CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2463, 30 March 1909, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Correspondence on public matters is welcomed at all times, but it must be distinctly understood that this journal is in no way associated with the opinions of its correspondents] THE CRAZES AND THE PRESENT’ CRAZE. [To The Editor.] Sir, —It is the height of fashion to be involved in a craze, consequently our T Dominion can be considered fashionable for the time being. It is the firsttime we have ever been successfully fashionable, in spite of the divers attempts made by some of out" ministers to introduce us into society. As a rule we take up a craze at the wrong time and, thinking we are doing the grand, find ourselves the last actors in a stale comedy. On this occasion, however, we are in the van for the time being, and in spite of everything will—being piloted by the Prime Minister—make a reasonable show'. He, the Prime Minister, without letting the cat out of the bag by informing our representatives, calmly presented the old country with a pair of armoured pepper-boxes of the Dreadnought pattern, decorated with guns, at the trifling cost of £4,000,000How' sensibly thoughtful of him! One cannot help admiring his pluck, considering the immensity of the donation. Had we been left alone it would not have mattered so much, hut the other colonies —our rivals —also seek glorification from the Motherland, which includes titles and decorations as a rule, by outdoing us in donating similar decorated pepper-boxes. This mars the “astonishing effect” produced, as Lord Ranfurly puts it, and the consequence is that after all, we, as it invariably happens, once more lift the curtain and walk off the stage. It is South Arflcan affair over again. We were thought precious little of after assisting in that noble event, and our amazingly cracks ed-up colonials were degraded,* if anything, in the sight of our northern brothers. The next craze worth mentioning was the American fleet craze, which was a proper take in. Perhaps some New Zealanders are not aware of the fact that the visiting fleet was manned by all the “stiff's” and “bums.” or to he polite—the unemployed, of the eastern cities of the. States. By doing this the U.S.A. Government got rid of a dangerous community, and so tided over a . time in their eastern cities, which was so distressful that otherwise riot and revolution would have been the immediate result. To the sorrow* of many a respectable gentleman these people wer-e our glorious and honored guests. Now r we have a Dreadnought craze, which seems to be about as ridiculous as the rest. It- will probably degenerate from armoured pepper-boxes to ladies “Dreadnought Hats,’" which will knock the '“Merry Widow” out of time, —poor Merry Widow, —and be the ruination of theatre-proprietors and husbands. It Ls a p’tv our respected Prime Minister in his desire to dispose of our wealth, does not start us on a craze of a more humane mature. Probably few of us would take much notice of him if he did. £4,000,000, together with our rivals’ donated millions, would have gone a great deal further in feeding, clothing, sheltering and finding employment, not for our own poor, but forthe poor of the world whose suffering we, in our apparent little golden nest, cannot realise. Universally we would be better off for such an act of charity, and He who holds the reins of power and controls nations would award us with protection. However, our fellowbeings living in a state of wretclsed poverty are so uninteresting that it would not be worth while to notice them in the face of glorv and renown.—l am. etc., “CIPHER.”