Manawatu Daily Times Debt Cancellation

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6810, 17 March 1932, Page 6

Manawatu Daily Times Debt Cancellation

Speaking at the Eighty Club, Sir Walter Layton, a member of the Consulative Economic Committee of the League of Nations and. a director of the Economic and Financial Section of the League, said that international war debts were not by any means the sole cause of the present situation. Nor did he consider that the situation was entirely to be attributed to a monetary cause, such as the gold situation. The simple fact was that we could not begin to rebuild to get the How of capital going if there were any danger of the present situation recurring. That was the root of the whole problem. It was idle to have a provisional settlement now which gave any possibility of this happening again. A moratorium was not any good. It meant wait, and a two years’ moratorium was worse than one, because it lasted longer.

The German point of view that the whole of the war debts should be wiped out was very largely non-economic. "Supposing they are all wiped out, somebody is going to pay,” said Sir Walter. “Britain is going to pay for one. If all the reparations and debts are wiped out, there is some £1,600,000,000 of our National Debt still remaining on this country in respect of money which was raised here and lent to the Allies, and we have to go on paying interest on it until one of these days "Jie bonds are repaid out of the taxes of this country. The internal debt remains. Germany will be left with only £500,000,000 of internal debt, That is £8 per head. France will be left with approximately £2,300,000,000 of debt, which is £56 per head; Great Britain will be left with £6,600,000,000 of internal debt, equal to £l5O per head; and the United States with an internal debt of £3,200,000,000, or £27 per head.”

Diversity in Education The headmaster of Eton (Dr. C. A. Alington), in the course of an address said a right cultivation of the sense of wonder was one of the main functions of education. Discussing educational aims, he considered the question whether one should begin with “everything about something” or “something about everything.” These, he said, were two quite different methods. They attached far too much importance to the amount people knew. He thought they must let people follow their own taste a good deal more in their education. He was speaking now rather of the public school. They tried too much to force everybody along the same road. In his profession, certainly, they tried to teach everybody in the same way as if they were all going to be scholars, whereas 70 or 80 or 90 per cent, wore not going to be. They had given them the same sort of education and the same number of subjects, and he did not think it was fair.

One had, as early as one could, to find out what people liked and let them follow their own taste. Everybody must be taught to be accurate —a very difficult thing. They tried to teach people to be accurate in a great many different ways. The accuracy about which he knew most, in the use of words and of a scholar, was one thing and that of the mathematician was another. They were both quite good, but he was prepared to believe that the accuracy of a carpenter was just as good if one really knew. Discussing memory, he said there were some people who could remember poetry. The things one learnt at the age from 10 to IS were the things one never forgot. It was very important in those years to use one’s memory aright. But some people could not learn poetry. T>e job was to harness memory on to the right thing.

“I think publicity should be given to the fact that the Education Department, are not losing money in conveying the children to school. They would be put to a much greater expense if they had to build more schools," said Mr. J. S. Tingoy, when the question of conveying children to school was under discussion at the Wanganui Education Board meeting last evening.

At yesterday's meeting of Massey College Council a letter was received from the Dominion secretary of the New Zealand Dairy Factory Managers' Association enclosing cheque for £l5O on account of the Thornton Memorial fund, which sum is to bo invested, the income to provide a bursary for students taking the course in dairy manufactures.

There was a largo attendance at the annual dinner of the Apollo Wrestling Club, which proved a very enjoyable function. Mr. F. It. Lowis presidod c presented a medal to Mr. L.-Thorne for the most improved wrestler this season. News was brought from Suva by the Tofua that a largo raft, consisting of three cylinders, painted a light grey, had been washed ashore on the island town waterfront. There were no identification marks, but it was the opinion of shipping peoplo in Suva that it might bo part of the wrockagc of the Tahiti, which was lost IS months ago. The Manawatu Aero Club is making overtures for the purchase of an AvroAvian light plane, which was originally the property of the Canterbury lady pilot, Miss Aroha Clifford. Since being owned by Miss Clifford the machine has passed through other hands and, following upon it being damaged in a crash it was bought by Mr. C. Bowden, b£ Palmerston North, who has been busy for some time past rc-assombling the machine. Provided it fulfils the tests required of it in respect to airworthiness, the local club will probab • bo the next owner.

At Massey College to-day chairmen of dairy companies and presidents of A. and P. Associations in the immediate vicinity of Palmerston North, will meet members of the Dairy Control Board for the purpose of gaining an insight into tho work of the Dairy Research Institute. They will be welcomed by Sir George Fowlds, chairman of the College Council, after which there will be addresses by senior members of the research staff. In the afternoon there will be an inspection of the College buildings, factory and farm.

There is something in a name after all. In relating to a conference of North Taranaki dairy factory managers in New Plymouth some of his experiences while touring in Great Britain, Mr F. J. Nathan mentioned one man who had said he asked for Eltham cheese, not because he liked the cheese, but because he liked the name. “From a psychological point of view it was unnatural to expect an English child sent for a pound of cheese to ask readily and with unhesitating pronunciation for such strange brands as “Maharaliara” and “Kaupokonui."

A curious position has arisen with regard to tho native registration oi births at Taupo. In order to qualify for the family allowance the applicant has to set out the names and ages oi his children, and these have to bo verified by tho official register. The registration of births is not compulsory with natives, and therefore many children have never been registered. Now that they have an influence on the pension, the fathers are registring children, some of whom aro several years old. It happened that a neglectful father recently took along several children, registered the lot, and duly applied for tho pension. Another important stage in the Palmerston North City Council's scheme of water reticulation improvements was reached yesterday when the seven-inch main supplying the eastern portion ol the Square was connected with the newly-laid 18-inch main. The work, which was supervised by the waterworks foreman, Mr. J. H. Christmas, called for speed, as it was necessary to isolate a section of the Square. An excellent job was accomplished in a minimum of time, only about three hours being required. It is understood that the western portion of the Square will be connected similarly in the immediate future, this marking the end of a strenuous period for the waterworks department. The 18-inch mains now extend as far as College street.