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Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6410, 3 November 1923, Page 7

“I deprecate the fear of being parochial,’ said Mr. 0. Alpers, president of the Christchurch Ratepayers’ Association. “Don’t be afraid to be parochial. We' smile at our friends in Auckland for the display of that spirit, but let up be greatly daring and be parochial too. A man should first and foremost love his city, and if his heart is big enough he might love his country and his Empire. Why talk and humbug about the brotherhood of man—it stops short at the nigger and perhaps the Chinaman, although it might be that the latter is a very good fellow indeed. Love your city, your country and your Empire, and then you shall not be guilty of trying to follow heartbreaking platitudes, even though they are fathered by such great nien as Abraham Lincoln. Most of the great and good things that have come to mankind have been the product of parochialism. Athens was parochial, and when it ceased to be so it ceased to be Athens. Rome, Florence and Venice were the same.”