PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20923, 30 September 1939, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents whose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not appear. MORE “BUFFOONERY” (To the Editor) Sir, —I recently had occasion to regret the fact that Mr R. G. Young was losing his dash. By way of comment he has now supplied me with additional evidence. But he is not the only one on the down grade. I also recently asked Mr Hall Skelton to explain how a justification could be framed for the seizing of thirty million pounds by the Labour Government. No reply is apparently available. No intelligible justification can, of course, be framed, but we have known days when such a fact was no hurdle at all to our currency ’’reformers.” I drew—or tried to draw—Mr Young’s attention to Hitler’s issue of costless credit in Poland. This is Mr Young’s answer: “Let us have a look at the record of the Bank of England”! Such an answer is quite disappointing. Apart from the adoption of “Heil Hitler” as Alberta’s slogan, and his investiture by the Social Credit hierarchy with the Order of the Perpetual Vacuum (First Class) it appears to be the policy of the currency reformers to ignore this great currency experiment in Poland. It is interesting, however, on Mr Young’s authority to note that Alberta is going “to serve the welfare I of its own people rather than engage in the destructive folly of Europe”—and so give Hitler a free hand. This example of mutual regard among the currency reformers is noteworthy. But Mr Young is not to be deterred in his frontal attack against the Bank of England, of which Mr Montagu Norman has unhappily to bear the brunt. “Mr Norman is the gentleman responsible lor the

policy ol breaking up perfectly good ships in the futile effort to maintain profits.” For the purpose of comment upon this remarkable statement I am privileged through th# good offices of the censor to make available to your readers my impression of an epistle Mr Young might send to Mr Chamberlain expounding his protest. Your readers will be interested to know that Mr Young was able to claim the modest indulgence of that patriotic spirit which he found was regrettably lacking in other financial authorities. He stated that he had always anticipated this war, and was pleased to assure the British Government that he had been able, at great personal risk and effort, to save a unit of the British Navy against the day when its services would be required. Till, particular unit which unpatriotic persons had desired to scrap was lying under the willows at the Memorial Park and possession could be taken by His Majesty's Government at any moment. Mr Young went on to add that this vessel had been preserved right from the days of the Maori Wars and was specially adapted for river service. He ventured to express the opinion that the sight of “H.M.S. Rangiriri” coming round the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein would be very likely indeed to cause consternation in the watch on the Rhine. In amplifying his protest against Mr Norman’s culling of the marine service, Mr Young stated that for his own part, he had always protested against the despatch of "perfectly good cows” .to the boiling-down works. Knowing that every animal would be required in the case of war, he had not culled a cow for at least twenty years. He finished by assuring Mr Chamberlain that such a course of action was incredibly effective in freeing one from the embarrassment of “maintaining profits.” I am, etc., DOUGLAS SEYMOUR. Hamilton, Sept. 29.