FROM NORTH OF TWEED

Otago Witness, Issue 3596, 13 February 1923, Page 61

FROM NORTH OF TWEED

A LETTER TO SCOTTISH EXILES. By Robert S. Angus. EDINBURGH. December 21. A letter written on the eve of.Chritsmas week-end naturally sends the mind of the writer to thoughts of friends abroad. I suppose there is hardly a family in Scotland that does not have one or more of its members in remote parts of the earth, for though we are a home-loving we are nob a home-staying race. The Christmas cards and presents were despatched weeks ago, but the season itself brings the exchange of those telepathic communications in which even the most unimaginative of us sometimes indulge. In past years I have taken the liberty of preaching a lictle [ay sermon on the duty of the letter home. Has it been neglected by any whose eyes run over these iines? If it has, they have on their conscience the responsibility for some aching hearts. The Scot abroad who lets Christmas and New Year pass without not only thinking of the folks at home but letting them know that he thinks of them must be far sunk indeed. THE UNEMPLOYED. So much has the observance of Christmas increased with us in recent years while the celebration of the New Year is also maintained that we <eem to be in a fair way towards having the best of both festivals. The interruption of business is the less difficult seeing that trade is still woefully stack. But we are closing the year in fairly good spirits. The business men are confident that better times are not. far off, and some of them are backing their confidence with great courage. But at this moment we have some scores of our unemployed engaged iq a march to London ostensibly for the purpose of calling attention to their lot. It may well be doubted whether those who squeal loudest are the greatest sufferers. The local authorities are doing their best with relief works. A great new road between Edinburgh and Glasgow is’ one of the schemes contemplated, and of course the zealots for the mid-Scotland ship canal are using the conditions of the time as an argument for planting their particular white elephant on the community. Personally, I harve not* much faith in these projects. They help only the unskilled labourer, and are worse than useless to many types of skilled workers, who have not the physical strength for using the pick and shovel, and whose delicacy of touch, essential to their proper business, would be permanently ruined if they went to the relief works. The only hope is a general revival, which will give men work at their own trade. WORKERS’ EFFICIENCY. Lord Maclay, who should have known better, has got himself into hot water by repeating a suggestion that- the failure of the Clyde to get one of the battleship orders was due to the inefficiency of the workers. The allegation has been hotly repudiated by the local representative of the Admiralty, and by the spokesman of the shipbuilding employers, who declares that the men are working as thoroughly and conscientiously as ever they’ did before the war. That is perhaps not an exacting standard. for in the old days the Clyde yards suffered a good deal from absenteeism. But in that respect they were not peculiar, and those who find fault might do well to try a few hours standing on the side of a halfbuilt ship in such bleak and stormy weather as we are having at present. The Clyde employers could always get an extra spurt from their men when there was a real need for it. BANISHED FROM HOME. That the times have brought hardship to those who were generally regarded as beyond its reach is shown by a rather pathetic letter which has just been received from Lochiel. Writing from Dinard, France, to resign his chairmanship of the local school Management Committee, he explains that “as the largest ratepayer in the district he has been driven from home into banishment by inability to pay the local rates.” For that reason he objects to the scheme of the committee to provide a hostel in Fort-Wil-liam for the girls from the parish who are attending the secondary school there. He thinks there are plenty of good homes in Fort- William where the girls might be more suitably and cheaply housed. Lochiel. whose case is by no means singular, finds that his vast estates pYoduce no free revenue, and for that reason he is unable to sell them. He is at present living on the proceeds of pictures and other realisable assets he has recently sold. THE END OF OUR RAILWAYS. With the end of the present year our Scottish railway companies will cease to have separate existence. They will be merged into one or other of the great English combines. They can hardly complain, for me two largest of them at any rate are themselves the outcome of amalgamations effected in the course of the last 50 or 60 years. For all that, it will be a long time before the genera! public ceases to speak of the “N. 8.” and the “Caley.” The forecasts as to the ultimate saving in working expenses may be justified, but it is doubtful whether the larger concerns, with their headquarters in London, will be as responsive to local wants and desires, even if there are local advisory boards and officials. The Caledonian Company has not yet come to terms with its future partners, and some objection has been raised to the proposed title—London, North Western. Midland, and Scottish Group. It is pointed out that since it includes only half the Scottish lines it has no right to a title which suggests that it comprises the whole of them. THE WAR MEMORIAL. Controversy as to the Scottish War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle is again blazing furiously. It has been rekindled by the publication of photographs showing the outline of the buildings on the Castle Rock as it would appear after the memorial has been erected. Though the design is from the practised hand of Sir Robert Lorimer, professors of history and the fine arts, artists, and antiquarians are sharply divided as to its merits. It implies no lack of taste, therefore, for me to say that I do not like it. The memorial looks like the chimney of a crematorium, and is either too small or too big, for while from the Castle Esplanade it has a dumpy appearance, it dwarfs the older buildings to the south. The Office of Works has again an expert committee reporting on ""the matter, but its members will be contrary to their habit if they are more agreed than the rest of the community. Meanwhile the Duke of Atholl, Las the money he needs for the

