The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1911. TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 115, 4 November 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1911. TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Unjustifiably we estimate the human progress in New Zealand by the progress of towns. We regard accumulation of wealth by individuals in urban areas as evidence of prosperity of the whole, even though the social problems grow in gravity at every access of urban population. Primarly no town can expand in wealth and influence except by a corresponding expansion of rural or mineral activity. Mr. Field. M.P.. wants a commission to enquire into methods for improving the health of New Zealanders. the suggestion, of course, being that in this conntry, where perfect conditions exist (if they are taken advantage of) there is too large a proportion of sick. Mr. Buddo repeated what men of even greater eminence than he have remarked: "Deterioration of the race is partly due to the tendency of the population to flow to towns." In this year of grace in New Zealand there are. according to State statistics. r>o.).."f)S people residing in boroughs, and therefore being supported bv the smaller proportion—loo,742. The urban population has increased steadily, being largely supplied by rural folk. Tt is. of course, quite normal that large numbers of country people should drift into towns, and there is no better example of the peopling of a city by rural folk than that of Wellington. The trouble is that succeeding generations of town folks licroinc less fit owing to the constant trend towards unnatural living, anil the exchange of town folks

into the country i- not sufficiently large for tli« needs of n eounlrv that depends almost absolutely on products of the soil. ft is suggested that the rapid congestion of population in Xew Zealand towns makes it harder to obtain a living, and thus drives men forth to the land, but although this may be the fact in some cases it is the exception rather than the rule. All social trouble arises in town populations, and when the country is calling the loudest for men, the towns remain just a= congested as ever. There is a fata] i'a-i-hintion even about the poverty of a town that makes many people stick to it even as mendicants. Jn process of time, if the conditions indicated by the figures quoted continue urgent necessity will force people to

primary Industries. The innumerable ocr pupations that are absolutely non-pro-ductive and are entered into as an easy way of petting a share of the wealth the other fellow creates disappear in times of national stress and financial stringency, and at such times, also, the value of land is- in wliat it will grow, because it has no sale value. If the man on the land is to he prevented from going to the towns, the land must be the first, middle and last thought of the State. TJhcrc is no excuse for the massing of the New Zealand population in towns, or for a repetition of Old World conditions in a country that is in the first flush of its youth. The stranger in New Zealand is appalled at the tremendous areas of I unused land. lie may travel on a train all day and several days through land i that is' not producing one-tenth of its I just produce, and may rest in cities that have every social problem known to Europe, because of this waste of opportunity. The flocking of the people to the towns will eventually force real attention to a problem that will only be settled by providing every opportunity and inducement for settling on the land. •The latest land proposals of the Government are in this direction, but what is also needed is the bursting of some of the big estates of the country and making them available for settlement at the earliest possible moment. The present taxation has so far failed in its mission and the time has come when the Govenrment should impose such a tax as will make the holding of big areas of land quite unprofitable.

A FINE PUBLIC RECORD. When the history of Tarandki comes to he written, the name of Mr. J.W. Tweman will figure prominently, for few of 'it* settlers have a greater record of public service, ungrudgingly given, and faithfully performed. For" some time past Mr. Foreman has not enjoyed the best of health, and has gradually been relinquishing the public posts be has for so long and ably filled, and yesterday he severed connection with his remaining pnblie position, that of the chairmanship of the Clifton County Council, a body with which he has been connected for over 10 years, quit? a record in its ! way. Advantage was taken, of tie opI portunity by members to r'eoord their appreciation of the services he had durI jug that long time rendered ratepayers ■iind! to wish him good health and long life in his retirement. We gladly associate ourselves with these sentiments. We have had occasion to differ from Mr. Foreman in regard to the rating of ■Maori property, but the difference in no way affects our appreciation of his sterling qualities and his honoraible connection with public life in Taranaki., Only n small proportion of men possessing the .requisite talent and opportunity seem to have any conception of the duty they owe their fellow-settlers and the country as a whole. The majority seem to he too immersed in their own affairs to give a thought—other than to find fault with the work of others—to assisting in the local government of their own district. Hence, we find a paucity of,men.coming forward to fill the public positions, which as often as not go a-begging. It is a deplorable state of affairs and will only be altered when men are possessed of a truer sense of their responsibilities and of the duty they owe to their fellownicn. Mr. Foreman has had this sense in the highest degree, and gave of his time, and probably of his pocket, freely and without hope of reward. In this respect he has set a fine example to the younger men of the community, and we hope they will profit by it. We only trust Mr. Foreman will "be spared for i many a long day and will enjoy better health than, unfortunately, has been his lot lately.

SOLDIERING ON SUNDAYS. It is reasonable that a man may be permitted to spend his Sunday as he thinks best as long as he observes the decencies and does not flagrantly jar the sensibilities of his follow-men. He is generally (if a civilian) master of .his own actions. If he is a soldier, he is of no earthly Vise if lie is muster of his own actions, for obedience to commands is the first essential of his service. Any instruction issued to soldiers should be mandatory. If it is a request, it is- a mandate in disguise to the soldier who is worth' the name. If this view is accepted the officers of the Eleventh Regiment (Taranaki Territorials) are ordered to prepare.this evening (Saturday) for a full day's soldiering to-morrow (Sunday). We do not say there is anything evil J in undertaking skeleton military operations on Sunday. We merely hold that Sunday should be held 'secure, a day of rest, that its' use by officers (who have not, or should rot, have any "say" in the matter) is not acceptable to the public (whose servants they are), and that there is no necessity in time of peace for military operations on the day of rest. The instructions issued from the adjutant's office, although not couched in tlie excellent nnd -unequivocal way of most military orders, should be accepted as commands, and we should be very sorry to think that any officer of the regiment, would not obey them, no matter what- his personal idea on the sanctity of the Sabbath might be. Our protest is levelled at the authorities, who obviously intend to quite unnecessarily use Sunday for instruction. We have ( or we say we have) a compulsory system, and therefore it is as easy to order the officers of a regiment, or the regiment itself, to turn out on a, halfholiday, or a- whole holiday as on a Sunday. The Sunday idea is probably merely the outcome of keenness on the pairt of area officers, and would be entirely commendable if the particular, day was not chosen to put it in execution. We are quite certain that New Zf.vlanders do not want the due observance of the Sabbath mutilated in any way. It may be old-fashioned to desire the continued sanctity of the Sabbath, but its >anctity is still worth fighting for. Every soldier man knows that there have been many occasions even on the field of battle where opposing armies have called a halt for the due oli-erv-ant'O of (he day of rest, and there arc instances, too, wlicre the enemy's soldiers have, joined in the ordinary Sabbath celebrations. It is hoped that our officers who arc particularly keen and capable will .be able to get in enough field work without being instructed or requested or ordered to go soldiering on Sundav.