Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1926, Page 2

The drastic steps which have been taken in Mexico on the question oi religion directs attention to President Chiles, who is in many ways a striking character. President Calles, remarks a contemporary, has a personality which is piquant and dramatic. Years of desperate fighting in the revolution, the wear and tear of endless campaigning in the Mexican deserts, have not robbed him of his smile, of his joy of life. The world is mixing its races, arid its results must fascinate the student of contemporary history. The father of Calles was an Armenian (his enemies say a Turk), and his mother was a Mestizo. So he is a mixture of Spanish, American, Indian and Oriental. Years ago, when the revolutionary period was just merging into that of reconstruction, Calles impressed the fact that he and his group sought one large result for his country. He wanted the Mexican masses to make rapid and steady progress toward a higher and better state of civilisation. Then came the revolution and ten years of campaigning. Unless he is assassinated, lie will quite likely be the dominant figure of the coming twenty years in Mexico. Calles’s first duty is keep tbo peace. Sooner or later his reactionary enemies will try to strike him down. No prophet can say just when trouble will come or bow large it will loom across the map of Mexico. But there is much to bo said for those who have built large hope upon Calles. In a public statement, President Calles observed that be would concentrate attention, during bis administration, upon the .problem of /Mexican education. By /profession, a school teacher, as a young man he spent seventeen years in the public school system of Sonora. Public education is still bis chief interesT. The Mexicans cannot succeed in the tasks of economic leadership until they have developed a much larger educated class, and the nation, starving for engineers and business managers, must now welcome those from without at their own price. Everything else in Mexico waits on education. The task is tremendous. The' measure of Calles as a constructive statesman will be taken in this field, and his definite statement in regard to religious teaching is probably one of his first moves in the direction of putting his policy into force.

The earlier visit of the Duke and Duches of York to New Zealand than was at first proposed, will be a matter for general gratification. Originally the visit to the Dominion was to have followed late in the year after an extended period of travel and entertainment in the Commonwealth. Under the revised itinerary the Royal party will come almost direct to New Zealand, travelling via Fremantle and Hobart. There will, no doubt, be stop over stays at both ports to sec something of 'Western Australia and Tasmania, but as soon as those two States are disposed of. New Zealand wfll be visited. A month is to be spent in the Dominion and no doubt the itinerary will be so arranged that most of the leading features of the Dominion will bo brought under tlio notice of the Royal tourists. Now that the AA’ajho Glacier has such a vogue with all visitors to New Zealand, it would be well were South Westland included in the tour, and it is to be hoped this suggestion will be brought before the proper authorities without delay. It. is contemplated during next year to bring a large party of oversea tourists* down the Coast by motor from Nelson to the glacier, and thence to Otira. Tf tbo trip is thus worth while for casual visitors, it is certainly worth while for the Royal party on an official tour such as that about to be undertaken. For variety and novelty of scenery the South Westland trip would be difficult to surpass, and the diversion would result in many notable memories being carried away bv the travellers. As to the reception which would await the Royal party, nothing need ho said on that score. Travelling on the West Coast they would be sure of all the hospitality the people could pour out in a loyal and patriotic manner, and altogether the impressions of the trip would be such ns never to he forgotten. The Westland trip would break new ground well worth seeing and be altogether a memorable part of the tour. Let us hope it will be possible to bring the trip to pass.