The Dominion. SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 1909. CIVIC PATRIOTISM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 413, 23 January 1909, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 1909. CIVIC PATRIOTISM.

We are afraid that there is truth in the lament uttered by a member of the Victoria College Cquhcil, that Wellington compares badly with tho other cities of the Dominion in respect of the number of legacies left to .education. It waß mentioned that both Auckland and Duncdin have been much'more fortunate than Wellington in this respect, and an advantage might also be claimed for Christchurch. For many years tho Gomraack scholarship, .has boon a valuablo induce-

ment to Canterbury scholars anxious to enter tho University, and the Christchurch Public Library, which is another means to education, and is also under tho control of the Canterbury College Board of Governors, has benefited by more than one important bequest; Nor is it only in respect of education that the residents of othor centres have been more thoughtful for their city than those of Wellington. In Auckland the magnificent park at Ono Tree Hill, precious'collections in the Library and Art Gallery, and beautifulstatues in tho Albert Park, are moraorials of the love of Aucklanders for their city.' The spire of tho Ohristchurch Cathedral arid the Homo for Convalescents on the Cashmere Hills will serve for lasting monuments to a Canterbury name, nor do they stand alone. Christchurch, as well as Auckland, has fine statues, and a private botanist gave ■ the glory of his gardens to make beautiful tho city. The Dunedin citizen believes implicitly that, the fairest sight in the Dominion is "Dunedin from the Bay," and does his best to mako it so. Why Bhould Wellington be left tho Cinderella of the cities 1 It is not the fault of a. step-mother, though a heartless central Government,, in that relationship,'has filched.many of her green reserves. Is it the fault of her step-sons? There are old families in Wellington, as in other towns/but a large proportion of her children are hers only by adoption. They nave, come from north' and south, many of. them from tho other cities, to carve their fortunes in the Empire City, the centre-of government and trade. Many of her strong men, the leaders of her couneilß, have this history,, .and sometimes. at public, banquets thoy are not ashamed to triumph oyer her with their past," extolling the Dunedin "grit," tho southern "canniness." No offence is ever given by such remarks. Wellington: knows .that she is, in ,a.- considerable sense, a city of aliens, and that though, long since, they would sooner live in Babylon, their hearts will go back sometimes to Jerusalem. They have not done much for Wellington except in helping to make her strong and rich. They havo given to her charities and philanthropies, and social needs with no illiberal hand, but the : arts, and literature,',and ; beauty, do not know their largesse. The.city has no pleasure places, which are private gifts; it has a.single statue, symbolical, but hardly : beautiful;' tho only private benefaction which-leaps at once to memory is modest "Martin's fountain." This solitary tribute of affection stood in the city's centre for many years, an, example and a mute reproach. Now the reproach has been shifted to-a less conspicuous site. A former. Mayor of Wellington declared that, the view from tho Kelburna Kiosk':,was.,tho' finest in tho Southern Hemisphere) but few besides; have : cared to note' that; Cinderella can.be. beautiful,; and.nothing has been done to help her ' beauty. At Clifton, which forms the en-, trance'to Sumner, Christchurch, 4 brown and barren hillside'has ; been made gorge--ous with red and,yellow bloom. There are doubtless plants that would adorn the scarred hillsides of Wellington, but; they are left in unregarded naked 1 ugli-i ncss. Tho small attentions that are lavished "' by fond residents on tho other icities' 'aro'.denied to: Wellington, It-is, notthat she does hot inspire'attachment;, >he evokes-in thousands of hearts', that greatest affection, which is independent and unconscious .of'specific cause. ..;.

•Why is it, then,'that devotion has done so littio for Wellington! Possibly •her makers hare had to toil too , hard, hewing-her from tho hills, tearing her from tho sea; to think that'their creation could be more than a prosaic vantagp ground ( : of. trade—that it could be tho "city beautiful," an inspiration and : a joy. Men take pride in the , advanced municipal utilities-of Wellington,..but they do not sufficiently consider the' importance of amenities. The higher claims, the arts, the university, the beautiful, go unregarded. Probably it is because life moves at such a strenuous pace.in the Empire City that men do not Btop to think, except'about the fundamentally essential,' the bread and butter 1 of the city's; life.. But if a loaf of bread and a daffodil were with truth prescribed as the total of man's needs on-earth, it is not fair to omit the daffodil. We hope that some of the native children of Wellington, as well as tho adopted sons'who have prospered under her protection, will yet endow their city with the''visible emblems of affection which have not been lacking to her sister towns..'■. ■■'"