“DENIGRATION OF TRADITION”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31162, 12 September 1966, Page 14

“DENIGRATION OF TRADITION”

There was a section in the community which deliberately denigrated the history and tradition of the English peoples, the Minister of Finance (Mr Lake) said in an address before he opened the new Christchurch College hall of residence at Ham on Saturday.

“When one looks to the future one sees many things which threaten the continued existence of our English civilisation —a civilisation which has done so much to illumine the lives of men in all corners of the world,” he said. “We are threatened not only by the dark forces of authoritarianism and the seemingly insoluble dilemma of population pressure on world resources. “Within our Own society some precious elements of our civilsation are endangered by the materialism which in many ways is a by-product of that civilisation. “We even have in our community an element which deliberately denigrates our his-

tory and our tradition,” Mr Lake said. “However serious these threats may seem, let us recall that at many times in English history we have successfully dealt with threats to our very existence as a people, and that we have always managed, even in extreme adversity, to preserve the moral and intellectual values which distinguish our civilisation from others. “I am confident that we, the English peoples, will continue to lead the world towards a better future.” He was constantly being impressed by the achievements of the younger generation of New Zealanders, whether they were of English, Welsh, Scots, Irish, Maori or of other origins. “The cultures of all these peoples have enriched our heritage. “Those of us who are thenseniors have no reason to expect that our young will fail either ourselves or those who have gone before us,” said Mr Lake.