PHASES OF OPTIMISM.

Wairarapa Age, 8 August 1929, Page 4

PHASES OF OPTIMISM.

ADDRESS BY MR. H. MORRISON. CHANGES IN WAIRARAPA. There was a very good Attendance yesterday at the weekly luncheon of the Masterton Optimist Club, which was presided over -by Mr. M. G. Mackay. The speaker for the day was Mr H. Morrison, of Awatoitoi, who took as his subject, “A Pessimist’s Talk <o Optimists. ” Mr. Morrhon said that among fanners he had sometimes been called a pessimist because he was often in opposition. There were different phases of optimism, he said. Micawber was an optimist of a kind. He enjoyed life in a way, but his wife and family suffered for the father’s foolish and lary optimism. Garabaldi was an optimist, even when wounded and the doctors declared that he was dying. He said he would live for many years, and he did. The mind overruled the /body. The old swagman was often an optimist and the speaker said he had met many of them who had fine qualities. The story was given of an old station hand who had only fifty shillings in the world and gave it all to help in a case of sickness. That showed a big heart. Swift, of Chicago, who became a millionaire, commenced as a stockman, -but he was an optimist. When his property wm in flames he front to -bed and had a'Wleep ao that he would be able start in the morning on the -big job of reconstruction. -ptimism and action must be combined. ‘ In New Zealand, as part of the British Empire, they could afford -to be optimistic. Great changes and improvement had taken place in the land anjl the future was bright. The speaker described the early days of Wair&rapa. His grandfather left Scotland in 1840 and the voyage took six months. After the Napoleonic wars condition* frere so bad that men left England and risked much that they might improve their conditions. They were prepared to come on the long and dangerous journey to this distant land. Times of adversity had often caused the extension of the Empire, and men had endured hardships. His grandfather built a log hut in the Wairarapa hush and went back to Wellington and brought his family by boat and landed them at Lake Ferry. They walked 14 miles to the log cabin in the bush, 'tarrying their luggage. In those days there were no doctors. Men sometimes suffered from Occidents for days before medical help could be secured, and there was no chloroform. His own people had to grow their wheat and grind it into flour. Church services were difficult to organise. Looking back at the past and seeing what they have to-day they should sing for joy. At the close of the address the Rev. J. Cocker moved that Mr. Morrison be asked to speak again next week. Thia was agreed to. Mr Morrison will speak next Wednesday on “The World’s Tariffs. ’ ’