“CURSE OF THE COUNTRY”

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1929, Page 13

“CURSE OF THE COUNTRY”

TOWN DWELLINGS CRITICISED ' ' <?..?- FARMER-DOCTOR’S ■ “A LITTLE LESS LUXURY” IN.CITY. : .. ■ < ■>?-■?;? 1 ■ ’ ' )' ‘ (By Wire. —Special to News).? ‘ \ Auckland, Last Night. “It is one of the curses of . this coun<ssjs try that we are too polite,” said. Dr. •■) ■ George Smith, superintendent of tjhe')® Rawene hospital, at a luncheon given-.yl by tho Waimamaku branch of the. Farmers’ Union to Auckland business men travelling in the province on a Chamber pf Commerce train. The re- i?mark, was a prelude to an outspoken -y criticism of the town dweller. , The doctor, who is a well known figure both in medical and farming circles at - ' Hokianga, has confessed to having 'visits ed Auckland only three times in, 15 3 years. “I am frightened of Auckland,” d<> • elared Dr. Smith. “It is far,' far big. You have only to study -other countries to find out what happens when :ya city goes ahead too far.” A lot of people were.vei ? rude, tho doctor continued; they called th© busi--*z£) nc&s man a parasite. He recalled ’ the' ;i: parasite which cleaned crocodiles’ teeth’ and suggested that Auckland men should'fg? be like that parasite bird which help-; ed an animal to live though it did not‘ torment it. The crocodile was the er and the parasite the distributor.) “You Auckland people want / too . j much,” Dr. Smith said. “You are get- . ting more than your pound of flesh;; If you steal, our golden egg. we leave the nest.” Remarking that he thought he ought to'-’make a prescription tho doctor said \ the cure for* tho farmers’ troubles was a little less luxury in the towns.' Look-'' ing round the hall he invited the tors to take off their coats and com© ; w) into the country. < _ “Some of you chaps look all right and-■)-)«; some do not,” he observed amid laughter. “You want too much from as. Your distribution costs are too high. country people are not getting a fair’??/ go” . ' ’ .j)

This was the first time anything... so ..-fl* candid had been said on the tour . an<l/j >1 the business men were taken aback. '. '