FROM NORTH OF TWEED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22719, 4 November 1935, Page 16

FROM NORTH OF TWEED

LETTER TO OVERSEAS SCOTS By Robert S. Angus. SPEY BAY, September 11. Up here the echoes of world affairs sound faint and distant. The sails of the fishing boats dot the Moray Firth; in the farm across the way the stackyard, in spite of occasional showers, is being rapidly filled; the sportsmen are out on the hillside, and the golfers play their two rounds a day, undisturbed by thoughts of the problems that are being wrestled with at Geneva. Most of us read no more than the headlines in the newspapers, and remain easy in mind, convinced that nothing will. prevent Italy from attacking Abyssinia and that the powers will not wage a great war to prevent a small one. We note with satisfaction that the unemployment figures for last month show a further improvement of over 27,000, of which Scotland alone accounts for 14,572. The inference that these indicate an improvement in productive industry is supported by the fact that during the year just ended the revenue of the Clyde Trust increased by £72,000 and that the increase in exports was mainly in coal and the metal trades. But there can be no reason for complacence while we have still over 93,000 men idle in Glasgow, 13,000 in Edinburgh, nearly 15,000 in Dundee and 7000 in Aberdeen. The most that can be said is that the situation is distinctly improved and showing signs of further improvement. SCOTTISH SELF-PITY. Nor is there much real ground for the self-pity which my old friend, Dr James Devon, has been denouncing as not in the tradition of the Scot. With his usual contempt for vague and remote aspirations Dr Devon scoffs at attempts to reform the world and particularly at the activities of the politicians, Scottish Home Rulers included. The only way to make the future bright, he holds, is to make ourselves and the present right. If we let dreams get the better of us, our children will have more reason to curse us than we have to curse our parents. Few men have seen so much of the seamy side of life as Dr Devon did during the _ many years he was a prison commissioner, and it is pleasant to know that neither that experience nor growing years have diminished his cheery and highly individualistic outlook. I wonder if he still retains the one distinction of which he used to boast —that he had never seen a football match? AIR SERVICE TO THE ISLANDS. Arrangements have now been made between the Stornoway Trustees—to whom Lord Leverhulme handed over his Hebridean enterprises when he could make nothing of them —and the West of Scotland Air Services for a twiceweekly service between the islands and Renfrew, to be increased as traffic warrants. The trial trips made this week, have given warning that weather may be a serious obstacle to the regularity of the journey, and it would be rash to predict that the enterprise will be a commercial success, at least in the, early stages. If it can be made permanent it will be an immense boon to the islands. HIGHLAND PREJUDICE. It is impossible to extend the same sympathy to the demands of the Free Presbyterian Synod that the steamer which now leaves Stornoway at 11 o’clock on Sunday nights should defer its sailing to the early hours of Monday morning. The obscurantists who make this suggestion cannot be so ignorant as to imagine that sailing in the small hours would obviate Sunday labour, which is their pet aversion. They plead that “ many people such as ministers, university students, and fish workers have conscientious scruples about crossing on Sunday nights, and, in effect, 'these people have only five services per week instead of six.” Their consciences seem undisturbed by reflection that the crews of the steamers are compelled to be less scrupulous in order to suit the convenience of the rigidly righteous, who, I have no doubt, read their Monday morning papers with easy minds. This is the same body which recently excommunicated the Provost of Dornoch because he had dancing at a’ children’s Christmas party. HEBRIDEAN SCHOLARSHIP. A more attractive aspect of Highland life is reflected in the report of the Skeabost Scholarship Fund, founded by Mr Duncan MacLeod, who presided in person over the annual meeting. The fund is to enable Skye and Raasay lacs to have a university course. One of them, it was reported, has completed hia course at Cambridge and been awarded a research scholarship of £2OO a year and had an Edinburgh scholarship of £l5O restored to him. Another won a history scholarship at Edinburgh, and a third, already M.A. and B.Sc., with first-class honours, has graduated as doctor of natural philosophy at Frankfurt Uni-

