The Feilding Star Oroua and Kiwitea Counties’ Gazette THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1930. THE CALL FOR THRIFT

Feilding Star, Volume 8, Issue 2506, 20 March 1930, Page 4

The Feilding Star Oroua and Kiwitea Counties’ Gazette THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1930. THE CALL FOR THRIFT

Nations generally and those compiising the British Empire particularly are still suffering l<rom tfce aftermath of the Great War, and that is why money is so hard to gfet 1 for those who* are struggling along in business or production. Because money is dear and scarce, all the leaders of a.ll the- nations u.re urging upon all the people to pursue a policy of self denial and tot practice thrifts Of course, there is thpe greatest need for such denial and saving, hut we believe there never was more .selfdenial or thrift amongst the Britons of the Empire than there is being practiced to-day. Some inconsiderate people s till regard thrift and meanness as synonomous and convertible t er, ns. The truth is that thlere is no affinity Between the two. Thrift is manifested by avoidance of unnecessary and wasteful expenditure ; meanness is shown by evading reasonable obligations in every direction, ancl thereby increasing the burden of those who are responsive to these obligations. A man may be thrifty and public spirited, but tbip really mean man never gives evidence of public spirit. The fhriftmess of the great Scotch people ban passed into a proverb, hut the race ; though comparatively small in number, has* acquired a high status in every part of the Empire and throughout the world. Yet there are thrifty English folk, as there arevery thrifty Irish, not to mention the Welsh, who could give an Aberdonian tips in saving. Thp average New Zealander—and we are here dealThg with average humans—is thrifty, as the records of the savings banks, life assurance, building societies and co-operative and Starrinstitutions and friendly societies clearly prove. But there are numbers of Now Zealanders. *s there are units of the Empire elsewTierb, who live from hand to mouth, —we mean people quite apart froin those who have had streaks of sickness and repeated breaks of bad luck—and are patently and persistently extravagant. One of the root causes of the trouble in every country to-day is extravagance, national and individual. Some' political parties are as persistently extravagant as are some people. The need for personal and national economy is as important and urgent to-day as ever it was. The foundations of New Zealand were laid by men and women who worked Ijard and lived humbly. The strenuous life of old is not necessary to-day, owing tot the march of invention and the progress of development. But it is still essential to take life with reasonable seriousness, and to give one’s best thought and energy to whatever task he may be engaged in. Pv-opb* who follow his rule derive mucky more real pleasure than those who try to jazz their way through life. This advice and line of thought is not merely applicable to bur business men and; politicians and statesmen and male wage earners- It goes right to the heart of things—into the home as well as the office and the workshop. Many women are wasteful through thoughtlessness, and people of moderate means find it practically impossible to save until fH?y have mastered the art of wise spending. The first step towards putting the home on a sound financial basis is tot live on a budget plan. To persons who feel the pressure of narrow means this may appear altogether t°° theoretical. But sound theory is not to be despised even by heads of families who bave to subsist on a sum approximating to thle basic wage. It is surely better to realise in advance how much one can afford to spend and then endeavour to balance outgoings with income as well as to make allowance for even the smallest savings which can he affected. By following this course consistently, while cutting out all waste, even the poorest families would fare better than if they continued on Haphazard lines. To give it a gd now would be the beginning of thrift with wisdjom.