HOME AND STATE.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 118, 4 June 1937, Page 4

HOME AND STATE.

" The most important thing to know about a man is what he takes for granted. And that is true of nations, too. In this country we have curious strains of idealism, mixed with our economic xnaterialism and opportunism. They make others think us cynical or hypocritical. But that idealism is fundamental, too. It has had in the past year its shocks of defeat and its amazing successes — 'persistencies,' perhaps I should rather call thexn. It includes a hold on the stability of tried institutions, and on the gradualness of change. In its institjxtions are the home and the family as the true unit of society, despite all the acids of modei'hity, and these are foundation ston'es of British idealism. The more they can be shared by the millions, the more four-square to the world this nation. And the house as the basis of home and family— the house comfortable and, possibly, beautiful — has touched the imagination of our peoples, pluto - crat, bureaucrat, democrat alike, so that it has become part of our idealogy — the thing taken for granted. " The house, not ohjective but personal, is the nearest step forward, and many who would share everything else will perxnit privacy bere — many who would socialise everything else will allow personal possession here. Home ownership without crippling burdens, with the possibility of sympathetic adjustment for social change, is the unambiguous expression of the practical ideal building society practice in instalment purchaSe, a tried and worthy channel to it. ' So with the long track of progress behind us, it behoves each responsible institution to approaeh the bend of the road to the uncertain future of the world, in complete coutrol of its resources, certainty of its principles, aild ^ftlertness for ite fOcial obligations."— Sir i Jogiah Stamu.