PRESS COMMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1932, Page 8

PRESS COMMENT

EASING THE BURDEN

An increasing proportion of the population has been learning in the last few weeks how the other hall lives, and has had its compassion quickened by the knowledge. There is no dearth of kindness for the unemployed who find the times most hard; the .chief difficulty is to know how to apply it. We are glad to see that more firms are adopting the system of d‘adopting” families which has been 'ETfletised by the employees of the pEvening' Star.” This form of helpso far as it is practicable, has strong claims to the best that can be applied. Relief depots are a necessity, but they are demoralising. In the nature of things, they can only be worked mechanically; they involve no knowledge of recipients as human beings—‘‘lf you pick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh?—but only ast requirers of certain necessities, to be doled out in accordance with their needs. It would almost be true to say that they are most effectual when they are most mechanical, because if emotion or impulse ever enters into them, as a substitute for a cold mathematical, basis in the disposing °f grants, it is liable to be misled by deficiency of knowledge, with results of inequality and, injustice.—Dunedin' “Evening Star.”

THE ROAD TO DISARMAMENT

The nation’s security depends upon its own disposition as much as upon {hat of its neighbours, and even if the sense of security and mutual confidence between nations does not yet exist to such an extent as to make effective and general disarmament possible, any measure of success attained will inspire' confidence that the world is moving surely, if slowly, towards the goal of peace. The unexampled sufferings through which this generation has passed have taught the bitter lesson that war is inexcusable and,least of all is it excused by pat riotism. —“Christchurch Times.”

UNIVERSITY FREEDOM

There is one of Professor Algie’s contentions that needs no qualifying and' can be urged without regard to the state of the country’s finances. It is that the University must manage its .affairs without interference from the Government or from local bodies or from. private benefactors. The fact that in New Zealand the University is so dependent on State sources of of revenue makes it all the more necessary to insist that for its actions and its policy it shall be answerable only, .to itself. To .ask. a. community' to pay for an institution and yet to forego all say in its affairs may rcoiii unreasonable j but a university worth the name cannot exist on any other basis. —Christchurch “Press.”

PROGRESS IN TRANSPORT

The men wlio rule our destinies are not always over duly.! blessed with wisdom, and concerning tho, railways, a considerable amount of hysteria has been evinced in post-war years. If the services do not pay to the last penny, «t least they have paid, in the past, and paid well. They will continue to give quite efficient service in the immediate future, but where the claims of modern progress are acknowledged they cannot be given a monopoly 'of transport to make up for their inefficiency. It is possible that a great deal can still be done if the Transport Board endeavours to establish a policy of co-operation between the State and the private individual. But the motor cannot be regarded as an offensive agency; it is merely taking itg accorded place in the. march of progress, and a great deal of resentment will be displayed by the public if they are denied the right to travel by motor bus because the pioneers of civilisation imposed on them the responsibility of railways They will not consent to see the services which are such a distinct convenience to thenw hounded off the road by irksome restrictions. There should be a' medium in all things, and the, attitude of the railway representatives in addressing the central licensing authority was far from reassuring. —“Southland Daily News.”

quiet of the community. And how aggrieved these dear old ladies would be if after relishing some choice piece of*scandal they were told that by their conduct they were preparing the world for the next war, yet so it is. Were'these little acts of petty spite which always go on, and of which most of us are guilty, not tolerated in a community, then it would be difficult, indeed, to build up a mass mind of hate, of malice, or of unchaiitableness. Could men and women resist the lesser, the smaller, malicious act it woud become almost impossible for support to be gained for the greater offences of sectional disputes and of anti-social activity. The sectional disputant of politics, religion, or of economics and trade cannot do any damage unless he is backed up by battalions of public opinion. The anti-social activities of the bootlegger would wane were there no respectable people willing to avail themselves of their illegal activities. And on the wider field, if men and women preferred to be right rather than to be popular, then the ideas which gain currency and sweep a country into open warfare would perish at theii source that is in the minds of men. “Wanganui Chronicle.”