PLACING THE ONUS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22145, 26 June 1935, Page 10

PLACING THE ONUS

Some members of the Harbour Board at yesterday's meeting argued against making a donation to the endowment fund for the Engineering School, on the ground that it was the responsibility of the State. The contention is not helpful, because in this particular case the Government will probably maintain that it is prepared to accept the responsibility and to discharge it—in Christchurch. Auckland can bring a strong case in support of continuing the local school, but, if it accepts no responsibility in the matter and places the whole onus on the State, it is not in a strong position to influence the Government's decision. The Government may claim a discretion as complete as the responsibility and the financial obligations laid upon it. The endowment fund will give Auckland a better standing in the matter and will also represent a pledge of the city's earnestness and of its appreciation of the school's value. The attitude of some members of the Harbour Board in unloading responsibility on to the State has lately . become common among local bodies and individuals. Partly it is the fault of the Government in undertaking so much, and charging the public so heavily in taxes for its services, but partly it is due to the requests and demands that it should do more and more. The debating societies used to discuss the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" To-day there would probably be no debate. "My brother" has become the responsibility of the State. Before anyone dismisses this as far-fetched, let him think who it is that in New Zealand supports the aged—mostly fathers or motherstends the sick, the invalid, the cripple, pensions the widow, assists the unemployed and acts the pood Samaritan in numberless ways. When recently the appeal went out for crippled children, the first reaction of several local bodies was that this was a matter for the State, although second thoughts did more credit to their humanity. Nevertheless the tendency needs checking. If all altruism is left to the State, it will become as cold and soulless as the people who are prepared so to evade individual or community obligations. It will become centralised in a bureaucracy, as education has been to a large extent. To-day the trend is all toward standardisation, regimentation. centralised power and control. If any individuality or freedom is to remain, either personal or local, then a halt must be called to putting everything on to the State.