versity. Mr MacLeod must find great joy in the success of these fellowHebrideans, who, hut for his wise generosity, might have had to scrape a bare living from a Highland croft, NEW LAIRD OF BRAHAN. The Hon. Francis Alan Stewart-Mac-kenzie gave a reception this week at Brahan Castle, Rosa-shire, to celebrate his succession to the estate of his great grand-uncle, the late Lord Seaforth. His descent is through the female line and, as a son of Lord and Lady Midleton, his own name was Brodrick. But, to judge from his speech to the tenants, feuars and estate servants, he is proud of the Seaforth traditions and determined to maintain them. He mentioned that the trustees of the estate have paid off large debts during the last few years by stringent economies, and, though h« has to work in London to provide means to help the estate to go on, he looks forward to the day when ho will be able to live ail the year round at Brahan. The relations between the new laird and his tenantry seem to have started in an excellent spirit, A SON OF THE MANSE. Sir Robert Horne has always been proud of the fact that he is a son of the manse, his father having been parish minister of Slamannan, in Stirlingshire, for over 30 years. Sir Robert attended the service there on Sunday in order to be present at the dedication of the gifts he has made in his father’s memory—a new pulpit, communion table, elders’ stalls and chairs. It is nearly 50 years since the father died, but a few of the old folks still remember him and Mrs Horne, who died only a few years ago, .maintained to the end her associations with the parish. She was a woman of marked personality with a mordant wit and rightly proud of her son’s success in public life. HOLYROOD PALACE. It is pleasant news that the Duke of Hamilton as hereditary keeper of the Falace of Holyroodhouse has decided to take up residence there for a week or two next month. It is a pity that except during the stay of the Lord High Commissioner and an occasional royal visit the palace should stand empty. The Duke, unfortunately, is so much crippled that he can take no active part in affairs, but he is a man of great public spirit and the Duchess is prominent in many public movements. EDINBURGH LORD PEOYOSTSHIP. Negotiations—or, if you like, wirepulling—have already begun in connection with the Lord Provostship of Edinburgh, which falls vacant in November when Sir William Thomson retires. Among the aspirants is Bailie the Rev. A. D. Sloan, who was formerly ovost of St. Andrews. I mention his candidature merely because it would be a unique event if a man were to occupy the civic chair of two famous cities. RIVER POLLUTION, Fife County Council has in hand a scheme for clearing pollution from the River Leven. The cost will be nearly £30,000, but the expenditure will be well •worth while. The large rivers can look after themselves, but the condition of some of our smaller streams is a discreu to all concerned, ruinous to fishing, dangerous to the public health, and an offence to the neighbourhood. In these times, when money and men are available in abundance, river purification offers an excellent scope for the employment of both. ABERDEEN PROFESSOR HONOURED. Sir John Marnoch has retired from the post of honorary surgeon to the King in Scotland and it is to be filled ly his successor in the chair of surgery at Aberdeen—Dr James R. Learmonth. He is a native of Kirkcudbright and though only 40 years of age has already an established reputation in surgery of .ho brain. Sir John Marnoch’s services have been recognised by bis retention as an extra surgeon. SCOTTISH RACE MEETINGS. Those responsible for .he Scottish -ace meetings had a conference this week on the serious decline which has taken place in the number of runners. It was pointed out that while there used to be a; many as a hundred horses in training at Ayr alone, the number for the whole of Scotland is not now more than 40. It costs £25 to bring a horse north from Epsom or Newmarket, and it is not surprising ihat few owners care to incur that outlay for the modest prizes offered at the Scottish meetings. The result is that the fields are too small to excite much interest. It was agreed to appeal to the railway companies for cheaper rates, but that will have little effect unless more owners have their horses trained in Scotland, and they can hardly be expected to do so when all the important meetings are held in the south.