , Second Ballot," bnt, though the Second Ballot was killed off to make room, its su- | perior suceessor has not yet put in an 1 appearance. Nor is it likely to while 1 William recognises that his present prond j position would be jeopardised by any other | than the first past the post system. De M mocracy cannot find full or equitable «■ H pression except through proportional » presentation, and any other svstera 0! 1 election than that makes a "square deal j impossible. William knows this, but he knows also that proportional representa- | tion is the very deuce for changing power. | Therefore, on the principle of "place at | any price," he hides this unpleasant thing J away, and continues giving us a deal I that has been sadly battered out of j promised rectangular shape.