CHEER UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 94, 22 April 1931, Page 6

CHEER UP.

AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON FOR 2/11. At least one unemployed citizen of Auckland has had his confidence in human nature restored. He has amply demonstrated that there are means of overcoming apparently insurmountable difficulties if one has the will to try. He has found there are many sterling people who are ready to give a helping hand, and, what is more, to give cheerfully to assist a less fortunate brother along a hard road. Many months of unemployment had reduced an Aucklander to dire straits, and when a position was finally secured with a Wellington firm the problem of transport seemed to preclude the acceptance of the job. Having no friends in a position to act as banker, a visit to a nearby "uncle" was decided upon. This produced the meagre sum of five shillings, which was the total available fund for the journey to the capital city. That night he took up a strategic position on the highroad and waited. Presently, as had been anticipated, a motor lorry approached. The friendly driver offered a "lift" as far as Huntly, and, on hearing of his passenger's destination, furnished the information that another lorry, going as far as Frankton Junction, and possibly to Te Awamutu, was following up behind. The first stage of the journey passed pleasantly enough, the only diversion being at the Razorback, where some difficulty was encountered in coaxing the lorry up the incline. After two unsuccessful attempts to climb in the orthodox manner the ascent was made in reverse gear. The Aucklander was kept interested and amused for the balance of the journey to Huntly by the fund of reminiscences that the driver had to tell. At Huntly there was a short wait for the Frankton lorry. The driver proved to be another friendly soul, who carried the traveller over the second stage of the journey, and it was not long before Frankton Junction was reached. Here the Aucklander was introduced to a number of carriers, and he was deeply impressed by the bonhomie of these gentlemen of the road. Tea and toast appeared and no payment was asked, or accepted, of the traveller. After a pleasant halfhour, amid cigarette smoke and hearty good fellowship, the journey was continued. At Te Awamutu an expression of thanks was interrupted by* a cheerful "That's all right. Glad of the company." With a better appreciation of the good qualities of human nature than he had had for a long time, our fellow citizen looked about him. His next objective was Te Kuiti, and, after a number of inquiries, he found that if he wanted to reach there that day the only means of conveyance was the railway. Time being of some consideration, the momentous decision was made in favour of the rail. The fare from Te Awamutu to Te Kuiti is two and elevenpence, and it was on this stage of the journey that the total expenditure for the entire trip was made. Inquiries in Te Kuiti at garages and hotels disclosed the fact that several people were leaving for Xew Plymouth by car the following day. One of these kindly offered a seat in his car, and an appointment was made for early the next morning. With the approach of night came the problem of a bed. The prospect of sleeping in the open was not pleasant, and yet it was necessary to save some money for a clean up on arrival at Wellington. That night was spent in a taxi cab and a good meal was sent down by th* proprietor's wife. Everything went according to plan the next day, and Xew Plymouth was reached about four o'clock in the afternoon. This time the Good Samaritan introduced the Aucklander to a friend, who not only put him up for the night, but also saw him safely aboard a commercial traveller's car bound for Palmerston Xorth the next day. Here luck still favoured the man from the Queen City. The commercial traveller who had brought him from Xew Plymouth, being typical of his kind, "shouted" a meal and a "spot." It was while consuming the. latter that another C.T., being informed of the situation, gladly offered a seat in his car as far as Wellington in return for the Auckland man's company. And that is how a journey from Auckland to Wellington was accomplished on two and elevenpence. This incident is, probably, only one of many similar instances of how cheerful, optimistic and whole-hearted co-operation can carry a trying situation to a successful close. Xothing is ever quite as hopeless as appearances may lead us to believe, and one never knows what lies around the corner. Fear and despair cannot live in an atmosphere of hope and good cheer, and one is as easy to create as the other. Let us look for the silver lining of future prosperity r that is somewhere within this dark cloud of depression, and let us look with a smile in our hearts and on our lips —we will find it all the quicker. Victor Hugo expressed his outlook thus: "Ever onward; that is my idea. If the Lord had intended us to look backwards he would have put an eye in the back of our heads." Let's try it, and cheer up. —S.D.