TIMELY TOPICS

Northern Advocate, 15 December 1932, Page 4

TIMELY TOPICS

SELFISHNESS. The Rev. Frank Cairns, preaching at Scots Church, Sydney, said that one of the. best tonics for people’s spirits in these trying times was 1 o think of the immortal dead, whose memory inspired sublime thought and generous action. Some of these possessed the unconquerable soul, and to read nViont. 1 hem was to feel braced for present difficulties. There were little men wirli no interest in others, utterly selfish in their existence. When a man lost interest in his follows he was in the grip of this temptation. Selfishness brought the world to a standstill. An appeal had been made to America, which would yet see that what was morally wrong was economically unsound. Selfishness had brought the whole world to beggary, and it. was necessary that there should lie an alteration, or God alone knew what would happen to civilisation. * * * ♦ SOUTH AFRICA’S RACIAL PROBLEMS.

“.South Ainea is suffering in or;: ] than other nations because of differ- j ences between the Dutch and Engiisi sections. Matters have not been bn--proved by the present Government, which haS lost perspective and has advanced one section of the community at the expense of the other and consequently at the expense of the whole community. The country cannot progress as it ought, until it becomes united and sentimental questions of language and race are forgotten.” Mr W. Giovanetti, who lias represented Pretoria blast in the South African Parliament since 11)20, made this statement on his arrival in Sydney by the steamer Taiping. He was born at Castlcmaine, Victoria, and left for South Africa in 189(3. During the Parliamentary recess he is visiting Australia. Mr Giovanetti said that relations between tlie two races were not as happy as they were 10 years ago. There had been a definite setbach, but lie believed that conditions would improve, as there were signs of growing respect between the English and the Dutch. Nothing could be hoped for unless the races grew together with a common aim. The Prime Minister had not helped matters. He had made no effort to win the confidence of both sections of the community, and had adopted, not the slogan, “Africa First,” but the cry, “Dutchspeaking Africans First.’ ’ He had made a god of one section and a devil of the other. His great chance of uniting the country in 192 G, after the Imperial Conference, had been neglected.