Galbraith’s sardonic humour

Press, 9 August 1982, Page 10

Galbraith’s sardonic humour

The world-respected economist. John Kenneth Galbraith, born of Canadian--800111511 farming stock, went on to become a confidant of statemen and close associate of the United States Democratic presidential candidate., Adlai Stevenson, and President Kennedy. Though he has seen the world of great affairs at close quarters, his independent upbringing has kept him detached enough to viewevents with a sardonic eye. Journalistic experience has helped him write about them with a crisp pen. sometimes with a drop of gall in the ink. but always with attractive dry humour. Six exerpts from Professor Galbraith's autobiography. “A Life in Our Time,” will be read by the author in a 8.8. C. series on the Concert • programme, starting at 8 o’clock tonight. In the first reading, “Making an Economist,” he will describe his Canadian boyhood and the experience as a student at Ontario Agricultural College he now recalls with something less than joy. Early settlers Emily Malcolm was an 18-year-old bride when she arrived in Auckland in 1848 '. with her Scottish barrister husband, Neill. Eventually they purchased land on Great Barrier Island and set-J out to farm it. There followed many years of struggle, not only to break in the land but also to establish . their right to possess it. In her preface to “My Own . Story,” Emily wrote: “The following narrative, strictly true in every particular, sets forth how imbecile and incompetent officials who held , office under the Provincial Government used the powers ‘ vested in them to make or mar the future of bona fide ’ settlers which resulted in two broken lives.” Yvonne Lawley is the narrator of “My Own Story,” in a Radio New Zealand production by Dai Evans, on the Concert programme, at 8.55 tonight.