LORD TWEEDSMUIR.

Evening Star, Issue 23499, 13 February 1940, Page 8

LORD TWEEDSMUIR.

Mb Mackenzie King has described the late Lord Twecdsrauir as one of the greatest of Canada’s Governors-Gene-ral. The tribute was a high one, well merited, and would have pleased him, and yet thousands will feel the loss ofJohn Buchan to whom the title chosen by the Viceroy will always be'a little strange and remote. That is despite the fact that it was a most felicitous title. In the first of all his published works, in the introduction to the volume of essays, in the Stevenson vein, known as ‘ Scholar Gypsies,’ their author referred to “ that most beautiful country, the upper valley of Tweed, where the grace of old times seems to have long lingered.” The suggestion of strangeness in the name which he bore in his latest years will not be felt by Canadians, to whom he endeared himself in his official station as much as he had done earlier by his romances. He was a great Scot, of an ardent humanity, who kept the faith of that British Imperialism which seeks nothing at the expense of others while he personified its qualities, and so he was a great Governor-General. But he had been John Buchan too long for the rest of the , world to think of him quite easily as a dignitary. When his appointment was announced five years ago it came to most people probably as a surprise. It seemed as if Great Britain had chosen to follow the example of America, which during many years made ambassadorial and like positions the reward of men who had won distinction in literature. James Russell Lowell, Henry Van Dyke, and Bret Harte were examples of the practice. But those people soon remembered that, in their knowledge of the author, they had forgotten a John Buchan not without experience for administrative office. His mind was much given to politics—especially Imperial politics—when he served as private secretary to Lord Milner in his period as High Commissioner for South Africa immediately following the South African War; his study, ‘ A Lodge in the Wilderness,’ showed the results of that thinking; he was an M.P., representing the Scottish universities, for eight years directly preceding his great appointment; and he was Lord High Commissioner to the Church of Scotland for a year. Still, the high-spirited writer was much better known —not the maker of poems in which he showed his love for the Doric, although they were good, nor even the author of that imaginative scries of short stories, ‘ The Moon Endureth,’ in which his variety was best displayed, but the generous purveyor of those extravagant romances, not “ too high and good for human nature's dailyfood,” but exhilarating in a rare degree, ‘ The Thirty-nine Steps,’ 1 Greenmantle,’ and the others. They- were most welcome as refreshment in the years of strain during and directly after the war, and their wildness, hardly less than shorter tales of eerincss, was in the Scots’ tradition. “ Sae rantingly, sae wantonly, sae danntingiy gaed he.” The ‘ History of the War,’ in twentyfour small volumes which followed one another during its progress, was a prodigy of journalistic skill and judgment making coherent, almost as they happened, developments too rapid, mid affecting too many countries, lb have been otherwise much more than a confusion. The biographies must not he forgotten, notably that of Sir Walter Scott and the earlier one of Montrose, with its great background of the times. They were the most serious literary work of John Buchan, and will not cease to bo authoritative. He had the happiness of welcoming the King and Queen to Canada, and must have wished that the General Election that is now pending in that country could have been avoided. Election struggles, party wrangles, bickerings over the automatic working of valuation systems, ” other wars ” against imaginary foes—they are all distractions dangerously indulged in in the rigours of this struggle, which sees the Empire fighting for its life, handicaps which we impose on ourselves. The spirit of Lord Twecdsmnir would have had none ol them.

A lighted ,match coming in contact with celluloid aide-curtains was the cause of the destruction hy tiro of a motor car, which belonged to Mr A. C. Haines, of 252 Bay View road. The garage in which the car was standing at the time also suffered to some extent from the fire. The South Dunedin Brigade quelled the outbreak. ‘ iias the Finance Committee applied to the State Advances Corporation for any further advances lor money for housing''” asked Cr Monro at the City Council meeting last night. Ho was assured that no action had been taken at the moment to take up further loans. Such work was mostly among young men about to be married—about SO per cent, of the men in the employ of the council wore affected. It would he difficult to undertake any work at present Funds were available, but there were higher rent charges, and it was not proposed to carry on any further at present, because of the conditions imposed hy the war.

“ hi the next war,” said President Wilson in 1917, “ there will be no neutrals.” But Ihe “-next war ” is now with ns and there are many neutrals, writes J. B. Firth, in the ‘ Daily Telegraph.’ Those countries which are closest to the belligerents were the first to proclaim their strict neutrality. They are having a bad time, which will necessarily grow worse as the war becomes more intense. Not only are the neutrals menaced, hut neutrality itself, indeed,,one of the questions of the hour is: “Can neutrality survive?” Some, in.fact, are asking: “Ought neutrality to survive?”

