The Hawera Star. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1927. A BACKWARD GLANCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 December 1927, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1927. A BACKWARD GLANCE.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawn. Eltham. Manga.toki, Kaponga, Alton, Hurieyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere. Fraser Road and Ararata

The year 1927 has all but passed; in a few hours we will bo speeding it on its way and welcoming its successor with every manifestation, of gladness. For youth, the old year is already something which has served its term and has passed, leaving the fancy free to conjure with the future. For those who are young, either in years or in outlook, there is a delightful sense of exhilaration to be captured at this time of the year when we stand on the threshold of a. fresh chapter of outlives. But where youth can plunge boldly into the fresh current, age cannot, no matter how strong its courage and its hope, throw into the tomb of the past a whole twelve months of living without one backward glance. And when we have made our pilgrimage to the landmarks of yesteryear, have suppressed our sighs and enjoyed our inward smiles, we may, perhaps, stay just a moment longer while events of national and international significance pass swiftly in retrospect. After our silent survey of the year’s events, we will be prepared to declare, even at the risk of appearing self-satis-fied, insular, or “provincial,” that our own Dominion is still the best country in the world in which men may work, women make, homes and children spend happy and protected years. In common with others, our country has experienced trade depression and for the first time in our experience we have become nationally conscious of the poverty ana suffering which follows slump conditions. But though wo do not wisli to minimise the misery experienced by those who have suffered through the difficulty of obtaining employment, we have to admit that our land has been favoured in that the suffering has not been so bitter and on such a wide scale as it has been in tne older countries. We are now in the midst 'of a season which promises to be good for all primary industries; there is a healthier tone apparent in trade and commerce, and, with good grounds for anticipating that expenditure on imports will be curtailed, we have reason to hope that when wc take stock at the end of 1928 we will have grounds for self-congratu-lation. Judged from a legislative and Empire point of view, the year has been important. Early in the year our Prime Minister returned from the Imperial Conference, with fresh evidence that the ideal of Empire had grown stronger throughout the British Commonwealth. While the year was still young we had the memorable visit of the Duke and Duchess of York and just before its close we had in our midst the .Secretary of State for the Dominions, whose visit, in the light of the portfolio he holds in the Imperial Cabinet, was of special significance and importance. Our OAvn Parliament, after" an unconscionable time adying, ’ ’ went into reeess in the last month of the year, after a session which constituted a record, both for its duration and the legislation placed upon the Statute Book. During its life the Summertime Act came into being and New Zealand is now enjoying—or suffering, according to point of view—the benefit of- an extra hour of daylight. During the year, too, the North and the South Islands were able to settle their differences over the. site of the new Agricultural College, and that institution is now almost in readiness to open its doors to students. The twelve months just ending have seen New Zealand leap into -wide , public notice from two very diverse causes. For the first time in the history of our country we sent a cricket team to England, where it covered itself in unexpected glory. The other matter which has gained us the attention of the outside world is the Samoan trouble. The Royal Commission appointed to investigate certain charges has made its ■ report and orders have been issued for the deportation of some of those Europeans and others who figured most prominently in levelling accusations against, New Zealand’s administration of the mandate 'over tne islands entrusted to her by the League of Nations.

Turning to other parts of the Empire we find that in 1927 Canada celebrated its jubilee and was officially visited on that occasion by the Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister of England; South Africa reached a compromise on the flag question; Australia’s new Federal capital, Canberra, was opened by the Duke of York; the Irish Free State elections resulted in the return of Mr. Cosgrave'-s party and New South Wales demonstrated in no uncertain manner that it had tired of Mr. Lang and his Labour ministry. In the Mother Country, the year passed without any big industrial upheavals, though the general strike, which paralysed the trade of England in the latter half of the preceding year, has not been completely forgotten. Generally, a better tone prevails in industrial circles at Home, capital and labour showing a more conciliatory spirit and an earnest desire to sink the bitterness of the past in a mutual desire to repair the losses suffered by industry and commerce during and since the war. The Trade Union Bill, which threatened to reopen old wounds and revive strife, has passed into law without doing either and the leaders of enlightened thought on both sides are hopeful of the coming year seeing capital and labour pulling together with new energy, generosity and trust. Following- upon the famous Arcos raid, England took the dramatic step of breaking off relations with Russia and despite all forebodings to the contrary, the old year has seen the justification of her subsequent, actions in relation to Soviet activities in China. In the main, the big Powers among the nations have continued to give voice to a desire for peace and have continued to fail consistently to find a basis of agreement as to how far each should place trust in the utterances of the others on that score. •Those who derive profit, and pleasure from watching the trend of events from afar have had. variety in plenty during the past year. On looking back we find that many words have been spoken and written, cabled and printed, without mankind being much better off; controversies have been waged hotly, rousing resentment and derision, anger and amusement, and then have died, giving place to successive topics of the day. Some have left their mark upon the minds of men, others have diminished in importance, while still others, which occupied the centre of the stage for

their brief moment, have. been, forgotten. Each has had its place in the picture of life painted on a world-wide canvas during the last twelve months. The picture can be treasured or forgotten, a s it has pleased or disappointed, but life demands that we now turn our thoughts from the dead past to the unborn to-morrow and the procession of days which lie before us in the New Year to-morrow ushers in. May 192 S bring a generous measure of prosperity to all!