FROM NORTH OF TWEED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22835, 20 March 1936, Page 7

FROM NORTH OF TWEED

A LETTER TO OVERSEAS SCOTS Written for the Otago Daily Times. By Robert S. Angus. EDINBURGH, January 30. We Soots have the reputation of being an unemotional and undemonstrative race. Whether it is justified I have always been a little doubtful, and that doubt bus been increased during the past week. The scenes of mourning for the late King and the proclamation of his successor have shown an even greater depth of feeling than might have been expected. In every town and village memorial services were crowded by congregations who were deeply moved, and the tributes to King George, spoken and written, were couched in language of personal affection. 'They were well summed up by the Rev. Dr Charles Warr, dean of the Thistle, who, preaching in St. Giles’s Cathedral, where the late King always worshipped when he was in Edinburgh, said that “the innate simplicity of the man constituted the compelling strength of Jus personality. The mourning on Deesidc had an intimacy of its own, for to the people there his late Majesty was not merely King, but the laird of Balmoral. Among the worshippers in Craithie Church was Mr Arthur Grant, the retired head gamekeeper, 85 years of age, who gave King George his first lessons in shooting. Almost the only discordant note was struck by the I.L.P. members ot Glasgow Corporation, who cavilled at the sending of a message of loyalty and sympathy. The Socialist majority showed a better sense of the fitness of things, and at another meeting Mr Torn Johnstone, M.P., declared that if the head of the State had to be chosen by popular vote 'he new King would be elected by a liiousand-to-one majority over any conceivable opponent. ROYAL PROCLAMATIONS. In the ceremony of proclaiming the new King, Edinburgh naturally had the foremost place. The proclamation was read at the Market Cross in the High street, the gates of the castle, Holyrood Palace, and, perhaps most picturesquely of all, on the shores of the Forth at Leith. In lire capital the Lyon King of Arms and Hie tabarded members of his court gave a mediieval touch to the proceedings. The ceremony was repeated at a central point in every town —at Oban they read ihe proclamation in Gaelic—but, of course, most of us had heard it through the marvels of wireless, a.s it was carried out in London on the previous day, just as through the same medium we took a listeners part in the funeral of King George at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. THE KING AS PIPER. It is interesting to learn from one who was Ids contemporary at Oxford University that King Edward’s study of the bagpipe music began when he was an undergraduate there, now over twenty years ago. Before going up he had had a few lessons on the chanter from Pipcmajor Forsyth, and at Oxford he joined the Piping Society, which used to meet twice a week for tuition from Pipe-major Ross, of the Scots Guards. He also attended the dinner held once a term by the Caledonian Society, and took part in the Highland joels—a “ lady’s ” jiart it seems, since he was shorter in stature than most of the members. Subject to what those who are better versed in history may have to say, I doubt if we have ever had a King who could play the bagpipes. To find one it woidd bo necessary to go back to the Celtic Kings, and they probably regarded the art as one that was to he paid for Tather than practised.

COAL SETTLEMENT. It is a good augury for the new' reign that its first industrial dispute should have been peaceably settled. The Scottish miners will receive an increase of ninepence per shift, making the rate 8s 9id, and though they regard that as only an unsatisfactory instalment, they have wisely decided to_ accept it as the best possible in the circumstances, and iu the hope that the new selling arrangements may bring more. Scotland, being lagely dependent on export, has more than most districts to gain from organised selling. STEEL MERGER. A further stage in the consolidation of the Scottish steel trade is marked by the announcement that Colville’s Ltd., have acquired practically the whole share capital of the Steel Company, of Scotland, amounting to £900,000. The process, I gather, is of more financial than industiial importance. The head of the combination is Sir J’amcs Lithgow, who as a shipbuilder is one of the largest buyers of steel. He is one of our great “captains of industry,” and shows a dauntless enterprise reminiscent of the men who built up Scotland’s prosperity during last century. As chairman of the National Development Council he has taken a leading part in the stimulation of enterprises far removed from those in which he is engaged himself, and from talks with him I know that he declines to take a discouraging view of our industrial future. Indeed, his whole career gives evidence to the contrary. BETTER FISHING. Though fishing is far from prosperous, the figures give unquestionable proof that it substantially improved during 1935. The value of the white fish landed —twothirds of it at Aberdeen —increased by £300,000, and of herring by £250,000, the letter mainly due to increased sales to the European market. Fishing was much interrupted by bad weather, but that is less serious than might be supposed, as small catches moan better prices. The distribution of an additional half a million sterling, most of it along the north-east coast, must make a material difference to that area. HIGHLAND AMENITY.

