NOTES BY THE WAY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 303, 17 August 1932, Page 4

NOTES BY THE WAY

'Passager.")

COMMENT AND CHRONICLE VIRTUES OF HUMILITY

(By '

The slump may have done a great deal of harm in this country and in. flieted suffering and hardship upon many, but it eertainly cannot be viexved as a visitation of unadulterated evil. For one thing, it has taught the very necessary lesson of humility. The ; farmer has lately been showing, with commendahle courage, that he is an apt pupil. Not long ago we heard the man on the laSid declaim with the utmost confidence that he was the "backhone of th'e country," that worY = ers in the towns were parasites, mifldlemen rohhers, and no one who did not own ayiO^aere patch knew any- ; thing about hard work. The 'farmer we were assured, produeed 80 per cent. of the country's wealth and paid practically all the taxation. But how have the * mighty f allen! With dust upon their heads and ashes in th'eir beards they have ahandoned all arrogance and given way to their superiors. At a recent meeting of the Makara County Council, Cr. R. Q. Mexted assured his colleagues that "sheep dogs are the backbone of New Zealand." The dog is, indeed, a noble animal and it is cause for rejoieing that he has come into his inheritance, * * » Just wh'at the hroadcasting of New ; Zealand oratory ai Ottawa is going to ; cost this country no one can yet say 'but the Hon. R. Masters seems to he fairly confident that his worthy colleagues are not going to be too expensive. In fact the modesty of his estimate savours strongly of optimism. When in Christchurch recently the chairman of the Eastern School Committee drew attention to the delapidation, unwh'olesomeness and inadequateness of their school building (he must have done, to live up to the usual standard of committee dsputations) and with pre-slump assurance aslced for new premises. Notwithstanding his softness of heart toward schools and seholars, the Minister turned a glassy eye on the deputation. He did not seem inclined to huijd new schools while bread lines did ihe goosestep in the principal citjes. Wh'ereupon th'e irate spokesman reminded him that £40,000 or £50,000 could be found for a little trip to Ottawa. It was a rude jolt, but Mr. Masters kept his head and assured the deputation that the venture into the realm of Empire Conference would only cost £4000. However, it would i be a pity to see the delegates stinted i for the sake of a few thousands. | There is ahout £130,000,000 frozen ; capital in the banks and why should i it not he spent on the frozen meat i battle at Ottawa? ' * * * It looks as if there is a great Jack ! of sympathy in the way the police I carry out sly-grog raids. It is not i displayed partieularly in the way of \ harshness to the alleged offenders, : but rather_in a callous disregard of 1 puhlic feeling. Take, for instance, the heartless way in which the police lacerated the feelings of the good people of Stratford recently. Stimulated by the suspicion that a certain husinessman was trying to eke out h'ard times by passing a few bottles out the back door th'ey obtained a search warrant and got to work. This was had enough when the poor man was only trying to make an honest penny, but there was Worse to follow. They loaded his "tools of trade" on to a lorry and aetually paraded the streets with the bung out, and rich red wine, which would h'ave inspired a Horace or Omar, poured away, gurgling down the gutters before the eyes of thirsty men who had spent their last few bob on the unemployment levy. It is such aets as these which make men glad that "a policeman's life is not a happy one." * * a! His Excellency, the Governor-Gen-eral, has been graciously free with his kindly advice to the people of New Zealand since coming to our shores, and the farmers have to'Be grateful to him for many useful hints with regard to agricultural matters. But his Excellency does not confine his vision to the cow paddock and has been able to help in many other directions. One : of his latest suggestions is that young men should study the Spanish langu- ' age so that they may obtain posi- ! tions in the Argentine# He declares there are good opportunities there. But what ahout the meat quota and British import tax. If Mr. Coates suceeeds in putting a spoke in the Argentum ehilled meat trade young New Zealanders won't he too popular in that quarter of the world. Undoubtedly the Ottawa Conference is beset with difficulties.