WITHOUT DEFEAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22632, 25 July 1935, Page 2

WITHOUT DEFEAT

By Oliver Black.

A STORY WITH A CALL TO A NATION

Chapter Five. (Continued.) VI. IT HAPPENED IN ROME Oliver lit a cigarette slowly. “ What can you do with a man like that?” lie asked. “What the deuce does he want a Government to do?” “Oh,” replied Davis, “he wants a heavy subsidy in the form of guaranteed prices or the land given back to him entirely free from the mortgage. Preferably both.” Oliver smoked in silence for a few minutes. Then he said: /■' “ I see that you're an admirer of the Government’s steps in connection with rural finance and mortgages.” “ You are wrong,” returned Davis. “It's all very well for the farmers, and, if you look at it in the right way, for the mortgagees, too. But I hate it myself.” , “Why?"

"First of-all, this direct interference with the right of private contract shocks the conscience of a lawyer. It's wrong, and it's dangerous. Such a thing is quite now to history."

Oliver laughed. "That's r.ot right," he said. 'When you were at school did you ever read Cesar?''

"That's a very long time ago. . . . Mow did it run? . . . Ciesar, having crossed into Transalpine Gaul, went into winter quarters, wasn't it? " " There's more to it than that. Let me remind you. When Caesar became Consul, he found that public credit was at a standstill all over Italy because people couldn't pay their debts. Ho he set up an Adjustment Commission to " reduce all values to what they had been before the war which had just come to an end. lie wanted to allay the widespread apprehension of a general abolition of debts. At the same time the prator at Rome set up a tribunal to hear people who couldn't pay their interest, on the plea of poverty, personal losses, the hardness of the times, and the difficulty of realising their assets. The result of this was a law allowing everyone six years in which to pay off their debts and the cancellation of all interest. Doesn't the remarkable similarity of our position to-day and the Government's steps strike you ? " " Yes," admitted Davis, "we don't seem to have progressed much in 2000 years." "And you observe the interference with private contracts —debts? "

"I do." " Weill, it does seem to me that if Rome, the great law-giver of all time, was driven to take 6Uch steps in a time of national emergency, New Zealand lawyers need not be unduly alarmed because their Government is doing almost exactly the same thing." •

" It's verjr interesting." "It is," went on Oliver. ."It's also not without interest to note that a gentleman named Milo, who was leader of the Opposition, tried to stir up discontent among the farmers. The Roman Government, having a more drastic way of dealing with opposition than we have with the Labour Party, put him to death. Rome emerged triumphant from her troubles, and so will New Zealand if people will just think quietly and not talk so loudly." "You may be right . . . ." Oliver looked as Davis steadily. "Now that I've shown you that your conscience as a lawyer need not be shocked, what's the other thing about this mortgage business you don't like? " Davis hesitated. " Well, it's like this." he said. "We poor devils of lawyers have a hard enough struggle to-day, and if the Government's going to take mortgage business away from us and we lose negotiating and conveyancing fees .. ." His voice trailed off.

" What am I going to get out of it! " eaid Oliver softly. "I beg your pardon?" "Nothing. I see. Well, I've taken up a lot of your time." " Not at all," said Davis. " Tell you what, two/of old Smith's mortgagees, two. of the widows—are coming shortly. Like to stay and hear me deal with them? I don't suppose they'll object." Oliver expressed his thanks. " Good, Jet's have some tea before they come." He rang a bell. VII. PITV THE POOR MORTGAGEE! The widows were sisters, but here the resemblance ended. Mrs Grey was large and dark, and her eyes glittered like red-hot coals. Mrs Brown was petite, pallid, arid pathetic. Oliver sat at the back of the room trying to look like a solicitor's clerk. Davis asked the ladies about Oliver "We have nothing to hide," declared Mrs Grey. " What we wish to say should be <( proclaimed from the house-tops." " You want to see me about your money? suggested Davis. " Our lack of money." Davis's finger-tip« sought each other's support again. " I know what you're going to say, Mrs Grey; let's try and get the position clear."

Mrs Grey looked at her sister as much as to say: "Oh, well, let the man have his say! " Davis, unabashed, continued:

" Seven years ago you and your sister each contributed £IOOO towards a contributory mortgage of £7OOO for George Smith. Everyone then believed that the land was worth at least £9500. and with butter-fat at its then figure, it was worth it. Also, Smith could pay you 6 per cent, interest out of his earnings from the farm. With the fall in prices today the land is worth less than £4OOO. Therefore you have lost six or seven hundred pounds out of your original thousand. He's got absolutely nothing except his land, and he's a Rood, hardworking farmer, so it's no good turning him out and putting in a manager." • Mrs Grey snorted sceptically. "Well, is it?" said Davis, looking at her. his head on one side. " Eleven women can't very well take possession and farm the land themselves, can they? If you turned Smith out you'd have to pay a manager, which would mean more money out of pocket for all of you."

" I've lent a man money, and I want him to pay it back. Goodness me. I'm not asking much," said Mrs Grey vehemently.

