PUBLIC OPINION.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1927, Page 1

PUBLIC OPINION.

(H'l! REST INTRODUtTION. t»y what persons should wc ourselves, if wo were wise, wish to ho represented: 1 Not by ( lire nor by Wellington, not by Pitt nor Mr Lloyd (Journo. Nil those hare (lone something which has been resented hy someone somewhere. The statesman has thwarted interests and ambitions here, the soldier killed our enemies there,” says the “livening Standard.” “But no harm has ever been done to anyone by such very linglish persons as -Mr Pickwick and Mr Mioawber, Fa Ist a ft' and Bully Bottom, and it we are loved at all hy the other nations, it is on account of these. The writer who creates a character which is liked outside his own country thereby deserves well of his country. Me has created more than a character: he has created confidence and affection. It is a service which cannot he adequately rewarded.”

AM KB It’A A NT) KFBOPK. “ liuropc is further off than it ought to be in the American mind. The Press only report from the old world a crisis or a scandal, and subordinate even that to the sensational accounts of local crime and violence. The constant troubles are remote and no concern ol theirs. Except in intellectual and some business circles the interdependence ol nations although widely separated geographically is not appreciated. The war has produced no desire for closer association, rather the opposite,” writes Air Arthur Ponsonby, M.P., in the “ St. Martin’s Review.” But the world has become smaller, the ties ol commerce, finance, economies, labour, science, literature and art can be and ought to draw nations into closer contact leading to harmony and co-opera-tion rather than discord and conflict. The United States of America have a great role to play in prompting the solidarity of the Society of Nations.’ ON CARRY!NO A STICK. “ I am English and am uneasy without a cane in my hand. The cane does me no service; I do not put it t.i the ground to support me as I walk. Yol without it I am troubled ; at tii ■ back of my mind is the disquieting fancy that 1 have lost something, th I have left some needful thing behind me.” writes the “ I.onduner ” in ihe

“ Evening News” ol London. ” A\e English have long memories. For long ages it was our custom to carry a weapon when we walked abroad. Custom of thousands of years is still strong with ns English. \\ hen wo walk out we must still have some sort, of a weapon with us ; therefore we carry canes. On a day of last week I left my cane at home, and all day long I was disquieted for want of it. I am English.

A PRACTICAL PERORATION. “ All my life I have been a worker, but even in the days ol hard work in the fundrv 1 found time to think and dream.” said Alderman C. Hutchison, chairman of the General Federation of Trade Unions, at the close of his presidential address at the recent annual meeting. “ From the black sand and crude metal we were able to fashion beautiful and useful castings. Skill, time, care and patience, allied to hard work were necessary before these results were obtained. Just as carelessness and want of thought will spoil our work in the workshop, so to an even greater degree will the same want of thought and carelessness spoil and mar the work of the future. Let us make up our minds here and now, if we have not already done so, that we will be the careful .skilful workers. shaping and guilding the destinies of our people with thoughtful deter-

mination and singleness ol purpose m the right direction. If we do so, we will have the pleasure of knowing that although tho realisation of our dreams and ideals is denied us in our time, the millions yet to come will benefit by h.s having lived and thought and worked.” ENORMOUS AREA AVAILABLE. Determined bv the Dominion forest inventory, there were wttliin the Dominion 4,859.658 acres of idle land, consisting of pinnies and barren northern gum lands, fire devastated wastes, and other deteriorated bush lands, reverting to second growth. This enormous area could be put to work producing timber crops for which the land was entirely suitable. Wherever possible, local bodies and private individuals, who were interested in forestry schemes, should he encouraged by the vesting in their control of waste lands and othoi lands, until definite need for this purpose.