Spirit Counteth

NZ Truth, Issue 1177, 21 June 1928, Page 6

Spirit Counteth

FRED NORRIS, of Masterton, is disliked by a number of peopie m the

district because he won't rest consent with growling at the Government, the farming industry, the drift to the cities and all that sort of thing. Would closer settletnent of land m the Wairarapa help? Then he brings down a scheme. Would a plug ' of dynamite under industry assist, at v all? Then he brings down another scheme. In most cases the public groans, fiddles about a bit, then . announces with relief that it can't be. done. But like a cork m water Fred bobs up with something new. .'<.'• If you can't grow flax, fruit or tobacco fer foreign or local trade, he says, then grow tinned cabbages, rabbits, bananas^-grow meat for export to Java, Hong' Kong, the North Pole — anywhere, but for goodness sake do something! Certain of his ideas are somewhat rakish, but he. means well — and, after all, it is the progressive spirit that counts to a large extent. As the Old Book hath it m practically similar words, where there is no spirit there the flesh fadeth or rotteth or slippeth- — whatever it is. In the meantime, Fred, who runs a retail establishment m his spare moments, does his best to popularize the tourist resorts of the Wairarapa, m his capacity as organizer of the Wairarapa Progress League, the child of his brain.