scheme, and is saying nothing, in the belief that the storm will subside. LAND COURT MEMBER. After much wire-pulling behind the scenes, the vacancy on the Land Court has been filled by the appointment of Mr Donald Maekay, Thurso, a former Provost of that town, member of a firm of solicitors there, long engaged in estate management, himself a landed proprietor, and with his father a farmer on a large scale. On his public record he seems eminently suitable, but there is a good deal of grumbling, as was perhaps inevitable. NEW CHAIRS FOR GLASGOW. Under the energetic management of Sir Donald Macalister, Glasgow University has of late been singularly fortunate in the number of additions to its chairs. This week two more are announced. Mr Henry Meclian has handed over £25,000 for t’ne establishment of a Professorship of Public Health, and that subject will accordingly be detached from Forensic Medicine. Mr Meehan’s offer was timeous, for the court had recently had a report from Professor Glaister that the two subjects were more than one man could cover. The other new chair is also in the medical faculty. Mr William Gemmell has bequf \thed £20,000 for a ohair in memory of a late brother, Professor Samson Gemme I ’, who was for many years in the chair of Practice of Medicine. SIR ROBERT PHILIP S RETIREMENT. Professor Sir Robert Philip has retired from his post as physician in charge of the special clinique for tuberculosis at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Sir Robert has been one of the pioneers and most successful practitioners of the open-air treatment, and the loss of his inspiring influence will be keenly felt. He has done great work, the results of which have been world-wide £SO FOR A PENNY. Glasgow Corporation has wisely settled the action which a citizen brought against it. all over a penny. It seems he tendered to a tramway conductor what that functionary regarded as a bad coin.’ It was refused, and the citizen was lugged off by two policemen to the police station, where the inspector refused to accept any charge. Thereupon the citizen brought an action for wrongful arrest, and succeeded in the court of first instance. The corporation has now settled the case by a payment of £SO, to which must be added the law costs, amounting to at least ten times that amount. This should teach the officials of the trams to be a little more careful. GRAND-NEPHEW OF ROBERT BURNS. Mr John Irving, a retired Edinburgh stationer, who has just died, was a grand nephew of Robert Burns through his marriage with Jean Armour. Mr Irving, who was a native of Dumfries, was in business for over 50 years, took a part in public affairs as a county councillor, was an elder in the kirk, and a keen Freemason. He evidently had some poetic gifts himself, for he was the bard of the Ninety Burns Club. Needless to say, he was a keen Burnsite ' and a collector of relics, many of which came into his possession through his mem bership of the poet’s family. * SCOTTISH CHOIR FOR GERMANY. Greatly daring, the Glasgow Orpheus Choir has arranged to make a tour of Ger many next spring. One has always supposed that in choral singing we could teach the Germans nothing, so that the proposed visit savours a little of taking coals to Newcastle. The Orpheus Choir, however, is no ordinary combination, and under the conductorship of Mr James Robertson (who is a funeral undertaker in private life) has made a great impression wherever it has gone. Its singing of old Celtic melodies is especially good. AN ANTI-SABBATARIAN GIFT. The good people of Bo’ness are sorely exercised over a public park offered them by Sir Janies Calder. He has laid down as a condition that Sunday games should be permitted, having been convinced that that would be beneficial to the life of the community. The Town Council has decided to send a deputation to Sir James pleading with him to waive the condition, but he has warned it in advance that nothing will induce him to do so. There for the present that matter rests. The council badly wants,

and the community greatly needs, the park, but the “unco guid” are nervous about accepting it.