The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 15th. 1925. THE PIONEER SPIRIT.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 15th. 1925. THE PIONEER SPIRIT.

Thk approach of a jubilee celebration at Kumara reminds us of the pioneer spirit of those days, and the occasion scorns to challenge the spirit of the people of the present times in the matter of enterprise to seek new home quarters. The days of the rush period are past, and it is doubtful if we will ever see their like again. This view is home home by the fact that in these days there is a different, spirit prevailing, and folk are looking for pampering aid in all directions great and small. 'The individual is losing his individuality and works in groups now-a-days. The union which results in strength is appealing for aid or assistance in a direction, where before the individual acted independently and spiritedly. The new arrivals nowadays ’ come to vs under a state-aided immigration scheme, ' The form of assistance is being enlarged now in various directions, particularly in respect to Australia, where there is room for millions, if the people would not crowd so much into the cities. Under , these schemes, friendly governments sock to attract population by paying transport, and on arrival looking after the emigrants in many special ways. There are no special dangers for the new arrivals to face, They (-unit out in modern ships with e-cry modern eonvenienee ami fast passages are nic.de in every comfort he the weather what it may. There arc no privation., to undergo, no special perils to encounter, nor is there any light for existence. They enter modern cities or towns,, and have every facility at their call for teaching the country. The pioneers of old lacked all this. They had to sever home ties, and travel by sio.v and crowded sailers. They entered a new world where homes had to he carved out of the bush, which itself was often trackless. They were men and women of indomitable spirit, braving nil kinds of dangers. They were people of meagre means and were tinaided by the state. They were builders of Empire though, and had to use their own hands and heads to accomplish the task. It was they who created the heritage which the new arrivals of to-day are coming into mostly spic and span, but lacking the same spirit of those who came before them. The pioneer spirit was the best asset of Empire, and if it is disappearing it will not be good for the Empire. Yet with all the improved conditions in travel, and the fact that the new arrivals enter a new country tilled and" prepared for them, the volume of immigration is not satisfactory, nor are the right class of colonists, it would appear, coming forward. It would seem as though the great exodus to America two centuries ago. and the rush to the oversea countries which followed in duo season, and particn-

Inrly during the Inst century, took of the cream tif Great Britain. Yet to-day in the Old Land there would appear to he harder conditions ] revailing than in the former times. The struggle for existence individually must have been less, or the pioneers could not have saved the money to assist themselves to the new lands. The new life overseas must have held for them attractions which do not appeal nowadays. The conditions of life for the pioneer were rude and primitive, hut they left behind a degree of cornform and luxury at Home which they were prepared to .sacrifice in their indpendent spirit to help themselves. After all it wits that spirit of selfhelp which was the motive power sending them forth. To-day it is the dependent- spirit which seems to rule, and is changing the individual irom a positive to a negative character. We do not think that it is best- for the nation. The old time spirit ol independence. we may repeat, is the real asset- of Empire. and we must seek for it fresh outburst o* that individual enterprise which will prompt people to help themselves rather than be seeking and even waiting for State enterprise to help them in some aggregate i'oim. A revival of the pioneer spirit is what is wanted.