The Wrong Tree

New Zealand Listener, Volume 10, Issue 253, 28 April 1944, Page 7

The Wrong Tree

CORRESPONDENT suggests to-day that it is not wise to leave dogs barking too long up the wrong tree. He is right, but he is a spoiler of fun. He refers of course to the letters we printed last week attacking us for a footnote of the week before. That footnote contained two simple statements: (1) that it is foolish to rush into print without knowledge, and (2) that it is impudent for a visitor to insult his hosts. The reason for (1) was a "protest" by "a British subject visiting this country for the first time" against "the withdrawal of the BBC feature, Brains Trust." The feature had not been withdrawn, and has not been withdrawn yet. On the contrary it had been obtained with great difficulty and at considerable expense, and was being broadcast as regularly as the irregular mails from Britain permitted. We don’t know a better word for that kind of impetuosity than folly. The reason for (2) was this passage:

While writing might I suggest that for the prestige of this country only the proceedings of the House of Representatives which are of interest to the bulk of the people of the country be broadcast. I do not think that the majority of the people wish to hear the "brawlings" which take place, and are more concerned with the vital issues under discussion. A visitor of fine feelings and good sense would not suggest anything of the kind. Whatever he thought about us he would wait ‘to be asked before making any public comment, and then he would not pretend to know the wishes of the "majority of the people." In fact this visitor behaved very much as one would ‘behave who had been invited to lunch and very early in the meal criticised the cutlery or the cooking or the pictures on the wall. If there is a better word than the one we used to describe such conduct we should be glad to know what it is. At present we don’t know it or we should use it here. But we know of something more remarkable than the spectacle of a visiting Englishman walking into Hawke’s Bay to sneer at the intelligence and taste of New Zealanders. It is the spectacle. of a smirking New Zealander applauding him.