Controversy is still acute regarding the proposals for another great scheme of hydro-electric development in the West Highlands. As previously indicated, I have little sympathy with the objections cn aesthetic grounds. They come mostly from landowners and tourists. Excellent people, no doubt, but their interests or prejudices should not be allowed to stand in the way of providing additional employment where it is much needed. The promoters have given a public assurance (hat they are mindful of the amenity of the country, and that they will consult the Association for the Preservation of Rural Scotland regarding the architectural features of the works to be erected. That is as much as can be expected. The critics would be helpful if they could obtain a promise that as far as possible local and not imported Irish labour will be used. GREENOCK’S GOOD FORTUNE.

Greenock inaugurated this week an important addition to its public services, when the provost cut the first sod on the site where a maternity and children’s hospital is to be erected. It is (lie gift of Miss M. B. Rankin, who has given £40.000 for tlie purpose. She has already been a generous benefactor to tiie town. Along with her late brother, Mr Matthew Rankin, she was the main contributor to the extension of Larkileld Hospital, and their gift of £IO,OOO helped the corporation to undertake the slum clearance scheme in the central area. Other gifts of theirs have been a lifeboat and a fund for cancer research at Glasgow University. Such magnificent donations are all the more praiseworthy when made, during the lifetime of the giver, and, as the provost said, Greenock is fortunate to have such a citizen ns Miss Rankin. PROFESSOR DARWIN.

When Professor Charles Galton Darwin came from Cambridge to Edinburgh in 1922 to the chair of natural philosophy cnee held by Tail, it was recognised that liis stay was not likely to he permanent. It is now about to come to a close on his appointment ns master of Christ’s College, Cambridge. It was to that college that his grandfather, the author of “The Origin of Species. ’’ went from Edinburgh with the intention of studying for the ministry of the Church of England. Dr Darwin's predecessor at Christ's is Mr Norman MnoLcnn, who is the son of a former minister of Lanark, and began his education at the Royal High School and Edinburgh University. THE BAD OLD TIMES. I am interested to note from a paper he read to Hawick Archffilogical Society that Mr James Edgar has been exploring what used to be a favourite browsing ground of mine—the “Statistical Account (if Scotland.” It was compiled in 1790 by Sir John Sinclair, who conceived the ingen ons idea of getting the minister ol every parish to write an account of it—historical, geographical, and economic. As was to be expected, the contributions vary greatly in quality, but the best of them are very good indeed, and give a

more vivid and authentic account than is to be found elsewhere of what the countryside looked like and how the people lived. Mr Edgar has found that on the Borders ploughmen with bed and board received £7 a year; if they fed and lodged themselves their wages were £l3. But beef cost fourpence a pound, and chickens from threepence to sixpence. Every hamlet had its handloom weavers, and unemployment was unknown. I have sometimes wondered whether a modern “ Statistical Account” might be attempted, but it is doubtful if the present generation would tackle a score or more of large volumes such as Sir John Sinclair produced. These old times provide a complete answer to those who think the world is growing from bad to worse. They show that the poorest in the land arc better housed, fed, and clothed to-day than well-to-do workers were 140 years ago. THE KEY. A. J. CAMPBELL, OF BARRY. A generation ago few names were more widely known than that of the Rev. A. J, Campbell, of Barry. He was minister of the Free Church, and spent the whole of his working life there, but he was not less active as a radical politician, particularly keen about the disestablishment of the Church of Scotland. He was also an enthusiastic volunteer, and during the war, though he was then over sixty, he acted as a chaplain to the troops. He retired in 1028, and thus before his death, at the ago of 81, he had a few quiet years in striking contrast to the fiery controversy which occupied his prime.