Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1938. AN ENTERPRISE NEGLECTED.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1938, Page 6

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1938. AN ENTERPRISE NEGLECTED.

OBSERVATIONS on the subject of immigration macle by Archbishop Averill in the course of his charge the other day to the Auckland Diocesan Synod are calculated to stir the conscience of thinking men and women in this country. The Primate said, for example, that this question, which was for him far above party politics, would never be solved satisfactorily if the people put their own selfish interests before their duty to God and their Empire. What is the answer to fhis evidently sincere challenge? We are most of us the descendants of brave and enterprising people, though many of them were but “plain folks,” intent, in the phrase that many of them used, on “bettering themselves” and on opening a wider horizon of opportunity for their children, and their children’s children, than could be hoped for in the homeland of the race. It is evidently not maintaining the standards of our pioneers to be content with the state of affairs summed up by Archbishop Averill when he said:— ■Too long have we ignoredqthe seriousness of the .position and consoled ourselves with the thought that no great change is likely to happen in our time. Is such a thought worthy of men and women who have inherited a great trust —a trust committed to them on behalf of the world? While the inertia that makes us content to ignore and neglect the problem ,of more adequately peopling and developing our country undoubtedly is selfish, the selfishness disclosed is based on no very high standard of intelligence. A more enlightened selfishness in itself might well prompt and induce a vastly more enterprising attack on the problem of immigration than has been attempted under successive Governments. A policy of immigration wisely planned and carried out would benefit all sections of flie existing population instead of depriving people of employment or otherwise undermining their welfare or comfort. It is admitted that undirected or ill-directed immigration might easily magnify our unemployment. Indiscriminate immigration, as Archbishop Averill observed, would be a disaster, but, as he pertinently added, why should if be indiscriminate? The fact that indiscriminate immigration would be a disaster is admitted and is over and done with. No one wants to precipitate that disaster. The point that matters is that as a people we are allowing ourselves to be reduced to helpless inaction because there are some detail difficulties to be overcome in organising immigration that would be beneficial, and so are neglecting an invaluable means of providing for the future security and welfare of our country. Showing as poor a spirit and standard of performance, our early colonists would speedily have gone home again, leaving New Zealand to the Maoris, or to any competing people which eared to take up their pioneering task. Drifting inertia is entirely unworthy of a people of our ancestry, inhabiting a country, like New Zealand. For the sake of mere self-respect and in order that our future may be worthy of our past and better than our present, action is demanded. There should be a methodical study, from all necessary angles of the possibility of establishing additional population securely in productive occupation. This implies not only seeking and welcoming the co-opera-tion of Great Britain and of British people, but of extending a welcome to foreigners, not least to the members of races and groups now being persecuted in Europe, who are’ capable of becoming worthy and desirable citizens of New Zealand. Many of these people are at present without a country, but are worthy of being adopted as citizens by any country. On top of a ruthless displacement of Jews and others, many Czechs and Germans to whom dictatorship is distasteful are under an imperative necessity of seeking new homes. If only we can shake off our customary sloth where immigration is concerned, there is an opportunity here of doing good service in the cause of humanity and also to New Zealand. Not a few of the European exiles are well versed in the industrial technique and special knowledge which are greatly needed in this country in order that we may pursue an enterprising policy of development. The opportunity of introducing immigrants of this type is one that should be grasped eagerly and in grasping it we should take a practical step towards opening the way to immigration on an increased scale as time went on. Centuries ago, in a relatively dark age, foreign refugees admitted to England laid the foundations of great and valuable industries. Are we in New Zealand at the present day sunk so deep in a groove as to be incapable of emulating and profiting by -that excellent . example? THE BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY. TT is most heartening, as the president of the Masterton Beautifying Society, Dr Archer llosking, observed at the meeting of that organisation on Tuesday evening, to know that the society is assured of increased and continuing support. With its strengthened committee, it may be taken for granted that the society will extend steadily the fine record of achievement already standing Io its credit. Many suggestions, a number of them made at the meeting on Tuesday evening, are before the society for its consideration and there is no reason to doubt that funds can be raised with which to carry out approved works. Some of the suggestions perhaps look a fairly long way ahead. For example the grounding of overhead wires is wholly desirable, but has hitherto been regarded as impracticable on account of the cost entailed. Any step that is economically practicable certainly should be taken to hasten the removal of poles and wires from the streets. In this matter and others, the Beautifying Society ought to be given every facility for maintaining close touch with official town planning activities. The preparation of a town plan for Masterton is now well advanced, and it may be hoped that the time is near when a beginning will be made on zoning and on the control of all future development in accordance with approved principles. Town planning recommends itself primarily from the standpoint of economy and that of an efficient use of land and resources of other kinds. In giving practical effect to these principles, however, it will lend itself admirably to an unhampered extension of the special activities to which the Beautifying Society is devoted.