SUCCESS THAT SWELLS OUR HEADS

Northern Advocate, 30 July 1938, Page 1 (Supplement)

SUCCESS THAT SWELLS OUR HEADS

Brieflets

DEFEAT BRINGS INSPIRATION. Last year we were bemoaning the inability of New Zealand footballers to come up to South African standards. This year we are already patting ourselves on the back and commenting on the fine manner in which we have again managed to bring forward a team of the 1904 type. Perhaps we haven’t learned the lesson of last year’s defeat—that it doesn’t pay to take things for granted. We had become swelled-headed over our Rugby prowess, and it needed a South African attack to show us we couldn’t tell the world everything about the game. Now I suppose we will sit back on the laurels of Saturday’s success in Australia and forget that last year we were pondering ways and means of developing the better football consciousness.—“Rugger."

CHURCH CHALLENGE. We have read thi’s week of a church celebrating its 50th anniversary, and of another church getting ready to celebrate its centenary. What I would [ike to ask these church people is; What have they to show for their work? Perhaps it would be more helpful to ask them what they are going to do in the future, seeing their past seems to have confined itself to a form of ritual and expending money on cannibals while the people in the home lands become more immoral every day.—" Truth.” ★ RED-TAPE HOLD-UPS. It takes a long time to move the wheels of State administration; not that the wheels are rusty, but that the hands on the spokes are unwilling to bend to the task. Consider, for example, the time taken to have authorised the construction of a new hostel at the Girls’ High School. We all know it is a disgrace to any modern town, but the fact goes further than that. If Governments are going to get things done, they will have to cut out a lot of the unnecessary red-tape—and that goes for every Government we’ve ever had or have.—“ Do-it-now.” ★ DOGS AGAIN. I’m sticking right behind your correspondent who complains of the dog nuisance. This is no myth, but a definite fact, and it is up to someone in authority to put an end to the terrible nuisance. We have seen a batch of dogs outside our offices every day for the past fortnight, and we are just about fed up with the row they make. —“Law/’ ★ DYING IN SERVICE. We shudder at thought of the numbers of people killed recently in air crashes. It is easy enough to say that we should stop people flying, but that, of course, would amount to putting a damper on all new things. Strangely enough, the men who invent things so often fall a victim to their own genius. Dr. Guillotine, for example, died at the foot of his own deathdealing contrivance. In our own

country, we have a host of examples where men who have pioneered airways have fallen victim to the elements. We think of Kingsford Smith and Ulm, who though not New Zealanders, were well known personally to us. It is perhaps one of the peculiar ironies of fate that men should not live to appreciate those things they give to others. The soldier prefers to die on the field! —“Respect.”

WHAT NOW ? Round the world in three days! It sounds impossible, but it is a fact, proves Mr. Howard Hughes, U. S. air-pilot. When we were young we used to read a book called “Round the world in Eighty Days.” We laughed, because we thought it impossible. Now we have regular air mail services from Great Britain to New Zealand, half way round the world, in 10 days. What the future will hold at the rate things are progressing is hard to tell. Perhaps we shall be able to travel overnight to London. Or will we get sick of it and go back to the former life of world-to-those-who-are-too-discontent-ed-with-their-lives. —“Stay-at-Home”. ★ NO MONEY FOR SWAMPS. Hikurangi sWamp does not seem to meet with the favour of politicians, if the figures quoted in the P.W.D. Estimates stand for anything. I suppose the £3OO allocated to this area for the ensuing year will be about enough to clear the remnants of previous work. When other districts have huge amounts expended on them, this worthwhile project is left to sun itself into dormancy—“ Fair Go.” PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES Every man shall be his brother’s keeper, the saying goes. We believe this sometimes, at other times we don’t. Recently several people have commented on the prevalence of drunkenness among Maoris. Now it is all right to be concerned for Maoris, as we no doubt should be, but what about ourselves. Aren’t there some pretty bad faults need straightened up in the white race, too? We are not exactly what one might call perfect ourselves, and by the way young people seen to be drinking lately we could well confine our attention to bettering our own kith and kin and then, from a genuinely superior status, help others similarly to better themselves. —“Moral.” ★ FARMERS NEED TEACHING. The idea of the Dominion Farm Dairy instruction is a good one. We know only too well how lax some farmers are how they seem unaware that this is an age of science as well as of labouring work. So many fail to realise that in dealing with agriculture and stock there is as much science as in any other modern industry. Truth is that many farmers will not admit that farming is an industry. In these times of solid competition a farm has to be worked to the peak of efficiency. Only one way can that be done and that is by proper training and teaching and instruction — “Cocky.”