"Well, he can't pay it back and he can't' even pay you interest on it," answered Davis, "so what are you going to do about it? "

"That's the advice we pay you to give us," pointed out Mrs Grey shrewdly. Davis was not in the least disconcerted. He regarded his finger-nails. "And I'm tolling you." he replied. " You and your co-mo"tgagees, or some of you, won't be reasonable and cut your losses by making n sensible arrangement with Smith, so the Government's going to step in and make you. ]f butter-fat went back to boom prices again Smith niight, perhaps, make enough money to pay up all the arrears of interest, and he might possibly be able to re-finance the mortgage and pay you back in lull, But everyone knows that such a thing is extremely unlikely, and what would be tlie good hanging on like this and piling up more arrears on such a distant and far-fetched hope? No, you've made a bad bargain, and if you won't try and make the best of it the Government's going to make you." Mrs Brown cleared her throat.

" I told you so, Poppy," said she, triumphantly.

Mrs Grey stared at her sister aggressively; her feet beat restlessly on the bare floor.

"Very well," she said. "Then there's nothing to do except to see that this Government of robbers is removed from its infamous tenure of office in the autumn."

Oliver coughed deprecatingly. " May I suggest, madam," he ventured, "that the Labour Party might prove to have, er, more pronounced taking ways compared with Mr Forbes's administration? "

Mrs Grey glared at him. He went on

" I doubt whether you yorself would gain very much out of increased governmental spending with its consequent increase in taxation; or by the natioDaliaa-

tion of the means of production—the land, for instance? " "' Do you suppose for one moment that I am a supporter of the Labour Party, ycung man?" . ~ .. Oliver protested that sucn a thought had not so much as entered his head. _ " I should hope not, but I'm not going to sit down under this present Government's iniquitous proposals." " Madam," said Oliver. ' unless you wish to see a Labour Government in control in New Zealand, you have no alternative but to remain flitting under them —and no alternative but to do your utmost <o return them to power, disapproving though you may of the details of their policv. If you do not support them to the best of your ability you are simplv inviting a Labour Party to try its apprentice and inexperienced hand on the socialisation of this country." " I told you so, Poppy," said Mrs Brown timidly. . • Mrs Grev rose majestically to her teet. "I nm obliged to you, Mr Davis, for your clear exposition of my position. She turned to Oliver; "And as for you, Sir, I nm not a weak woman—" Oliver smiled to himself. " and lam not in the habit of changing mv mind. But I see from your brief but forceful remarks that I have done the Government an injustice. I shall send Mr Forbes a postcard to that effect. . . . Come along, Fanny." Both ladies withdrew. Oliver and Davis stared at each other in astonishment. " Quite one of our local characters, remarked Davis lighting a cigarette. VIII. TRYST AMONG TREES Oliver was enchanted. Almost in the very town itself he had come upon as magnificent a public park as lie had seen anywhere in the southern hemisphere—almost in the world. He wandered through fern-lined paths, beneath the spreading branches of creat trees, many of which were quite unfamiliar to him. and by the edge of delightful lakes, whose shores were lined with flowering shrubs. The sun was hot but the breeze from the mountain blew freshly. " Romance in the very air," said Oliver to himself. " I must contrive a tryst."

He walked back into the town, sought out a telephone box and rang up the number which Mary had given him.

"Yes, Mary, yes; the third rhododendron bush on the right," said Oliver, hanging up the receiver.

"And so, you see, Mary," said Oliver, as he ended his account of his latest adventures, " so many people are so selfish; it's 'what am I going to get out of it?' all the time- Nobody seems to be able to look at any question except from the angle of how it's going to affect him financially in the immediate future. Of course, I do think that to a certain extent it is because people don't understand. I think perhaps things aren't stffficiently clearly explained to them. Take this mortgaee business . . ." and he went

over again his interviews at Davis's oflice.

"Your Mr Smith is a pretty good rotter," remarked Mary. " Fancy deliberately trying not to make the scheme work! " " I know," said Oliver. " It's a curious frame of mind. He doesn't think he'n doing anything dishonest, 6 even morally. There's a kind of mentality that wages ft perpetual warfare against a Government, whatever it's like; that doesn't appreciate that a Government merely consists of the leaders of the people chosen by the people themselves and looks on them as a sort of cross between a usurping tryant and Dick Turpin. You know the ones' —the people who think it's funny to travel on a railway train without paying the fare or who make incorrect income tax returns."

" I like the sound of your retired captain," said Mary thoughtfully. "He's the right sort ... and Mrs Grey, too, in her way." " Bv all means Mrs Gray," agreed Oliver warmly. "In another country and in another age she would have been a grande dame; probably a King's mistress with the destinies of nations in the hollow of efficient hand."

