XXXll. 



The Review of Reviews. 



February, 1913. 



in connection witli the 1906-7 exhibition. There was 

 a strong field of 20 competitors. The result was the 

 signal success of Mr. Viner, who won 17^ out of 19 

 games. Like his father, the chess champion is a 

 dairy farmer, at Bellingen, in New South Wales. 



Dr. JNIercer, the popular bishop of 

 A Bishop Leads Tasmania, who.se early resignation 

 the Way. ^f (-j^^j- ^^g ^y^ij i^g generally re- 



gretted, is one of the most advanced 

 thinkers in tlie Commonwealth along the lines of 

 Social Economy. His papers on the " Transforma- 

 tion of Competition " and " Labour as the Basis of 

 the Social Question," were quite features on the pro- 

 gramme of the Science Congress. Considering the 

 three characteristics common to all forms of modern 

 industrial competition — (i) the acceptance of the 

 doctrine that power carried with it its own justifica- 

 tion ; (2) that the competitive system was at hopeless 

 discord with it.self ; (3) the danger of overstraining 

 man's physique, more particul.niv his nerxous sys- 

 tem, Dr. Mercer contended that these constituted 

 a grave menace to civilisation, and miglit lead to 

 the ON'erthrow of the social order. The stream 

 could not be resisted ; but it might to some extent be 

 directed. That change was not only possible, luit 

 inevitable, became evident wht-n one studied the 

 exolution of competition on a- 'large scale in the in- 

 dustrial svstem. The status of contract had gained 

 definite a.scendency as a substitute for the simple 

 crushing out of rivals. So far it was advanced; but 

 it could not .stop there. Ih jieculiir feature of 

 pre.sent-day indu.strialism was the growth of group 

 competition which arose when individuals sank cer- 

 tain of their liberties of action and found themsel\-es 

 under conditions of association for the attainment 

 of common ends. The tendency was as marked in 

 the case of capital as in that of labour, and afforded 

 significant evidence that competition was crumbling 

 to pieces by its own weight. This sinking of indi\-i- 

 dual interest in loyalty to the group introduced a new 

 aspect of the competitive impulse, and ga\"e the 

 paradoxical result that self interest was generating 

 its own antithesis, ('nmpetition had taken an up- 

 ward curve in the past. Why should not the upward 

 movement continue until self-interest was trans- 



muted into the generous emulation of enlightened 

 citizenship ? 



The cult of the Baigona. or Holy 

 The Holy Snake, is the name of a new reli- 

 SBake. gJQj^ 5a.i(j ^^ have-sprung up recently 



in New Guinea, and about which 

 the Lieut. -Governor has made an interesting report. 

 In the north-eastern di\ision, near Cape Nelson, is a 

 volcano called Mount Victory. Here, according to 

 the natives, dwells a holy snake. Judge Murray's 

 information states that quite recently this sacred rep- 

 tile made his appearance in a coastal village, and 

 charged a native with killing snakes and alligators. 

 The impeachment was admitted, and the man was 

 warned that he must not do it again. " If you will 

 promise never to kill a snake or an alligator again." 

 said the snake, " I will 'show you a herb which will 

 cure snakebite and all sickness. H you' will not 

 promise. T warn you that you must take the conse- 

 quences." The man gave the imdertaking, and was 

 shown the herb. When Baigona had departed the 

 native immediately began to spread the news. He 

 started on a tour up the coast, telling everylx>dy 

 about it, and, incidentally, disposing of his herbs 

 in great quantities. His first setback occurred at the 

 police station at Bunabay, where the native con- 

 stables who had been touched l)y the .scepticism of 

 civilisation, told the native that he was an old hum- 

 bug. Three of them even went so far aS' to go out 

 deliberately and shoot at an alligator. That night 

 the guilty three were lying upon the beach when an 

 alligator emerged from the walrr at tlvir feet, and 

 addressed them thus: "You shot at me this after- 

 noon. Never you dare to do such a thing again. 

 In future you must harm neither alligators nor 

 snakes;" and with a swish the alligator — or was it 

 the herbalist in an old alligator skin? — disapi:>eared. 

 The three police capitulated on the spot, and the 

 conversion of the whole settlement was complete. 

 Now no native on the coast will molest either an alli- 

 gator or a snake, and much business is done in. a 

 certain rare herb. On a recent visit to the ^hlm- 

 bare division, the Lieut. -Governor learned that Bai- 

 gona had developed into a regular cult in the dis- 

 trict, with a complete system of initiation. 



