AGE AND DEGENERACY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 186, 6 August 1913, Page 8

AGE AND DEGENERACY.

OLD WORLD PROBLEMS. LESSONS FOR NEW ZEALAND. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Sir Joseph Ward was the guest of the New Zealand Club at luncheon to-day. In the course of a speech he said he had no political secrets to disclose. He held that it was desirable that some sort of permanent system should be established whereby the best results might be obtained for the protection of the great world-wide Empire. In the Old Country he believed a very great deal of interest was taken in this problem at the present time, and it was increasing all the time.

"In all parts of the Old Land," Sir Joseph continued, "the man who comes from New Zealand receives a very enthusiastic reception. It is recognised that this is a marvellous country, an:l that as a people we have a physique superior to the general type. I travelled more during my last vieit than before, and it is my opinion that we have everything here in New Zealand they have in the Old Land except one thing, and that is age. It i 3 that which gives England its charm to visitors from overseas. It is our youth that is our charm. Age has its beautiful side, but it has a terrible side. In the Old Land there are the signs of degeneracy not visible in a young country like our 3. I would like you aU to realise this, that we should endeavour by every possible means to make it impossible for degeneration to come here, and to do even-thing, if any degenerates are here, to nAfca it impossible for them to hand down their degeneracy. In the Old Land I found everywhere I went extreme poverty on the one hand and extreme wealth on the other. This is the difficulty of age, as generations come and go and the years pa6s by. It is the problem of age and de 'eneraev which is occupying the finest intellects in England to-day. To try and cope with this hereditary degeneracy which goes on from one generation to another, we, in this country should try to keep tlio problem away. We should try to prevent any paths ever being made which woul.l lead to degeneracy, and only have to be pulled up when the trouble may already have entered into the community. Wi> fhould try to keep those paths that load away from degeneracy, and no; pull them up by unwisdom in the name of refoim. (Applause.]