Carry Your Overdraft, Sir?

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26745, 31 May 1952, Page 6

Carry Your Overdraft, Sir?

[By WHIM WHAM] New Zealanders had, at least temporarily, lost their sense of value. . . . The tradition of the early Scottish settlers had been submerged. “Most of our ills spring from the fact that money is debased, and when money is debased people become debauched." • . . —Mr A. P. O’Shea, general secretary of the Federated Farmers. Some Logic, more ironical than funny, Pursues the Land that reverences Money: While Angels weep, and Devils choke with Mirth, The More we value It, the Less it’s worth. Credit is always easier than Cash. And turns an Honest Penny into Trash. 11l fares that Land, by Lucre’s Lure disgraced. Where Value slips and Money is debased: But is the Gadarene Procession halted When Value reigns, and Money is exalted? —Those earl}’ Scottish Settlers—gallant Clan! —Were on the Make as Much as any Man. Wasn’t that where this modern Mess began? MacTavish and MacGerkinshaw ploughed deep And sowed the Tares we Prodigals now reap. Hardheaded and stronghearted, did they yearn For Wealth beyond what honest Sweat could earn? Of Course they did, and sold each Drop of Sweat For Muckle Siller—-All that They could get! And We, their Heirs, just carry on the Same Old Scots Tradition, by another Name, By other Means. Should Money get the Blame? Unfair, you Jokers! Money, I submit. Is simoly What you choose to make of It. If Currency’s debased, the Way we spend It Is More to be deplored than how we

lend It. I only wish my Bank would make of Me Some Kind of economic Debauchee— Thev make me sweat like Samson at the Mill, The Burden of my Overdraft would

kill Sisyphus pushins' blindly up his Hill: The good old Scots Tradition’s with us still! • ♦ • IF There was nothing the Government could have done which had not been done.—Mr Holyoake. IF you can say. when All the Rest are wondering. You haven’t left a Stone unturned—not You! IF you can scrutinise your Aims and Actions And KNOW you did the Best that you could do; IF you can scan your Works and And them perfect, No Buses missed, no Duties left undone, IF you can feel in Public like St. Francis, Socrates and Sir Galahad in One. IF so, don’t hang round Here with Us poor Sinners, Your Place is in the Cabinet, my Son!