Flats and Sharps

New Zealand Listener, Volume 20, Issue 497, 31 December 1948, Page 8

Flats and Sharps

SHOULD people live in flats? In the Speaking For Ourselves discussion at 2YA on December 13, Professor Ernest Beaglehole defended the flat ably, Dr. Agnes Bennett condemned it roundly, and Mr. Stuart Perry said suavely that fiat life was quite good until children came. Clash of opinion is not common in these radio discussions, and some of

the success of this particular form came from the fact that a real difference arose. It gave a sharp, piquant flavour to the talk. It was one of the brightest of these sessions-a team of good speakers with worth-while opinions and ready with what they had to say. Professor Beaglehole, arguing on the problem of the vandal, said that it was not nearly so simple as many people thought, for the vandal’s

conduct often arose from a grievance against society, and that grievance should be resolved. The subject, which is painfully topical in Wellington just now, had an excellent airing in the few minutes allotted. The session ended on a frivolous note: Do cats purr when they are alone? This was treated in the right mood, with a dart or two into metaphysics, so that I almost expected someone to quote: " There once was a man who said, God Must think it exceedingly odd If He finds that this tree Continues to be When there’s no one about in the Quad. Who could tell what a cat did when it was alone? The only solution, it was suggested, was a microphone, but, I ask, if a microphone was introduced, would the cat be alone? Remembering the old description of a metaphysical discussion as two blind men looking in a dark room for a black cat that is not there-I give it up.