MY DAY TO GROWL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6558, 27 August 1948, Page 5

MY DAY TO GROWL

ABOUT THIS AND THAT LIFE’S VICISSITUDES AND ITS PLEASANTRIES (By A. Growler) It is somewhat unusual for the writer to “growl” in two successive issues, but there were several items that appeared in the press and events had /happened that called for comments. • ♦ * *

I am sure that the thoughts of all on Wednesday afternoon and since then too, were with our kith and kin in Hamilton, who suffered' such greivous loss and went through such a terrifying experience when just before noon on Wednesday nature got out of control, so to speak and inflicted losses that is even now hard to estimate. The loss of life, the most tragic loss of all was mercifully small, and to relatives bereavec? the sympathy of all goes ou!t. One had only to see the devastated residential areas, to make one wonder how anyone in the ruined homes came out of them alive. The writer dashed across to be with friends whose home (and by their wonderful kindness over many years, my home) was destroyed. One saw the savings of a life-time swept away in but a fraction of time and they were not alone for all round them were other wrecked homes leaving their owners in a like position. The good people of Frankton Junction (where the greatest damage was done) and Hamilton proper at once swung into action and men and women rallied to the help of those so sorely stricken. One saw smart Boy Scouts on traffic duty and they were but one of other organisations such as the Automobile Association, the Police and of course officers of the Transport Department who controlled traffic efficiently yet sympathetically. People unknown to one another hastened to see what they could do, to offer succour to the distressed and hemes were thrown open to the homeless pnd the tragedy < drew people together with common accord, and that aspect was the most cheering of all. The kindly act of the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, in at once proceeding to Hamilton was greatly appreciated as was the similar action of Mrs Hilda Ross M.P. and Mr Baxter M.P. It is not within the power of the writer to give a detailed account of the tragic events of Wednesday, but amid all the confusion, not panic be it noted there were incidents that caught and held the attention. One was the tremendous demand for Hamilton’s daily paper when it came out as usual in the afternoon and a crowd of many hundreds surged around “Harold” the Waikato known seller of papers and magazines. Other newsboys were also eagerly beseiged for people were anxious to get some authoritive information divorced from rumour, for the lying jade had found something into which she whetted her teeth with avidity. The number of the killed lost no dimensions in the telling and it was freely rumoured that Te Awamutu and Raglan had also been severely struck, but as we know that was providentially not so. It was a “Roman holiday” for many but under the circumstances the curiosity of people was pardonable, r.r.d so for all the latter, inborn traits oi most of us there was a sincere desire for many to be with friends and express sympathy. The tornado was proceeded by a weird sound which one lady described as being like the approach of “millions of bees” and that was probably the most picturesque description of all. It is surprising how ones objective view’ of any tragedy is heightened by the locality in which such occurs. If one read!as we have done from time to time) of the events which occurred in Hamilton on Wednesday taking place in one other country or even further away from us in New Zealand, the matter w’ould have been dismissed with sympathetic commonplace expressions of regret, but when it comes to ones very homes then the perspective is altered and we become more aware of the sufferings inflicted on our fellow citizens.

Only the most dyed in the wool National Party supporter could have anything to enthuse over in the Budget address delivered in the House by Mr S. G. Holland on Tuesday night. I listened in for a while but found the Leader of the Opposition dull and he certainly did not make a ‘fighting speech.” Even the dear old “Herald” (the National Party’s Bible) damned the speech with faint praises. Gone are the good old days when an opposition was really an efficient fighting force. The legislation of the present Government has been so much of a Santa Claus nature that has proved so attractive to so many that the present opposition are somewhat in a quandry for they dare not politically at any rate oppose such legislation. While the Budget of 1948 was not a very interesting one yet as an innoxious document it did not lend itself to any great optimism. I venture to say that there are more people who favoured the removal of the Rate of Exchange than who opposed it. Any major legislation is likely to have adverse effects on someone. It looks as if it will be difficult to dislodge Mr Fraser and Co., from the Treasury Benches.

While on the subject of politics I was interested in the suggested formation or should it be, the revival of the Liberal Party. With all due respects to any Government in NewZealand the old Liberal Party as led by Ballance, Seddon and Ward (but particularly the two former) did more to lay the foundations of prosperity for the Dominion than any other Government. There are thousands of people in New Zealand to-day who are conservatives and ultra-conserva-tives at that who owed their all to the beneficient yet SANE legislation of the old Liberal Party. Their political extermination was due in the main to a changing world and that world changed when the Labour Party came into power and is likely td continue to dio 'sd, erven as women’s fashions change and as the latter trend to'revert to former days so it is possible that there will be a revival of the old Liberal Party. There are many who would welcome

a change from the present two parties.

There will be universal regret at the fact that Te Awamutu has not been included in t'he itinerary of <the Royal Tour. Such an ommission is all the more remarkable when one notices that Huntly is to be honoured; Good old Huntly, no doubt the mayor of that remarkable place that is always in the news will as one George to another commiserate together on their respective hard jobs. No doubt George Smith (the mayor) will tell George Rex that Huntly has more strikes in a year than any other part of New Zealand, or will he. Joking apart it. is regrettable that a semblance of things political is embodied into such an historic occasion. No doubt Te Awamutu will join wholeheartedly with Hamilton or Cambridge in extending a right royal welcome to Their Majesies and their charming daughter.

I' was intrigued to read recently that the profits of a well-known firm of pickle manufacturers had shown a decline. We all know that there are more ways than one of getting pickled but apparently /that particular firms’ way is not as popular as it used to be.

It is high time that stringent action was taken against local district motorists who so repeatedly and so flagrantly disregard the rights of pedestrians when the latter are making use of the crossing’s provided for their benefit. While pedestrians might not be wholly free from blame in some instances, yet my careful observations have led me (and many others too) to the conclusion that for one pedestrian who flouts the law there are ten motorists* It would appear that it will devolve on citizens themselves to bring up offending motorists with a round turn by taking their numbers of the cars in question and laying information against the drivers. The alternative is to wait until a serious accident occurs and action then will be taken itbo late. There are two lots of people in Te Awamutu, as elsewhere, the quick and the dead and some people have to be mighty quick when negotiating the pedestrian crossings’ to avoid being numbered among the latter section. HE WHO LOVES A CITY He who loves a city, Loves a crowded place; He who loves a little town, Loves a friendly face. He who loves a city, Loves towers looming high; He who loves a little town, Loves a sunset sky. He who loves a city, Loves life’s uncertain lease; He who loves a little town, Loves familiar peace. —Dorothy Agard Ansley in the Rotarian.