PREDICTIONS OF CALAMITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 January 1939, Page 7

PREDICTIONS OF CALAMITY

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In your issue of Friday, January 6, under the heading of “Labour Rule,” there appeared a letter from M. W. Welch. Mauriceville, whom I presume is an old pioneer, predicting, pardon me. prognosticating a calamity, for this country. Sir and M.W.W. it’s here, we’re ruined. Consider the takings of shopkeepers over Christmas, the investments on totalisators and the thousands of people who left New Zealand over the holiday period. It is said, too, that thousands of people have withdrawn their money from the P.O. Savings Bank and invested it outside New Zealand.

Sir, we have a prophet in our midst, nay, more than that, for M.W.W. can read the thoughts of Hitler and Mussolini, and knows just what they would say to Mr Semple. Had he not publicly announced this great gift, what a hand-out he would have been to Mr Chamberlain, but now these two gentlemen will cease thinking and we will not be forewarned. M.W.W. awaits the aftermath of the Government’s policy. Well, Sir. we know the aftermath of the policy of our bush-chopping pioneers. Perhaps had they built more roads and bridges and chopped less bush we would not now be faced with the fact that in the near future we will have to spend millions of pounds on afforestation and in river protection work. Let us forget who introduced into New Zealand gorse, blackberry, broom, rabbits, deer, etc. and when these gentlemen inform us they ate (heir lunches on wet logs—well, 1 ask you. Now, Sir, as the National Party died at the last election, and as the new Democrats did not eventuate. I would suggest that M.W.W. form a new party to oppose the Government at the next

. lection. This would, of course, be call'd the Pioneer Party, and providing sufficient wet logs are procurable, all preliminary meetings of the party would be held at Mauriceville on the first day of April in each year at which he members would compare notes. If successful at the next election the new party could immediately put bush choppers into the Tararuas. demolish the Opaki traffic ramp and immediate'y commence the construction of slab huts with clay chimneys, complete, of course, with wet log. Any surplus in he Budget could be used in sending he Opaki football team on tour in Vlangamahoe. Napoleon came from a itfle Corsican village, so why should not our next Prime Minister came from Mauriceville. Sir. it is time we took Mr M. W. Welch seriously, and it is my arnest wish that he continue his prognostications. and come in out of the .vet. Thanking your for valuable space. ( am. etc.

KERIWHAKAPAPA Mt Bruce, January 13.