Mary laughed. "And you, are you feeling more cheerful than you were in Wanganui?" Oliver admitted that he was. " But," he went ou, " I must get to the mountains if I'm to shake off this depressed feeling entirely. Tell me, Mary, can I stay anywhere on Mount Egmont? " Mary sat silently, thinking for a minute. Then she said:

" I tell you what, Oliver. I can spare a couple of days. Let's go up to one of the hostels on the mountain.*' Oliver opened his eyes. " I'd love to, Mary. But ...er ~ . what about you? I mean what will your family say to your staying in the same hotel as me . . . er . . ," Mary laughed loud; she Irughed long. " Dear Oliver," she said. " How delightfully Victorian! I never travel with a diaperone. We aren't all of us wowsers in New Zealand! " IX. WELL MET Oliver walked up a side street in New Plymouth on air. " With a song jn my heart," sang Oliver softly. He took off his hat, and the night breeze blew caressingly through his hair. A crowd of men were trooping out of a wooden hall. A thin man in a raincoat spoke to him as he halted to let the stream of men go by. "A good meeting." " Was it? " replied Oliver. " I'm afraid I missed it." "That's a pity. Blank spoke well." "Who's Blank?" The other regarded Oliver «'itb amazement.

" Why, he's one of the Taranaki members—didn't you know? " " I'm afraid I didn't. What did h* talk about? "

" Mortgages and rural finance, of course. What else is there to talk about?"

Oliver asked the purport of the speaker's remarks. "Oh," said the man, "he gave the dissatisfied farmers a pretty good ticking off. Pointed out that the Government's rural finance scheme was only one step on the road back to prosperity, and gave the Government a pat on the back for helping to solve the farmers' troubles. Mentioned Coates and Masters in particular. He said, too, that he'd like to see something done to «top farmers mortgaging their land in future." j " I suppose that Mr Blank is a supporter of the Government?" asked Oliver. s 'As a matter of fact he isn't, not in general. Indeed lie had to explain that lie wasn't 'going over' to Coates! " • "Mr Blank seems to be a brave and honest politician," said Oliver. "And how was his speech received?" " Oh. they passed a vote of thanks to the Government for its attempt to solve the farmers' mortgage problems, with special thanks to ail the Taranaki members. Good-night—hope I haven't been boring you." "On the contrary." answered Oliver. He went home to bed. X. WHICH ONE? Oliver and Mary sat in the car outside the New Plymouth Post Office. " So there are three of them," finished Mary. " You choose." " 1 like the sound of Dawson's Falls," said Oliver. " Let's try there." He drove over the switchback they call Devon street. A short, thick-set man in guinboots and a white Panama hat was painting a gate. *' Don't let me interfere wit!) your mission,'' siiirl Mary to Oliver. " You can stop find talk to him if you like." "Shall we?" " Let's." Oliver pulled up opposite the gate and quite unnecessarily asked the way to Inglewood. The man, removing a paint brush from his mouth, directed them to the right. Oliver lit a cigarette and observed: " You're making a good job of that gate." The man surveyed his handiwork with the critical,eye of a craftsman. "Not so'bad," he admitted. "I like a bit of painting. Always put in my odd minutes brightening up the place." " Not so many odd minutes these days, I suppose?" " You're right. A farmer has to work for a living these days." Mary looked at him for a moment. "You're not a New Zealander born'.' ' j she asked. "No," replied the man, "I came out from North Ireland —Newcastle, under the Mourne Mountains—best part of twentv years ago." "Like it?" inquired Oliver.

" It's a grand little country. For them as likes fresh air and work. People who've never been out of the place don't realise how lucky, they are. This countrj doesn't know the meaning of the words 'poverty' or 'want,' not like we knew it in Ireland, or England, for that matter. Especially the farmers." "Have you got a Fanners' Club round here? " asked Oliver.

"We have that. Not that I go there once in a year; I have to work and I don't waste my time in chatter. J learnt young. The land wouldn't plough itself in my young days, and if we wanted to clear it we had to get an axe and do it ourselves. Now it's easy to leave the boy to milk the cows while you prop up the bar in the club."

" Speculating on what the Labour Party will give them for nothing, eh? " asked Oliver.

"That's about right. Not- that the Labour Party will do any good. They talk a lot of hot air, so they appeal to a few of the hot-air farmers; they'll maybe buy a few votes from the relief workers and down-and-outs by promising them the moon, but that about all the ice they cut here." " I am not sure that I quite agree with that," laughed Oliver, " I've only got one thing against the Government,'" said the man, leaning rashly on the gate. He looked at the paint on his sleeve with indignation, and continued:

"They ought to arrange with Britain to let in all our produce free, and for us to take in British exports free in return."

"As a matter af fact, the Government did try to arrange some such bargain, but the British Government would have none of it."

" I didn't know that. Well, our fellows did their best, so I'm satisfied." Oliver asked him about the mortgage legislation. "0.K.," said the other. "It'll help those that want to help themselves, and those that will never lift a finger to help themselves till they'have to will be made to do so. And look at the things we farmers could do for ourselves if only everyone would get together. For one thing, we want a general sort of scheme for advertising milk drinking. Look at the difference the 'Drink more milk' campaign made to the home consumption in England! That's only one thing. There are plenty of others. But you can't get 'em to see it. Look at poultry and pigs and all the other side lines. But no, too many of them still think that a farmer's job is nothing Tsiit milking cows. Well. I must get on with my gate. Good-bye." Mary and Oliver drove off. "That's the sort of man wc want," said Mary at last. "That's the sort of man that everyone wants," replied Oliver. (To be continued.)