The Press SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1961. A Year Of Contrast

Press, Volume C, Issue 29709, 30 December 1961, Page 10

The Press SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1961. A Year Of Contrast

History will remember 1961 as the year in which man ventured into space, and the year in which he ouilt a dirty little wall across Berlin. It has been a year in which human endeavour has been shadowed by human folly and malice, but not obscured. The beginning of the Mohoie project to explore the earth beneath its crust, the publication of the new English translation of the New Testament, the completion of the first link in the new Commonwealth cable, great strides towards equality by American negroes—these were among man’s successes. Nearer home, we can count to our credit such New Zealand achievements as the independence of Western. Samoa and the abolition of capital punishment for murder. These things should be remembered as well as Russia’s betrayal of the atomic moratorium, Mr Nehru's retreat from nonviolence. and South Africa’s self-imposed exile. Politically it has been a year of ferment, with the Congo a microcosm. The old League of Nations died of inertia; its successor, bogged down though it is in the Congo, is at least attempting to exert a positive influence, for which the world may live to thank Mr Hammarskjold, unquestionably the man of 1961, who died for his cause. Round the world the same pattern, or lack of it, has marked the changing months. In the Americas a great nation’s youngest President firmly grasped office, another President meekly fled from the burdens of responsibility, and a dictator was assassinated. The United Arab Republic broke up. Even the Com-

munist sector lost its appearance of solidity with the abandonment of attempts to cover over the breach between Russia and China. Western Europe has provided the notable exception in Britain’s historic decision to ieek restoration of its long-forgotten association with the Continent Like so many post-war years, 1961 has promised to unfold a great human tragedy, but has opened no more than a grisly prologue. The world is still waiting for what is to come next It may still be waiting at the New Year’s end. New Zealanders cannot be unmoved by the sorrows and trials of other peoples, however distant. But from a selfish point of view they have had a good year, little troubled by a financial cloud hanging over the future—a cloud that has not been dispelled by the cautious (or timid?) policy of a Government that may be too much impressed by old political fears. What New Zealanders face, however, is not the misery that accompanies life in so many countries. At worst they may suffer a fractional lessening of their material standard of living. They can still count themselves fortunate to live in a land on which the unswerving seasons smile; as "The “ Press ” counts itself fortunate to have completed 100 successful years in favoured surroundings. How we all fare in 1962 depends very much on the spirit in which we meet our troubles. With some confidence in the spirit of New Zealanders, “ The Press ” can offer its readers the sincere wish of “A Happy “ New Year ”,