A WORKER’S TESTIMONY.

Wairarapa Age, 15 June 1931, Page 4

A WORKER’S TESTIMONY.

Sir,—I ask you kindly to grant space to a humble worker (with a job taking some fifteen hours a day) to correct a false impression about the nature of the programmes. When, on a Monday evening, I have stolen an hour or two from my labours to listen to the lecture and the play-reading, I have enjoyed not only mental profit and refreshment, but the feeling of doing my bit to support one of tho .finest progressive movements that the world has known, whose leaders include such educationists and Socialists (in the best sense) as Professors Shelley and Hunter. I admire the thoroughness of the lecturers, who certainly know their subjects (it is not mutual admiration, as like many others I prefer to take no part, though welcome to try at least play reading). I enjoy the happy spirit of friendliness that prevails, with the absence of class distinction. All available talent is tapped for the general benefit, and the hard-ups need pay no fees. If members of the Trust Land Trust would attend the local W.E.A. meetings, they would thereby encourage a fine work, and who knows but they would soon be joining in the reading of the plays of tho great Socialists—Shakespeare and Shaw, Ibsen and Galsworthy, and realising (with us and the Education Department) that one of tho most effective moans of educating is by dramatisation. And surely the shades of the founders of our Trust (Mr. Carter, Mr. Masters and the ethers) would approve the continuance of the support that alone would keep bur branch from succumbing to the financial epidemic.—l am, etc., “SMALL FARMS.”