PUBLIC SERVICE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20105, 11 May 1935, Page 7

PUBLIC SERVICE

CALL TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ADDRESS BY MR W. THOMAS An appeal to university graduates to interest themselves more in the government of the country, and to make it their aim to give service to the community in public life, was made by Mr. W. Thomas, formerly Recttor of the Timaru Boys’ High School, giving the Diploma Day address at the annual graduation ceremony at Canterbury College on Wednesday. He emphasised the need for trained thinking in the administration of public affairs, and urged the graduates who were about to leave the college to do their utmost for the preservation of democracy and intellectual freedom. “We know that no servile, standardised thought can ever make for a better civilisation,” said Mr Thomas. “We in the British Commonwealth, as individuals, have greater freedom of speech and thought than have the inhabitants of almost any other nation of the world. If we value our intellectual freedom, how can we as university graduates help to preserve it? If we value the democratic system of government—which other nations are discarding—how can we help to make it such an efficient system that it will persist in spite of all attacks? “For some years I have been disturbed about the failure of our secondary school ex-pupils, and particularly our university graduates, to interest themselves in the actual governance of our New Zealand democracy,” he said. “If democracy can be preserved only by education, and so many of those who are supposed to have trained minds refuse to take' part in public affairs, how can we expect its preservation? This must be a matter of grave concern to school and to university. Unpaid Services. "We know that any person who does conscientious work in any profession or occupation is doing valuable service to the community. But more than this is demanded if we wish democracy to persist. We cannot all be members of Parliament, but more of us can be members of county and borough councils, school committees, and education boards. For years It was surprising to find how few members of these bodies giving unpaid services to the community had attended a secondary school, not to mention the university. The nominations for Wednesday’s election of local bodies seem to show the awakening of a new spirit. “As a people we are prone too much to criticism of our public men. Do our ex-pupils and graduates refuse to serve because of this criticism, or is it that a selfish desire for their own comfort turns them into armchair critics when they ought to be the leaders of the community? I would appeal to you young graduates who value your intellectual freedom to give thought to this matter. The critic may be valuable on occasions, but what democracy requires is active leaders with trained minds—not critics. It should be regarded as a privilege to have the opportunity of serving our cummunity Cn its public affairs. A supercilious or lukewarm attitude may be our undoing—that is, if we value our intellectual freedom. Responsibilities of Freedom. “You have to learn the lesson of the university, -which is the lesson of life; that no one can hope to succeed who cannot be trusted to work without close supervision,” said Mr. Thomas. “Naturally, the school is anxious to hear whether the selfdiscipline of the fresher is sufficient to enable him or her to make a happy adjustment. I do not know what wrestling of the spirit and what parental reprimands were required in your first years to make you see the light but, on behalf of your old school, I can heartily congratulate you on me successful culmination of some years of work. You have learnt how to use your freedom. “The university has given you a trained mind and has impressed upon you that your education is just commencing and that all your life, if you wish to search for truth, you will need to continue to cut out the old wood and graft on the new. With this enlarged freedom life is opening out afresh to you. “Some of you may have read the rectorial address on freedom by General Smuts—that great publicist—to the St. Andrew’s University. He laments the fact that the individuals of so many nations have sold their birthright, the freedom of which the poet's sang, and have ceased to think individually, but merely speak the thoughts of Ceasar. Now when that dictator, whose intelligence test may be that of a child of 13 years, is 'able to play on their feelings, to rouse them to fury or to soothe them as with a dull opiate, one can realise what a menace General Smuts finds in him to a world searching for the key of peace. Special Abilities. "These years of financial stress have increased the prestige of the faculty of economics and even our New Zealand Government is reported to have its ‘brain trust’ or experts. This tendency of the times, in so many fields of thought, to place more and more reliance on the specialist must be a source of encouragement to many of you who are concerned about the future. “I suppose there are some of you waiting for an opportunity to commence you life work,” continued Mr. Thomas. “I hope you will not be too discouraged if the opportunity does not come immediately. This is not the first time in the history of New Zealand that applicants have been kept waiting at the door of employment. I suppose almost all of us here who are over 50 year of age, found a precarious entrance to our professions in the years gone by. Impecunious though you may be, make the most of your enforced leisure. It is glorious to be young with your degree behind you. “I hope the business folk in this land may quickly realise what is realised elsewhere, that the university graduate makes the best manager. I hope the Education Department may soon-be able to add the rationed teacher to the permanent list, and that the university will awaken to the danger of overworking its pro" ssors, and will appoint numerous assistents. I hope, too, that industry will find openings for all qualified engineers and scientists, or that in some way or other you will all find congenial work.”