THE EVEN TENOR OF OUR WAYS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 121, 9 February 1940, Page 4

THE EVEN TENOR OF OUR WAYS

"OF course with the war on, the general uncertainty of outlook and the benzine restrictions, it is impossible to carry on with the arrangements and so the fixture has been dropped" How many times and by how many different persons has the above statement been held up as an excuse for the postponement of spcrtng, social or local events. Indeed it has become so much of a pa,rrot-cry that for many persons it is merely a handsome excuse for dying* on the job. But what are we expected to do —sit down at home, in one of the fairest countries on earth and mope, because of a war that has broken out on t'he ether side of the world? We are a poor product of the pioneers if that were the case! Drop all pretence of enterprise, of sport, of effort, of healthy local recreation and enjoyment—never. Surely we are beyond such a puerile state of affairs. Yet daily we have it —-"It is foolish to risk running a sports meeting, a gathering, a dance while things are so unsettled". The correct response to such contentions is the message to the Empire, by His Majesty the_King*, himself ''Keep strong and bouyant, the Home Front —and carry on! In other words "Keep the home fires burning" as n 1914., and endeavour to live as normally as conditions permit. The wisdom of such a slogan is obvious. How can we expect to maintain a high and unconquerable spirit if when the shadows of war envelop us again we drop immediately all activities which make for brightness and good cheer. The best method of overcoming worry is by busy occupation of the mind with other things. The aall today is therefore to intensify rather than to retard our arrangements for recreation. Happiness and honest laughter are the finest antidote in the world for overcoming depression and surely we in New Zealand have by little or nothing to depress us yet. In Whakatane district our Centennial Show must continue to be the finest in the Bay, the Forthcoming Celebrations on March 16th, must be without equal, Why should these things suffer merely because the war-dogs of Europe have precipitated another welter of madness. We owe it to ourselves to carry c/i. Should we fail in this we break faith with those of our young men who have left their dear ones in our care, during their absence in the greatest cause we know. Petrol rationing while it will restrict, will not paralyse all movement of transport. People can adjust their movements in order to conform with t'he new conditions. There is plenty to do. There is need for all hands to apply themselves by the promotion of everyday normal affairs which make for a settled, progressive community. We cannot advance by sloth. Lets get to it and by ignoring the "scare-bogey" grapple with our own affairs and win through.