"SPEND YOUR MONEY IN THE TOWN."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 154, 16 November 1912, Page 4

"SPEND YOUR MONEY IN THE TOWN."

To the Editor. Sir,—Two articles in your paper theother morning suggest to me the advisability of speaking out on certain subjects, as I think it is time somebody did. All credit to "Sunny Jim" for having done so already. Are the men or the women the worst offenders in sending away from New Plymouth for their clothing; etc.? I know men who, when they want a suit, get patterns from Auckland or Wellington, from tailors who have already had their measure on their booksfor many years, and women there are amongst us who send to Wellington, say, for nearly every article, large and small, they want—and they want a lot, too, some of them. I fancy some of us "have their measure!" Why this striving and straining to get into a higher grade of society? For this is partly the motive, I am afraid, in many cases. It may be nice to be able to say "I got this dress or these shoes at Brownings' or the P.G.C." T think if their husbandsVespeci•ally those in business or professions, ,would point out to their wives tlie benefit they themselves and the residents generally would reap by keeping money in their own town, a good many of the thoughtless ones would perhaps realise

what this means to a community. lam glad to know there are some like "Sunny Jijn," who do all they can in the towjs; put*'there are many who send outside |or/:Jnost of what they could obtain here. I am glad also to know "Sunny Jim",is hof a croaker {I know of two, now), for this; is where they are bred. If you meet i ft ...person, either in or away from New I Plymouth,, who tells you "nothing will lever.be anything," you know at once he was bom in New Plymouth, or else hajl lived here a long time, too long, perhaps, 5n many eases.

J Your leading article the other morning, "Real Life,'' suggests a few thoughts ,to me; Why be so selfish? Why coiisider ourselves so much better or above isOmeone else? Why nod to me when I jhave my best clothes on, and become ishort-sighted. when I am not quite so (well;dressed ? Do clothes make the man? 'ls. your imported suit so much better :thari my locally-made one, or are you iany better because you have it on? I foften think it is a good thing for some ,of the more shallow or empty members 'of society that we wear clothes; otherwise, some of them might possibly be itaken for quite common clay. Could .'not try to introduce broader ideals info ;our : lives? Many of us came to the 'Dominion to escape from the snobbishiness and exclusivencss we were brought ■up amongst. Do we want to introdua* '.them here ? The Rev. Benson believes th« new democracy is "Imping itself. Will we ever have an aristocracy of merit? Will we ever "lift our hat" only to the man who has shown that he has done something clever for his country —the scientist, inventor, etc.?—l am, etc., BOHEMIAN.