PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18015, 27 November 1926, Page 8

PUBLIC OPINION.

WHAT OtHER WRITERS ARE SAYING. “Getting Together!" If everyone were to adopt the Hon A. D. M’Leod’s methods of inducing town and country to get together, the result would be a collision rather than a meeting. The Minister, in addressing the Chambers of Commerce, made a request for better consideration by the city of the country’s difficulties. The tone of his speech, however, suggested that it was the Minister of Lands speaking all the time, and that the Minister of Industries and Commerce was unavoidably absent. We do net doubt for a moment the sincerity of the Minister of Lands. As a farmer he has a full appreciation of the farmer’s difficulties, and his administration of land settlement business must keep these difficulties ever before him; but as Minister of Industries and Commerce he surely cannot be insensible of the fact that the towns have their problems also. They, too, have had to meet increased costs in every direction. A better understanding between town and country will not be hastened by ignoring this fact. In some quarters a habit has been acquired of representing the town as living and prospering upon the hard labour of the country. The Minister did not do this, but he spoke, as we have said, with his mind upon Lands more than upon Industries and Commerce. —“ Evening Post,” Wellington.