WE NEW ZEALANDERS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 266, 28 July 1944, Page 3

WE NEW ZEALANDERS

Sir,-The discussion in your columns has provided me with the excuse for saying something I wanted to say about Mr. Fairburn’s essay We New Zealanders, recently reviewed in your paper. His reference to the wealthy woman in a Cadillac on page 6 of his essay is commonplace; his reference to "our" attitude towards the English on page 7 is not true (the average New Zealand workman does not regard the English as the dominant race); I query his statement that "we have been influenced by the American standard of business efficiency that would enforce prohibition if it could’; I don’t think his stress on the war being a gldébal one is news to anybody; I think he is far too superficial when he says "we" are all intent on grabbing our share of the gravy; I think he overdoes his harping on the attitude of a minority towards England as home; I disagree entirely with his opinion that most New Zea-, landers have respect for a man with a title; I don’t think he is being clever when he says the English people, "from rag-pickers to dukes," agree that nobody can run England but Old Etonians and Old Harrovians; I consider his statement that it is impossible for him to go along any street without having threats of damnation hurled at him’ from large hoardings a_ typical generalisation: from my own experience in the reporters’ room, I disagree with him when he says a newspaper will fully report a "successful usurer" whenever he opens his mouth; and I think his suggestion that nine out of 10 films sent to this country should be banned is too drastic, In short, my point of view is a lot different from Mr. Fairburn’s. But I am not saying that my point of view should tread "our" point of view. I believe Mr. Fairburn should have been equally cautious. Things would not have been so hazy in his formal essay if he had stated at’the outset that "we" for him meant "we of the middle-class,’ and that he himself was a member of the middle-class, even if a Douglas Reedish sort of member. As it is, his references to such things as protracted telephone conversations will be foreign to those people not possessing telephones. And it is ridiculous of him to distinguish between shop assistants and tram conductors. The job makes no difference. People are people, with their bad points and their good points. A cantankerous

poet can’t do much about it.

D. W.

BALLANTYNE

(Auckland).

Sir-*"Third Generation New Zealander’s" letter contains matter for serious thought. If things are as he says, I agree that some sensible thing should . be done about it, For a start, I would suggest that he and people of like mind should procure a good mirror and a copy of that queer old book "The Bible," -and earnestly read St, Luke Chap. 18, v, 10-12. After reading they should study the figure in the mirror and ponder deeply. "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men

are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican, I. fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I

possess. 9.

ANOTHER NORTH AUCK

LANDER

(Kaitaia).