SETTLERS MEET CITY MEN

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1929, Page 2

SETTLERS MEET CITY MEN

PLAIN SPEAKING

COMMERCE TRAIN TOUR ENLIVENED.

AUCKLAND, November 20

The quality of candour is characteristic of public life iti Hokianga County, and it led to a remarkably plain-speak-ing at a luncheon tendered by settlers at Waimamaku to members of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and those accompanying them on the commerce train.

While'tendering the visitors a genuinely cordial welcome, the county chairman, Mr A. O. Yardborough, stated frankly that disappointment was felt in the north because the Chamber had not secured reinstatement of cuts on road allocations. Out of a total of £40,000, cuts for North Auckland amounted to £13,009, and £2090 fell on Hokianga County. They had hoped the Chamber would have secured reinstatement.

Air W. Page, representing the Waimanv'ku branch of the Farmers’ Union, complained that, while there was a great need for further settlement', the cost of’ production was excessive in proportion i tto' the proceeds of produce in the markets of the world. He suggested that the Chamber should promote a round-table conference of various sections of the community with a view to solving the problem. Air T. W. At’Cown (Rawene) commented that the actual running of the commerce train was undertaken by the Railway Department, and he presumed that on the train conditions were comfortable. That was more than could he said for the carriages in which northern settlers were asked to travel. The speaker threw a verbal bomb by suggesting to the railway officials in the party that some time between now and Guy Fawke’s Day they should arrange for a bonfire in which to burn the decrepit things which they called firstclass carriages.

.More explosives were to follow from Dr G. Smith, whose tall figure, suntanned face, and unconventional, attire proclaimed him a disciple, of the simple life. Dr Smith is ADdicaD Superintendent of Rawene.,.Hospital and designer of an operating table winch is .said to he one of the best in the Dominion. It is understood that the doctor is the owner of a large farm and a valuable dairy herd. • • 1 ! 'l3

“ \ hardly know what to call this gathering—-a* hoori or a business banquet,’’ said the doctor, after serenely surveying the Company.d : 1: ' A voice: It’s merely a tangi.

“ T see here,” continued the doctor, “a lot of very likely looking ‘cookies.’ ” ('Laughter.) He confessed that he had been in Auckland only, three times, in fifteen years. Auckland made him shiver. He was frightened to go there, “ Auckland is far., far too big,” he proceeded, ” and you have only to study the history of countries: where the cities have grown more rapidly, than the country has developed to-see what fate has befallen those countries.

.“Now people sometimes say rude things about you,” said the doctor, taking the city men into the fullest confidence. “They call you parasites and we pat ourselves on the back and. say we of the country support . you,” He proceeded to give his definition of the new science of symbiosis, by way of showing that parasites were supposed to . help hosts. He expressed a hope that business men of the city would follow out tire law by helping the country.

“ You Aucklanders are wanting far too much,” continued Dr Smith. “You are (getting far more than your pound of flesh, and I would like to warn you that we, as the geese that lay the golden eggs, if you continue to treat us so, will desert our nests and refuse to furnish supplies of golden eggs.” The speaker suggested that, instead of so much trading in finance, there 'should be more trading in kind. He concluded by putting certain questions which he had been asked to submit to the visitors, viz.:—What was the object of the tour, and what benefit would accrue to country districts from the tour ? Did their ’policy provide for an endeavour to solve the problem of lowering the costs of production in New Zealand ?

Mr George Finn, president of the Employers’ Federation, replied at length to points raised hv the chairman (Mr Page) and Dr Smith. Men of the city welcomed frank criticism, and would deal with it seriously. Among things secured by the Chamber were the speeding-up of express trains and the initiation of a system of herdtesting subsidised by the Government. He suggested that settlers pay a visit to Auckland, even if the project had to be assisted financially. The Chamber would give them a good'time. (Applause.) Voices: We will come all right.

Replying to Dr Smith’s questions, Mr Finn said the tour was a business trip. They hath come to assist them in getting to know the requirements of settlers and so get satisfaction out of their businesses. He explained the extensive efforts already made in the way of conferences in the direction of helping to solve the problem of the high cost of production. A forceful reply to Mr M’Cown’s criticism was made by Air E. Casey, Divisional Superintendent of Railways. The tour, lie said, was not an effort to evangelise farmers and get them into a city way of thinking, but to get to know them and their points of view. Regarding railway rolling stock, the policy was to improve rolling stock

right through, hut naturally improvements had first to be carried out where traffic was heaviest. “As soon as we get the money to improve the whole rolling stock,” said Mr Casey, “we will he only too pleased to invite Mr M’Cown to join us on Guy Fawke’s Day.” (Laughter.) “As to the doctor and his suggested trading in kind, we will know what to do when we need him to perform an operation. We will take along a ham and a flitch of bacon and say, 1 Here you are. Go right ahead with it.’ ” (Loud laughter.)