FROM NORTH OF TWEED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21019, 7 May 1930, Page 6

FROM NORTH OF TWEED.

A LETTER TO OVERSEAS SCOTS. Written for the Otago Daily Times.

• 13y Egbert S. Angus.

EDINBURGH, March 20. World-wide tribute has already been paid to the late Earl of Balfour, whose death was announced yesterday morning; after months of physical and mental collapse it was not unexpected. He was undoubtedly the most gifted Scotsman of his time. Though educated in England and required by circumstances to spend the greater part of his life there, he remained none the less typical a Scot, and of all his distinctions he was prouder of none than of being the laird of Whittinghame, where he maintained a patriarchal system and provided a home for a wide circle of nephews and nieces. Amid many' distractions, he never lost interest in the affairs of his own country. I suppose our Nationalist friends would have had him spend the whole of his days on. its narrow stage, but he would have laughed their parochial outlook to scorn. With the possible exception of two other Scotsmen, Lord Rosebery, and Sir Forbes Robertson he was the most beautiful speaker of English I have ever, heard. Among his many services one should not be forgotten; it was largely due to his influence and example that golf sprang into popularity in England some 40 years ago, for at a time when he was the most prominent Minister of the day one of the things generally known about him was that he played what was then regarded as this queer game. It is worth recalling that Lord Ballour held the office of Scottish secretary for a few months soon after it was revived. LORD LOTHIAN. By the death of the Marquis of Lothian a long tragedy has happily been closed. For over 30 years he had been an inmate of an Edinburgh institution with no hope of recovery. The cousin who succeeds him has -played an influential though unobtrusive part in public affairs. As a member of the “Milner Kindergarten" in South Africa, as editor of The Round Table, and as private secretary to Mr Lloyd George during the later years of the war and the Versailles Conference, Mr Philip Kerr has been a potent figure, and now, as secretary of the Rhodes Trust for some years he has been congenially engaged in strengthening the links’ of Empire. I doubt if, apart from the title and the historic residences of Newbattle and Blickling Hall (in Norfolk), he has come into a great inheritance. The Lothian estates are not particularly wealthy, although presumthere has been some accumulation during the long illness of the late Marquis. Mr Kerr is another example of the hampering effect which would be imposed if the cry of “ Scotsman for Scotland ’’ were heeded. FROM POLICEMAN TO LORD a. PROVOST. On the other hand, the. career of Sir Thomas Paxton, who died suddenly this week, sjiows that without leaving his native country a man may have a life of great usefulness and attain high distinction. He began his working life as a police constable in Glasgow and rose to be Lord Provost of the city. The turning point for- him was his appointment as superintendent one of the model lodg-ing-houses belonging to the corporation. The wide margin between the wholesale prices of the provisions he bought for the inmates and what 'was paid by the consumer led him to set up in business for himself, and his native shrewdness —for he had had a scanty education—brought him abundant prosperity. The County Council of London attempted to enlist his services as manager of its lodging-houses, but he declined. His municipal career was marked by the same diligence and foresight.as his business management, and although he did not reach the civic chair till bis third attempt, his occupancy of it was a distinguished success, and in particular he _ delighted famous municipal guests by his combination of bonhomie and dignity. A MARTYR TO SCIENCE. That the age of the martyrs is not yet over is shown by the story of the late Dr John W. L. Spence, who died this week. Under Dr Dawson Turner, he was one of the pioneers in radiology, and, working without the safeguards which were then not known to be necessary, he was attacked by radiologist’s cancer. He had to have a 'finger or his right hand amputated nearly 30 years ago, and then at intervals further amputations had to take place till the whole arm was taken off. But he continued his work undaunted, keen in every new application of his science, and at the same time maintaining his whimsical humour and indomitable cheerfulness. His annual appearance at Father Christmas at the Royal Sjck Children’s Hospital was an event to which his colleagues on the staff looked forward with the same glee as the patients. He had no illusions as to the fate which awaited him; his knowledge of the subject forbade them; but he went about his practice with one hand (and that in bandages) and brought happiness as well as health to many a little sufferer. Hjs professional brethren learned much by his example as well as his teaching. MR CHISHOLM ROBERTSON. I had lost sight of Mr Chisholm Robertson for so many years th&t the intimation of his death came upon me as a surprise. My most vivid recollections of him date from the early ’nineties, when, immaculately dressed and wearing a glossy silk hat (which would have astonished his present-day successors), he was the leader of the Stirlingshire miners ■in a prolonged strike. He stood for Stirlingshire as a Labour candidate in 1892, but. of course, had no chance of success. Whether for that reason or some other, he lost faith in political action and urged that the miners should confine themselves to trade union effort. On that question his bitter fight with Mr Robert Smillie for the leadership of the Scottish miners mainly turned, and when he was defeated .lie abandoned any active part in the Labour movement. I believe that though then a middle-aged man, he afterwards went to Oxford University, with what result I never heard. I suspect his latter days were none too prosperous. FARMERS’ PLIGHT. Another series of landowners, farmers, and farm servants’ demonstrations has been held this week—at Cupar, Stranraer, Keith, and elsewhere. But I have searched in vain for evidence that they have any united view as to what they want, except prohibitive measures which they are not likely to got. Lord Elgin told his Fireshire audience frankly that they must depend loss on the Government and more upon their own efforts, that they should combine to organise the market at their own doors, and not seek to build up a protective wall. Lord Stair, who is of another way of thinking politically, protested that they did not want bounties, doles, or charity, but only fair play ; and he hastened to protest against any interference by the Government with established customs. Ho will find it difficult to get it both ways. An examplp of selfhelp of this kind that is needed is the scheme for the elimination of bovine tuberculosis. It is estimated that from 30 to 40 per cent, of our herds are infected, and although the danger of communication to human beings is comparatively small, the loss inthe commercial value of the cattle is serious. WOOL MARKETING. Another and an encouraging case of the same kind is the success of the Scottish Woolgrowers’ Society. At its fourth annual meeting the chairman was able to report progress all along the line —increases in the amount of wool sold, the money received, the membership and capital of the society, and a profit of nearly 8 per cent, on the capital. One of the members tells me that the better price as the result of scientific grading and the certainty as to prompt payment arc well worth the commission collected by the society. If the potato growers and the milk producers were to show an equal amount of co-operation their difficulties would be greatly reduced. FORTH ROAD BRIDGE. No further progress has been made with the scheme for a Forth road bridge, except that the Transport Minister has stated his position with a blu.itness which loaves no room for further doubt. What he wants to know, he told the House ot Commons, is how much importance the local authorities attach to the scheme on | traffic grounds and how that importance is reflected in cash. The recent conference on the subject gave him no guidance, except of a negative sort. HONORARY GRADUATES. Edinburgh University has selected for its honorary degrees of LL.D. a list of more than usual interest and distinction. It includes Sir Thomas Barlow, the physician, Mr Max Bcerbohm, the well-

known writer and artist, Professor Baldwin Brown, about to retire from the fine arts chair after 50 years' service, Sir Otto Beit, one of the Rhodes trustees, Mr Andrew Grierson, town clerk of Edinburgh, Sir Otto Schlapp, who recently gave up the German chair of which he was the first occupant, Mr Norman Maclean. master of Christ’s College, Cambridge, and M. Jusserand, the French critic of English literature.