The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1914. DUTY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 98, 15 August 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1914. DUTY.

I It is very important at this juncture that we in New Zealand, while straining every nerve to help the Motherland —ol which we are so proud—in the hour of her need, shall avoid hysteria and panic in every form. That we should demonstrate a little is well enough and hut natural: that we should be glad in the moment of victory and saddened at the possible reverses which may have to he met, is quite as it should be. It is, however. not given to every brave man to take the sword in hand, and leave his home and family to light a foreign foe. There are many reasons why the great majority must stay at home because theii duty lies there, and after all there is much bravery in doing one's dutj where that duty lies. Wherever possible it is highly essential at this time that work should proceed as nearly normally as possible. Resources and energy must not be wasted. When war was first announced a financial crisis was brought ahoi;| in London, which reacted to the Empire's most distant ends, but happily this lias been successfully overcome, and nil the market* have steadied. Runs on Banks have ceased, and at least in Britain trade is assuming normal conditions. It such a condition prevails in London I hen certainly there should be no nee*: for panic in our own land. With the equilibrium of the financial position at the heart of (be Empire restored, we may go calmly forward. Again there is the best of reason to believe that Britain is capable of keeping the main trade routes to and from England and Australasia open and safe for the merchant navy, and such being so there is no cause for the undue inflation ol prices by merchants or the overstocking of their storerooms with the neces-

saries of life by private persons. If this latter course i s taken., and there is some evidence that extra cautious 01 over-excitable people have of late bought very much more extensively in ordinary commodities than is their enstom, they are but helping to bring about a state of things all desire to avoid. If retailers' stocks are unwarrantably depleted before the usual flow of supplies comes to hand, it will b< regrettable and some will suffer there-

by. The great effort .should he to maintain a normal condition of trad-! ing. The individual in the community may do much to help to this end In curbing extravagance in view of the Empire's need and the roll which comes to every man to rentier individual aid to the best of his ability. Further, lie may do something in meeting to the fullest his personal obligation at the earliest date, because with restricted credit the retailer must have cash to cany on his business, and unless payments are promptly made retail firms may be forced to close their credit books altogether, which would be a great hardship in some cases. These are, as we have said, times when the individual may do much to help by simply doing his duty, in such communities as that in which we are placed we can do much to help ourselves and our country by recognising the help we may give each other.