AS SEEN FROM THE SOUTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27345, 22 March 1950, Page 4

AS SEEN FROM THE SOUTH

There will be a general agreement with Mr Goosman when he says that “ this business of South Island versus North Island cannot continue,” but on the other hand resentment will be felt over his comment that “ there appears to be a great deal of parochialism in the south.” It can be admitted that there is a sentiment of something like parochialism abroad in the regions south of Wellington, but in a large degree this is not born of a narrow preoccupation with local affairs to the exclusion of all others. It has more in common with the spirit of nationalism which is generated in. a people by a rankling consciousness that their interests are not • being impartially cared for. The comparison cannot be insisted on too far, since in this instance the differences are between two sections of one people who are separated only by geographical division. In moments .of honest self-examination the southerner will recognise that there is in his make-up a proneness to , parochialism and that it has to be guarded against; but this is not what Mr Goosman has encountered. It is not parochial to wage a campaign . for local affairs which await legitimate development. The long agitation for greater attention to be given to the needs of the South Island has in part been inspired by an awareness of the fact that national welfare can be better served if this is done.

The misunderstanding on Mr Goosman’s part is, however, a small affair when weighed against his appreciation of the inter-dependence cf the two islands and his reiteration of the pledge that the National Government intends to be “ national and to see that justice is done through the whole of' the country. The Prime Minister, only a few days ago, spoke on this theme and his message was very warmly received in this city. What Mr Goosman calls “ the basis of co-operation ” has not only to be continued, it has to be strengthened. The complaint of the

south is that under previous Governments works in the North Island have received more sympathetic consideration. It can be argued that the preponderance of population there makes for greater needs, but this argument does not give a full explanation when applied to some instances of North Island development. It is essential that, as far as is possible after allowances have been made for geographical and other factors, some balance of population and of economic activity should be maintained between north and south. This will take some time to bring about and will require greater vision in Wellington than has been manifest in recent years.