NEW ZEALANDERS AND FAIR PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 118, 20 May 1932, Page 6

NEW ZEALANDERS AND FAIR PLAY

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —One is led to believe that to be a "New Zealander" and "Xew Zealandborn," according to their ideas, is the apes of all that a person lieed desire in this world. According to these people, if a man has not been born in this Dominion ■what he has to say is not worth listening to, though he speaks with the tongue of an angel from heaveu. The fallacy of this is obvious. What does it matter where a person was born if they are such as we can trust, whose character is blameless, arid their conduct such as becometh .good citizens?':- ' .<''.'_■ * .'

I am not a '!N'ew Zealahder, or a Communist either; I was bom in Ulster, -which, you will understand-if you know anything about that part of the Empire, means I am the.very opposite to' a-Communist,"-in faith and practice. I hay sojourned in every part of the Empire-, but never, until I came to this country,;did I hear.so much bragging -and boasting about where /one was born. Is believe, Sir, .had I-.a. mind built that way, I'also cbirid-boast a little of my birthplaceV of Ulster's loyalty and adherence to the Crown' there can be no question; the men of Ulster have over, and over again given to the: world at large abundant proof/that they;ai'e,second to none -in • loyalty and their. ■ allegiance to the Crown and Empire.-To-day*, as one o£ them, and in common with, many from this Dominion, I bear in niy body marks of that loyalty., But, Sir, that is not the point; the main factor is not* where we were born, but rather what- the people are themselves that count, .their upbringing and associations that.determine what they will be. In conclusion, I would appeal to these people to drop this insular prejudice, and as Relievers in the Fatherhood of txod and the brotherhood of man, seek to convert our erring brethren, and by example and precept lead them to become useful and worthy citizens of this great Empire.—l am, etc., EVER A BRITISHER. - (To the Editor.) Sir,—From correspondence I have read in your columns, and from general observations of incidents in and around Wellington. I am profoundly disgusted to see the attitude taken towards the present crisis b>- the average New Zeaknder. The men who cluster together in all groups all over the city making libellous and unfair

accusations against a Government which they themselves have returned to power are being grossly unfair and one-eyed. The reason for this, an impartial onlooker cannot fail to realise. The thousands of unemployed, having little or nothing ■with which to occupy their minds, are influenced and controlled by a few agitators, and a slight spark of natural, if unreasonable resentment against a Government who can find no employment for them is fanned into a furnace of discontent and open hostility. Where can be the spirit o£ individuality, of manliness of the New Zealand workers to heed the words of these foreign agitators who are surreptitiously stirring up trouble in New Zealand? Have they no spark of self-respect or patriotism that they allow these men to lead them against their own countrymen?

In the recent disturbances in Wellington streets I myself heard some urging the men on in their useless work of destruction: Some of them could not speak English" without a strong foreign accent. I appeal to you, Sir. Are these the men to help lift our" fair country out of the mire? Every New Zealander who is -worthy of the name must realise that they are not. Ne-w Zealand is New Zealand, not Soviet Russia or any other country, and only NewZealanders .can "clean up" their own country, or it ceases to be New 'Zealand. And until New Zealanders learn to stand on their own feet and to use their own minds to solve their problem,' strife and discontentment must prevail in-'this once fair land of ours.—l am, etc.,

I. B. McLEAN.