Farming operations on the West Coast have suffered a severe set-back m the last six weeks because of the exceptionally bad weather. Several farmers have Ccen unable to finish their haymaking, and many have not yet had an opportunity to sow their turnips and rape. A cold snap has now sot in, and snow has appeared on the Paparoa ranges, an unusual sight at this time of the year. In the last six weeks more than 20in of rain has boon recorded at Groymout.h. with scarcely one week's fine weather in that period. Dunedin people may have in future a base for tramping or ski-ing at Waipnri, if a hint dropped by Cr MLMiIJan at the City Council meeting last night becomes a reality. Cr Cameron, reporting on the work done at the Waipori tunnel, said that he and other councillors—in company with the superintendent of reserves (Mr Skip ff worth)—had visited the tunnel, and would probably bring forward a scheme hater for the council's consideration. Cr M'Millan immediately said that Dunedin seemed to lack places to go for the week-end for tramping or other activities. If facilities wore appointed at Waipori for week-end ski-ing or climbing, the public would have an incentive to go there. Cr Mmim : “ you arc not lotting the cat out of the bag?” The question whether a police coll can be a warehouse was debated in the Hamilton Supremo Court when three men were charged with the theft of liquor from a police station, ft was decided. in order to overcome a technical legal difficulty, to amend the charge to read that the allegation was that the liquor was stolen from “ a warehouse, to wit, a police cell.” Mr Justice Blair, who presided, remarked that ho supposed it •would be argued later that a police cell was not a warehouse. He also supposed that the cell had often been used as a dwelling. Counsel for the accused agreed that it would be argued that the cell was not a warehouse. .

The question of the observance of a holiday on February 20, which, as “Schools’ Day,” will be the date of the principal function in connection with the Otago Centennial celebrations, was discussed by a meeting of the executive of the Otago Employers’ Association yesterday, when it was decided to recommend that all employers should accede to the mayor’s request and observe a full holiday on that occasion. It is somewhat unfortunate that Cup Day, on which it has been customary for many years to observe a holiday from 12 noon, should fall on the Thursday of the same week, but, in view of the exceptional circumstances, it is hoped that no departure will be made from the prevailing custom in respect of that day. The executive of the Otago Drapers, Clothiers, and Boot Retailers’ Association had already decided to recommend that its members should observe a whole holidav on Fcbrnarv 20 and tho usual half-holiday on February 22. A similar decision has been reached by the Dunedin Master Butchers’ Association, and it is hoped that other organised sections of trade will follow the same course.

Whether £255 was an adequate salary for a young man who had spent six years in completing the final stages of the bachelor of engineering examination was a point contested by Cr M'Millan at the meeting of the City Council last night. He suggested that such a young man should be given a higher salary. Cr Henderson supported the contention, stating that it looked as though the council was making an attempt to get men at salaries as low as possible, and when it could not fret them. “ bumped the salary up.” The mayor (Mr A. 11. Allen) said that the proportion of salary paid was in accordance with the recent grading adopted by the council, while they also conformed to the scale paid to Government employees doing the same work. Cr Wilson remarked that the council was practically training' men for other plares, and they could not go to a better school than the corporation. When a proposal in the Works Committee's report to order property owners in Grant’s Braes and Waverley to clear gorsc from the streets outside their sections was brought up at the City Council meeting last night, Mr M'Millan moved that the clause be referred back to the committee. City people, he said, bad good roads formed at no cost to themselves, but those people at Waverley and Grant’s Braes not only did not have these amenities, but were ordered to keep the unformed road line clear of gorse. The motion lapsed for want of a seconder.

That, the Water Committee of the City Council had decided to complete thcT reticulation of the Government housing block at Wakari at iis own expense, hub that the Housing Department had agreed to assume responsibility for v ter mains and services to all future subdivisions, including the education block at Wakari and Calton Hill, were facts that drew a question from Cr M'Millan at last night's City Council meeting. “ Will (his apply to individual subdividers. or has the Government been selected for special favour?” he asked. The mayor (Mr A. IT. Alien) explained that the council commenced to reticulata the area at Wakari, but, after finding out that in other centres the Government was paying for such. work, it decided not to finish the work at its own expense. Following a discussion with tlio Minister of Housing (Mr H. T, Armstrong), when the Government's position was explained, the council agreed to complete the Wakari work at its own expense. Before they agreed to anv private subdivision in future, however, th.ev would have to see that the same trntii were accepted as had been arranged with the Government,.

