“‘Life pretty good”

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 34

“‘Life pretty good”

Peter Farr is single, aged 22, and a certified mechanic. “Life in New Zealand is all right at present,” he said. "It’s probably harder than a lot would like, but people all around the world seem to be suffering from inflation. “New Zealanders have got everything they want. On the whole, we’ve got it pretty good. A lot moan about conditions and prices, but they don’t realise that we’ve got to make sacrifices for the good of the country. I’ve just read that in the first four months of this

year, $4.5 million was spent on colour television sets in Canterbury. So everyone must be fairly well off. “Those that aren’t have the means to get off their fat butts and do something about it. A lot of New Zealanders don’t think, and then they find themselves in financial trouble. They like to have the luxuries of life. This housewives’ boycott made me laugh. Who needs chocolate biscuits? We’ve got to learn to spend our money wisely. Then we’d all be a lot better off.” Peter Farr is living at home with his parents, but is engaged to be married in

December. “I’m in the predicament of finding money for a house,” he said. “I’m saving for a deposit. It’s within my means.” He has no criticism to make of the way of life in New Zealand. “I dislike high prices and inflation,” he said, “but we’ve brought it on ourselves. Certain sectors want more for their goods, and it becomes a vicious circle. But the rest of the world doesn’t owe us a living. “I like the style of life here. It’s very free and open.”