The Bookman

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 35, 11 February 1933, Page 17

The Bookman

A TAX UPON KNOWLEDGE.

A heavy mourning border would be an appropriate setting for a "Bookman" column this, week, and instead of a prefatory grace before meat the text might begin with an imprecation before famine. The price of books in New Zealand, is going up 25 per cent., and is.more likely to go up to SO or 40 per cent, than to go down within the ' 'reasonable time" that our rulers have in view. Many of us must be thinking of Robin: Ostler^ wao "never joyed since the price of oats rose; it was the death of him." Ido not propose to take to my bed, but it ia a bad blow, and though I deny the right of any man to say that he loves books better than I do myself, I know that there are hundreds and thousands whom this blow must have hit even harder than it Has hit me. They have my sympathy in our common sorrow, and I know that I have theirs.'" i .

' It is an odd , thing that in Bolshevik Russia books are more plentiful and cheaper, not only than they ever-were before in that country, but also, I believe, than they are in any other country today. Another odd thing is that democratic New Zealand should be increasing her already heavy handicap in this foolish and cruel way. The contrast suggests that some people axe neither bo black nor so red as they are often painted, and that others may not deserve all the haloes that they make for themselves. A bitter eiperience taught our forefathers that a tax upon literature is a tax upon knowledge. ; When we have learnt in the same school we may bo as wise as they, but to the meantime .we shall suffer as heavily.