FROM NORTH OF TWEED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18787, 14 February 1923, Page 4

FROM NORTH OF TWEED

A LETTER TO SCOTTISH EXILES. ■•'Written for the Otago Daily Times. Br Robert S. Angus. EDINBURGH, December 28. Any loiter written between Christmas and New Year is apt to bo thin in its material, ami Ibis one can be no exception. Like our neighbours south of the Tweed, wo were without newspapers on Christmas Day - tiio second year we have had this experience- and for all the news that was available publication might, have been suspended on Boxing' Day too. as it. was in England. '1 ho experience brought, homo the fact that London is the clearing-house for the news of the world and that when it is on holiday the thirst for news is nptTikoly to be much gratified. We have had a blustering, rainy, mild Christmas! idc, and all the signs nomt to similar conditions for the holiday of the

coming week-end. THE YEAR’S SHIPBUILDING. During this lean season, from the point of view of nows, the papers fill columns that would otherwise bo empty with surveys, industrial and social, of the dying year. These are interesting, but no inoans cheerful reaciTng. Take the shipbuilding industry, for instance. During 1922 only lh(J vessels have been put into _ the water on the Clyde, as compared with 300 in (lie year before, 428 in 1918, and 377 in 1913.' On the Forth and the Tay, where the industry is, of course, on a much smaller scale, the story was the same. It is reassuring to hear from all the centres reports that new orders are beginning to flow in, and that the prospect, is muon better than it has been for several years. In this connection I may _ revert to the controversy which, as I mentioned the othei day, has boon aroused Lord Mac! ay s suggestion that, the Clyde is in. danger of losing its shipbuilding predominance because the workmen there are slacking. Called upon to withdraw the statement, he repeals it, supplemented by the testimony of his own experience that his firm can get. shipbuilding and repairs done 20 per rent, cheaper on the north-east, coast of England, though as a, matter of local patriotism he has always given the work to the Clyde. That state of matters ho jvoinis, out, calls for the study of both employers and workmen.

OUR SAVINGS. In viow of the prevalence of unemployment, it is a remarkable foot that the savings of the people, na measured bv the two chief savings banks, have materially increased during the year. The Glasgowfigures are up by nearly a- million, and the Edinburgh by over half a million. Glasgow has nearly twenty millions in its safe, and Edinburgh over eight millions a considerably larger proportion, it will bo noted. These figures, when taken in conjunction with the investments in savings certificates, justify the conclusion that the habit of putting something aside for a rainv day is growing substantially. One would have expected. that in these times nooplo would be forced to draw- on their reserves, and the number and amount of the repayraeiits show that that has happened, but still the balance on the deposits show the gams I have mentioned.

THE PRIME MINISTER AT HOME. Mr Bonar Law has been on a visit to his constituents for the first time since his election. His main purpose was to take part in social engagements, but be received a deputation of the unemployed. This he did as member for Central Glasgow, and therefore bound lo meet ji responsible body of tno electors as represented by the Trades Council. In bo doinpr be was m no wav inconsistent with his refusal to receive in London the so-called hungermarchers” who have gone there from the provinces, for the purpose (now avowed) of making propaganda and discrediting the Government, They could not be sui prised that the head of it declined to assist them. The Prime Minister had a. friendly talk with bis visitors, which served to elicit some practical suggestions and (o expose some others. It was noteworthy that the deputation not merely accepted but emphasised Mr Law’s view that the outlook is distinctly improved. “MIGHT HA’ BEEN WAUR.”

In the course of a characteristicallv candid and ingenuous speech lo his friends, the Prime Minister alluded with pleasure to the personal regard which some of the new Labour M.P.’s from the West of Scotland have expressed for him. Their attitude he likened lo that of the Scottish mother who. when her child shows some piece of work in expectation of praise, remarks “Aye, it inichi. ha' been waur/’ So. knowing our Scottish way of putting our compliments in the negative form, Mr Bonar Law takes the speeches of the Labour men as meaning that if the country is to have a capitalist Prime (Minister it might have a worse one than himself. He said a. true thing when ho suggested that, while the Clydeside Labour contingent has made an impression at Westminster, it Ims also learned a good deal, and is likely to learn more. VETERINARY SCIENCE. I am sorry to hear that the Royal Dick Vcterhinirv “ College in Edinburgh is in

