THE H.B. TRIBUNE. TUESDAY, DEC. 24, 1912. A MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume III, Issue 11, 24 December 1912, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. TUESDAY, DEC. 24, 1912. A MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Once again lite passing of the years has brought us ro the great festival | of Christinas, and we take this portunity for extending to our readers the time honoured season's j greetings and trust sincerely that ouid growing circle of friends will have. I in the fullest measure a real happy | Christmas. Luckily in this pros-: pt rotis country of otir?; there is little! reason to think that ni.-m.v people! will be so circumstanced as to bei unable to share in the joys tnid fes-| tivities of to-morr<.w. Here andthere misfortune may have darkened I the Christmas hour, but on the whole [ the people of New Zealand can meet ! the Christmas of 1912 with well-i lined pockets and light hearts. In this respect we have much to be thankful for. and it is to bo hoped that the men and women who have this rich young country in their keeping will work for it so that each; Christmas will find us reaping a rich harvest of happiness and merriment. Not only a harvest of happiness and merriment, but a richer harvest still of steadfast resolution to build up in honour and strength the young nation we now have in the making.

“We are not here to play, to dream, to drift : we have hard work to do and loads to lift.” Now on the occasion of the great Christian festival is the time to lift our loads and carry them with a light heart. Since we last had an opportunity of wishing our readers a Merry Christmas, the passing time has not, been uneventful. The event of greatest moment outside our own boundaries has been the war in the Balkan States. The dawn of Christmas Day will cast its light upon many ruined homes, desolate hearts and unmarked graves in that battle-scarred country. Viewing that desolation vith the fertile and picturesque fields of New Zealand we can all sincerely and earnesty hope that in our own fair land peace will remain with u:-: for many a long year to come. However. while we have escaped the horrors of bloody warfare there has been with us since last Christmas Day a great deal of regrettable industrial strife. A spirit of unrest appears to prevail amongst labour which' it is hard to understand er trace to a justifiable cause. It is not healthy political activity, but a sort of ill-advised desire to tear down anti trarnple upon the democratic institutions which generations r.-f hard work have won for cu? people. The people of New Zealand should realist that they cannot afford co worship at the feet of demolishers. We need to unite in the effort to build up out nation upon sound economic principlcs and political truths. Gee.:! ex' Abe Lincoln, one of the truest demo crats who ever worked roi- the welfare of his fellow men, once said:- “ The strongest howl of human sympathy outside the family relation should be one nniting nil working people, of al! nations and tongues anti kindred, but not to war upon property. Let net him who is honielos:ptlll down tlie home of another, hill let him labour diligently .and buik. one for himself, thus by example assuring that hi« own -hall bo salt fjo’.il violence’ when built.’'

These words < f the great American may be applied to our political house as well as to the homes of the people. Do not let ns pull down our institutions and encourage mob rule and anarchy, but set ourselves to extend and strengthen those institutions. so that, each passing Christmas Day may find the people of New Zealand richer in te enjoyment of liberty and prosperity. We believe that while we still have “loads to lift’’ much can be done, and in once again wishing our readers a Merry Christmas we feel sure the future will hold few d irk days in stere for us if we are true to ourselves and true to the young country wc have-in the making.