Orphans’ harbour cruise and picnic

The children from all the Dunedin orphanages, with the exception of the Salvation Army children, who were unable to attend, were entertained at a picnic at Broad Bay on Saturday by the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Club and a number of residents. The weather was very satisfactory, and early in the afternoon the launches mustered outside the Harbour Board’s office. Those children for whom accommodation could not be found on the launches were convoyed to Broad Bay by ferry boat. The commodore’s launch led the fleet in a cruise round the harbour, and the children then assembled at Mrs Hudson’s residence, where toys and gifts were distributed. After an enjoyable outing the party returned to Dunedin in the evening. The following ladies assisted in entertaining the party at Broad Bay: Mesdames James Dick, Storey, Nyhon, R. Hudson, Alex Begg, Charles Speight, Dr Emily Nees, Mesdames W.R. Waters (Mr H.F. Nees’s residence), J.E. Galbraith, James Monro, J.T. Paul, and B. Francis.

Mussolini and the place of Fascism

The world is trying to make up its mind about the place of Fascism in ordered government, but the task is perplexing and difficult. In the first place, the progressive world has a more or less nebulous faith in Democracy, and Fascism, whatever else it may now be or may later become, is the antithesis of Democracy as generally understood. A movement, according to Signor Mussolini, of profound spiritual significance, it replaced in Italy a system of government which purported to be democratic but in reality was effete and in essence contained the germs of revolution. But the world also believes in effective government, and Italy was in a state of hopeless drift when Signor Mussolini and his band of Fascisti took control in the name, and for the preservation, of nationalism in Italy. Socialism and Syndicalism of sorts were playing havoc with ordered industry, factories were being seized, and the Government was pliant and powerless. Signor Mussolini’s father had been an ironworker and an ardent Internationalist who suffered imprisonment for his loyalty to Karl Marx, and Signor Mussolini himself had been a rebel and a Socialist. He was the arch-propagandist and stood solidly uncompromisingly for class war of the worst variety. When the Great War came Signor Mussolini dissented from his party’s decision for neutrality and he was eloquent for war against the enemies of his country. With the close of the war he organised the Fascisti, captured the government of the country, and today is uncrowned King of Italy. — editorial— ODT, 7.1.1924

Compiled by Peter Dowden