Nation Building

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 104, 26 January 1939, Page 13

Nation Building

Sir,—The Minister of Industries and Commerce is a versatile gentleman varying his style with his environment. The other evening we heard him pianissimo over the radio (taking the Rev. Mr. Scrimgeour’s broadcast), and he gave us one hour of unadulterated pessimism. The slump; the hardships of the poor downtrodden working man, his own horror as mayor' of Christchurch at the avarice and cupidity of the bloated capitalist. These were all emphasized and featured with a little homily at the end pointing out the moral. He forgot to tell of the many wealthy men in Christchurch who helped the mayor’s fund when their own businesses were running at a loss. Now! AVe hear him “crescendo,” “we must build a nation.” One might well ask what was New Zealand four years ago. before Labour took office.

This little country sent thousands of young, virile men to the front, and one cannot remember the Labour Party of that day helping the Defence Minister. New Zealand was then a nation. It had a public spirit, and a plenitude of sacrifice. AA'e were a nation. Let the hon. gentleman look to it that we don’t deteriorate through spoon feeding. A nation is not built of Public AVorks employees, sustenance men, ring-fenced factory hands. It is built up by hard-fisted, independent small farmers, merchants, freeholders, etc. It is not built up by spoonfeeding local industry. It is built up by individual traders doing their bit for themselves, energizing their own businesses and encouraging their employees to help themselves. In a word, it is built up, not by community, but by individual effort. A nation is not built up of primary or secondary industry hor solely from the professional, trading or labouring classes* It is built by the character, integrity and energy of all of these. “Not in broad streets nor tall buildings does a nation’s, greatness lie, but in the character of its people.”—-Disraeli — I am, etc., a:p. Christchurch, January 23.