ENGLAND AND HER CRITICS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18901, 17 January 1927, Page 13

ENGLAND AND HER CRITICS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TRESS. Sir,—l was glad to sco yesterday the letter from "Ex-Officer" on the subject of England aa a ."Nation of Beggars," pointing out a few facts apparently unknown to tl.o giver of this gracious title. No thinking man will pay anv attention to anyone who describes his Motherland in such terms, but there are a few people who have not had the good fortune to visit England and see for themselves how great she really is, who may swallow the idle words of an ungrateful child. J. hopo-your correspondent will think twice 'before making such statements again, that he will benefit from the facts given him bv "Ex-Officer, that he will realise that he is very small fry on this earth, that he will thank God for the great privilege bestowed upon him of being a member of the greatest Empire the world has ever seen or ever will see, and fufther that he will admit (if he believes his own words) that he is a beggar from beggars, for if ho only knew it he lives on a "Nation or Beggars."-Yours, yuhU Mount Somers, January 10th.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PEESS. Sir,— Although I treated the "Nation of Beggars" item, which appeared in au Auckland daily recently, with tho contempt that it deserved, I feel I must support "Ex-Officer's" letter in your Friday's issue, and assure "Ex-Officer" that at least 90 per cent, of New Zealanders have British blood flowing through their veins and, therefore, resent the trash that has recently appeared in the Press of New Zealand. It is the other 10 per cent, that likes to throw mud at Old England on every occasion, forgetting, or course, that we are absolutely dependent on her for our very existence, ior if that "Nation of Beggars" did not consume all our butter, cheese, meat, etc., who tho devil would? As regards tho "Nation of Beggars" extract, we should all treat it as if it had been written by the pen of an antiEnglishman, for I defy any real Britisher to write such absolute trash, and, incidentally, it is indirectly aninsult to New Zealanders. "ExOfficer" only tells us what we all know, viz., England is the only country to pay her honourable debts, and we are all proud of her and look upon her as the most wonderful nation the world has over seen, and, don't forget that we are part and parcel of her. Now, Sir, would it not be better for us to pull the mote out of our own eye first, as I notice in Saturday's issue of The Pkzss. another critic's remarks headed "The Dole: Blackness in England." Good Heavens! One would think that poor old England was "going to the dogs," but let me say here that "she is not," and never will, so long as we Britishers in tho outposts of Empire are loyal to her. England has passed through -trying times again and again, but she always comes out on top; her dogged determination carries her through, as those great ancestors of ours from England, dogged determination has made our glorious New Zealand what it is to-day; let us all be thankful we are part of England. lam not going to criticise New Zealand, I have great respect for her, but I must point out that we should mind our own business first, for in another column in Friday's 'issue J notice the heading, "The Workless: Relief Funds Gone: Situation Acute," and underneath at Auckland, where the author of "Nation of Beggars" comes from, I see "One Thousand Men Want Work." What is the difference between all this and the dole referred to by Dr. Foster, or the "Nation of Beggars," referred to by Mr H. K. Jenkins? I must remind you. Sir, that our worthy Prime has recently 9 been lionised at Home, and he has been voicing New Zealand's views regarding loyalty, etc. Mow small he would feel if ho read the statements referred to above.

In conclusion lot us adopt the old practice of making half our money by minding our own business, and the other half byletting other people mind theirs. —Yours, etc., PRO PATPJA. \ TO THE EDITOJt OP, THE PBESB. Sk,—Having reread the report of an interview by your correspondent in Auckland under the heading "A Nation of Beggars,'' published in your columns of tho 12th inst., I feel "ExOfficer" in your issue of yesterday's date is needlessly hurt, for though that heading might have been less objectionably expressed I do not believe The ._ Press would have given such prominence to it had it been intended offensively. Nevertheless, "Ex-Officer" has done good service in reminding us in theso "decadent times]' of Britain's great sacrifices and achievements, of which as Britishers we all must be so proud. Could I believe the reported interview was meant in the offensive, sense ho has interpreted it, I and all decent-minded people would promptly join him in his righteous indignation at such an unjustified aspersion on the Motherland, but I take # it to be, rather, as intended, to give emphasis to the views of a prominent Auckland citizen—l am not acquainted with Mr Jenkins—on the debasing, demoralising, and pauperising influence of tho accursed dole, which every thoughtful individual condemns. I do not think I will be considered as lacking in sympathy for the present position of the Homeland or her difficulties, nor in grateful appreciation for what she has done for us, but it is precisely because of this and other splendid and glorious traditions of the past that we are all so concerned tor her present and anxious for her future prosperity and strength. If such anxiety and fears, however groundless, give expression to incautious or hurtful words, they need not be taken too •seriously, or other than an indication of what gives rise to them, and after all it is as well we should see ourselves as others see us, even though tne vision be expressed in unfortunate words. . r It would have been quite easy tor "Ex-Officer" to have criticised and explained away Mr Jenkins's statements in the interview referred to, but ins more or less natural explosive indignation at what seemed to be implied as tho "general character of the Englishman found vent in his timely protest But have w* not got.much the same sort of thing here in. the fuss made over some temporary unemployment, for there are thoso amongst us, as well as in England, who would be content and Others who would counsel them to live on the dole. . . .Reference is made in the »uterv«w to the fact that "Mr Jenkins is a keen advocate of the purchase of British goods." Herein is the remedy for England's present difficulty, and ifl all her will-wishers and admirers_*ould determine to purchase only Empire manufactures, to the total exclusion or American and other foreign goods there would not long be much need 101 the dole.—Yours, etc.. tvri? EDW. G. LE\INGE. Cashmere Hills. January loth. .192/.