serious financial straits in this, the centenary your of the beginning of veterinary teaching in the capital. The college has a good deal of capital, much of it invested at present, and it has excellent new buildings and the number of students is growing. But in its current expenditure it is about £S[X)O a year on the wrong side, and the Government is not disposed to make up the deficit. The suggestion has been made (hat the Edinburgh and the Glasgow Colleges should bo amalgamated, but though that idea has much to commend it. one can hardly expect it to bo hailed with enthusiasm in the west. It is generally supposed that in these days of motor cars the “ vet,” is becoming less necessary. The contrary is the case. The horse will soon be extinct so far as the towns are concerned, but farmers are eom-

iug to recognise the great importance of professional scientific advice as to the health and nutrition of their herds and flocks. Our agricultural prosperity is hound to rest more and more on the pre-eminence of our Jive, stock, and that cannot be maintained if veterinary science is allowed to languish. FIFTY YEARS OF SCIENCE. Sir Edward Sharpey Schafer has been so long among us that he has come to be regarded almost as a Scot, at least by adoption. He has hold the Edinburgh Chair of Physiology for almost a quarter of a century, and it was therefore with ■ great pleasure that he presented and (he univer-

sity accepted a copy of the medal which his" pupils and assistants have had struck to commemorate his completion of 60 years of scientific investigation. Professor Schafer is one of the proudest ornaments of our university. HEREDITARY TALENT. Pupils of the late Professor W. R. ITardic, whoso premature death while he held the Chair of Humanity at Edinburgh, robbed the country of one of its greatest classical scholars, will read with interest and pleasure

the, announcement that his son, W. F. R. Hardio, formerly of the Edinburgh Academy and now a scholar of Balliol, has been awarded the Ireland Scholarship, one of the groat prizes at Oxford. A HIGHLAND CHIEF. A typical Highland chief has been gathered to his lathers in the person of Colonel Campbell, of Inverneill. who has died at the, age of 80. He was the head of one of the many branches of the Argyllshire Campbells—a branch which for 200 years has sent practically every one of its sons into the army or the Indian civil service. A hundred years ago one of them was adjutant-general to the forces, several of (hem attained (ho rank of general, and at least two of them are buried in Westminster Abbey. The late colonel carried on the tradition, and after serving in the regular army he was for many years a prominent volunteer, combining that with much useful local work. He was a.n enthusiastic sportsman, especially in shooting and yachting. All his three sons wore in (he Great War, and the eldest was killed. His successor, who married a daughter of Mr John K. Waterbury, of New York, raised and commanded a local battalion.

COUNCILLOR ESSON OF ABERDEEN. It is so long since I met Mr Charles G. F.sson in, connection with Municipal affairs in Aberdeen that it was a surprise to learn that he was only 59 when lie died. \\ hen I knew him he was regarded as a tiit of an extremist, if not formally identiJied with the Lalrour Party, but age and experience evidently mellowed him, and for many years ho was the head of the Water Department, preferring that oflice to a seat on (ho bench, which was offered him more than once Ho was a working shoemaker when he began Ins municipal work, but later be started for himself as tobacconist in Market street and did remarkably well in that, as well ns in sundry investments in house property. He was inclined to bo b bit fiery-teinpered, but he had a large stock of local patriotism, and gave 50 years of hard work to his adopted city. RAILWAY APPOINTMENTS.

As was expected, Mr Donald Mntheson. who has been manager of the Caledonian ttailwoy for a dozen years, has been apf»cintnd a deputy manager with Scotland as bis sphere, under the group of which tha Caledonian now forms part. On the other hand, Mr Killin. another official of

the Caledonian, has been transferred to the midlands with-'Derby as his headquarters. His Glasgow friends, while regretting his departure from among them, rejoice in his well-deserved promotion. OCR RUGBY TEAM. At. least one section of the community is more interested in the process of building up this year’s international Rugby team than iTi any of the topics so far mentioned. h’or their benefit 1 have to report that the work is going forward with "reat promise, and the Selection Committee, after a record number experimental matches—these in themselves highly interesting—believe lliat they have in sight a combination which will account for the English team when it comes to Inverleith in March, 'the forward line is regarded by the experts as (he best, wo have had for many years. The Liddell-Gracio combination at three-quarter back, which has hitherto done better in trials than on the day of actual battle, has again made a great impression and roused high hopes. Forsaylh, the Australian Scot, is practically without a rival for the position of full-back, and unless there is something surprising in the final trial in Glasgow a fortnight, hence, is sure of his place. Young Macpherson, of Fettes and Oxford, who did so well last year, is off form and has been dropped, but, not yet 20, he lias every chance of reappearing later.