There was no business to come before the Police Court this morning. The clerk of the Mosgiel Borough Council reported to last night’s meeting that nine building permits to the value of £12,351 had been issued since the last meeting of the council.

•is contributions to the patriotic funds the Mayor of Port Chalmers has received a cheque for £25 each from Miss Jessie Mill and Miss Agnes Mill, Dr D. G. MLMillan. M.P., has been advised by the Minister of Education (Hon. P.' Fraser) that Cabinet has approved of a grant for the renovation and extension of the head master's house at the school at Wakari. Cr M'Carthy (chairman of the Reserves Committee of the Mosgiel Borough Council) received a well-merited acknowledgment at last night’s meeting of the council of the care and attention be bestows on the local recreation ground. The secretary of the Otago Centre of the Amateur Athletic Association wrote thanking the council’s committee for the manner in which the ground had been prepared for the recent evening sports meeting. An amusing incident in the recent Eucharistic Congress was related by Mr Justice Callan at the opening of the new Franciscan friary in Auckland to show that some people were not well informed about the Roman Catholic Church. He was marching as one of a guard of honour in the groat procession through the streets of Wellington, ho said. The streets being narrow, he passed quite close to the crowds that lined the route. As the Papal Legate, Archbishop Panico, approached, he heard-one woman say to another excited! v, “There he is! There he is! But did you know that the Popo was so young?”

“ Your council need not be alarmed, as the rinoidence of tuberculosis in your borough and county is not exceptional and there is no indication that the tuberculosis occurring among patients in and from your district has other than the human type of tubercle,” stated Dr T. Fletcher Telford, Medical Officer of Health for Canterbury, in a letter to the Ashburton Borough Council last evening in reply to the council's reference to him of a letter written to the council at its last meeting by Mr T. .K. Ewer. Mr Ewer stated th.it dairy herds supplying milk to Ashburton Borough had not been tested for tuberculosis during the last two years.

When a letter from the president of the New Zealand Defence League, asking that the council should express an opinion ou the subject of universal compulsory national service, whereby all citizens might be allotted the tasks to which they are best suited in war time, whether as combatants or otherwise, and send to the league the result of the discussion, was tabled at Hie meeting of the City Council last night, Cr Munro moved that the letter be held over for 12 months, as it raised a political question. He was supported by Or Cameron, who said that the council should not do anything as a public body to embarrass the Government. The motion was carried. At yesterday’s meeting of the Dunedin Amenities Society Mr D. Tan nock was authorised to purchase the following trees for Arbor Day planting, the sites to be left to Mr Taunock’s discretion :—Ten dozen kowhais, 10 dozen large silver birch, 10 dozen ’ primus nigra, five dozen pink almonds, six dozen poplar nnanonsis, eight dozen pyrns atropurpurea, five dozen Canadian sugar maples. In addition to these an order for 500 rata trees lias been placed in Stewart Island.'

The Dunedin North Amenities Society has arranged a function to take place in Duke street next Wednesday night, at 7.15. This will take the form of “ centennial planting,” and each member who attends the function will be given a tree to plant in that area near the Bullock track. Members of the Dunedin Amenities Society have been invited to bo present.

Mr D. Tannoek, superintendent of the reserves department, reported at yesterday's meeting of the Dunedin Amenities Society that 140 native clematis had been planted among the shrubbery near the Bullock track, in Duke street. A communication received from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, advising that there was an area of Crown land situated on the Silvorstream near Wharo Flat suitable for recreation purposes, was tabled at the City Council meeting lasr night. It stated that the area, which was situated be,iow tile Silvorstream race and below any source of water supply, was partly river fiat under light hush, and contained a natural swimming pool. The extent of the area was 3 roods 8 poles, together with an adjoining road which the Government proposed to close. The Water Committee of the council was of the oninion that it would he very suitable for picnic parties visiting the district. The Commissioner asked if the council would agree to exercise control over this area in the event of the Government proclaiming _it a recreation reserve. It was decided that the council agree to accent such control. Or Walls remarking that Whare Flat was very popular for picnics, and such an area would keep them away from t.tf> water catchment areas in other places.

Another cupoyablr evening: is nmini-jod to Ihopn aUonrlin" ihe mod old-fin 1 " dance to-morrow »d"M, in 1W I'nnv 11 ; 1 11 . p n t r* Ar-adiatis Hand will prnvidi* tlm music.