NEW ZEALAND AND AMERICA.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20234, 12 May 1931, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND AND AMERICA.

TO THB - BDITOB Of TOT PBSSS . Sir,—One has to recognise that your rlport of Dr. Beeby's lecture to the W.E.A. on "America" is ,a. condepsaiion of the address, but, taking it as ■substantially correct, I should like to, mako somo remarks about it. H© says New Zealand has a great deal'to learn from America I It seems to be ,the. other way t about. America has a great deal to , learn • New Zealand, jictostly in hott ./not to proceed I In social legislation we have outstripped the whofe world, excepting Australia. Americans are watching the Australasian States and, I am sure, will not be in a hurry to copy our example. President Hbover told his people that Government should govern and not attempt business, which could not be done So efficiently as - by ■ business men who were independent of the vagaries ot politics; and, ■ certainly, -her Govern-; meht was" not going to interfere with the business of those whose taxes kept the machinery of government going. Dr. Beeby spoke of the evils of mass production' He said that the mechanical- work of tightening screws week- in, week out,-. led to' defeneration of the mind. Is. .he not exaggerating P We cannot all be captains, of ships,l It a man in . one job dc»e%' that - perfectly > Tie is giving ■ ■ his- ego' ,;a satisfaction which is ; seldom attained in New Zea-' land, where men are jacks of all trades and, masters • of - none, and where the, nyatchrcry is "Oh", that's near-enough '' Surely the .pride* of-'doing l something >well bfta a good psychological effect! : The' Aideritaq's 'are ~\frtse'• enough;'to know the paralysing; effects 6f.saiatie3 in Government jobs. l Enterprise, individuality, emulation, ambition,' and even loyalty are slaughtered or'frozen bv the conditions obtaining in sii6h services'." Het© and there we do ; see

certain individuals in the services who use their talents to the full, hut many of these disheartened by political partisanship s and interference and eventually even these come to await •the "pension."—Yours, etc., M.B. May lltly 1931. ..''»■