“Without Defeat”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 169, 22 July 1935, Page 9

“Without Defeat”

A New Serial

(by

Oliver Black)

A Story with a Call to a Nation

The Extra Year Justified. "Quito different,'’ agreed Oliver. •‘But L should like to know about the extension itself. A year ago the country teas just beginning to emerge from the depression, wasn’t it?” The man nodded. "And as yc-u have pointed out, an election always has an adverse effect on trad-e. jxlso things, at. any rate in the business world, have improved trcnicndou&ly this last year?” "That’s right,” said the travellers together. “Well, but isn’t that in itself a complete justification of wiiat the Government did? Surely the Government said, ‘We have just begun to guide the footsteps of the country up the long climb back, to prosperity; if we plunge her into the turmoil of an election, her fe\it will slip back again; it is our duly to take another year aad to sec the country firmly and sccurciy started on that climb.’ And they have done it. What more do you want?” "We want, a change,” said one of the travellers. "1 confess that 1 do not understand you in the least,” answered Oliver. “If the country bad slipped back again during this fast year 1 could understand your complaint, 1 shou.d have thought that everyone witu any intellectual honesty at all would have agreed that the country’s progress during the year was a complete justification for the Government’s action in postponing the election.” The two men | stirred restlessly. "Bo you want a: change?” he went on. “A change to what? Labour? “Good Lord, no!” exclaimed the man who had been addressed as Frank. “Then what?” A New Party. “Well, there’s some talk of a new party; a parly that’ll give us t some alternative to Coates and Co. without our having to vote Labour.” "A new party?” "Thai’s right. And if they get a good man at the head of it 1 don’t mind telling you L shall vote for ’em.” “Splite tne vote and let the Labour Party in, eh?” said Oliver sharply. 'J’lh) second man looked up. “We’re sick of this Government and their exchange and sales tax, and I’m for giving tne new people a try if 1 like the way they shape." He rose to his feet and his companion followed. "Answer me just one thing before you go,” said Oliver. “You don t v%ant a Labour Government, do you? From your point of view, tnat would be about the worse thing that could j happen for the country?’' j/iey agreed. “The only issue at the election is going to be whether or not you want a Lauour Government. To vole against the Government because of what it has done or left undone, or because you think you could have doue better tnan Mr. Forbes or Mi. Coates or both vt them is just stupid. Every vote not cast for the Government will be a vote in favour of Labour. Don’t forget that you can’t vote against the Government without voting for Labour. Your new party will merelys plit the an-ti-Labour vote, and Mr. JSavage is no doubt praying for its appearance with all the fervour at his command. No! the issue is going to be far simpler Ilian whether you approve of the mortgage corporation or whether you like the safes tax or whether you think the Government should have done more (or less) than it has done. Just ask yourselves, as everyone will have to ask himself: ‘Do 1 want to see a Labour Government in control of affairs in New Zealand?’ If you do, then vote Labour —and take the consequences. But if you do not, you have no alternative but to voie for the Government candidate.” Oliver looked at the clock and saw that it was a quarter to six. “I’m very sorry to have interrupted your conversation and to have talked so much, but J got . . . cr . . . cr a little wound up!” lie made his adieu and went out. “You know, Frank,” said tne other, “the young blighter’s right. We shall have to vote lor this. Government after all!” Beat in a Bar. The bar was full of noise and smoke. It was also full of people who had uigcut business to attend to in the few minutes that remained before six o’clock. Oliver piocured a small ginger air and sat on a bench against the wall. Directly in front of him stood a group of mtn talking and gesticulating freely. As his ears accustomed themselves to the din he became able to distinguish words in the general babel. "Shall J. tell you what this inert gage corporation is?” said a small man in a very large Homberg hut. “It’s a dotige by the Government for getting rid c-f their own mortgage O’bligatiuas. They re by far the biggest mortgagees in tne’ country', they feud money other people’s money, don’t forget—which they can’t get back. So now they’re going to shuffle their responsibilities un to the corporation.” "Now, now, Joe . . . ." ‘‘And I’ll prove it. Now look here: the total amount of funds they can iend is fixed at GO millions. But they, the corporation I’m speaking of arc io lake over all the Blate mortgages, and the Slate mortgages will swallow up the most of the GO millions. There 11 be precious little left for further advances lor farmers or anyone else.’ louic right,” said a large man calling for another round of drinks. ’’Dead right. A man who wants another £l5OO will get £5OO. And that is much worse than useless. Too little capital is worse than too much —it -r<m s down the drain just lhe same “An.l J ’j; tell you another thing. A Ik.- gave lhe Government a mand.-i, .• •°i ihis mortgage business? Web I’ll tell you; the o.inks did, ami not llie country. And e.xl,ending their life l»y a ii'iir. too. whv that s democracy---it HilJeiism.” Oliver drank Ins ginger ale in silence. It irked him to have to lisUm io sc much woolly-headed rubbish but he did not feel equal to an argument so soon after his talk with the travt-l-k’’H. Hi-- eyes wandered round the bar over the groups of laughing drinking men. It occurred to him that quite a lot of people, had quite a lot of money to spend on whisky. He heard somc-c-ne say something about " mortgagors' relief”; this was followed by a gust 1 of laughter. He wondered what the

joke was. Jailer, he was tu learn that i wherever two or three farmers gain ' cred together the mere mention oi the 1 words ‘' mc-rtgagors ’ relief” was as cor- I tain to produce shouts of laughter as j any reference to kippers or mothers inlaw in an Jimglish music hall. Oliver listened dejcctly. Everyone seemed so ready to criticise, to attribute the worst motives, lo give tongue to the ♦most obviously ill-formed slanders. Most of them were talking p<di tics of some kind, and no oirc appeared to be able to look at any question except from his own pmely selfish angle. 'File pioneer spirit is buried pretty deep in these people, he thought. Ho"toyed again with the idea of intervening jn one of tiie discussions in the hope that he might be able to sow a iit.le good seed, but decided that the soil was too stony for him to cope with. He finished his ginger ale and went towards the doer leading info the hotel. "Time, please!” shouted the barman.

“Bamc again, once more!” shouted a babel of voices. Oliver went to his dinner. Mary and Oliver. Oliver awoke the next morning filled witn a sudden resolve, he must nave a car. To get around the country as he wished io do would be dillicult, to the point of impossibility, if lie had to rely on service cars and Alls. Ye.-, he must nave a car. He swallowed his iircakfast, left a message for Mary in case she should telephone while he was out, and walked over to the garage across the Bquare. Mary’s car stood there ready for the road again. Oliver went into the office and inquired about oecund-iiauu cars, 'mu lurcman conducted him to the back oi t.iiv premises aud showed several, ranging from a uuge American conlaupliun (,f elde.iy aspect to a baby car of a , well-known make. Considerably dismayed at the price, Oliver chose the latter. "Got a licence?” asked the foreman Oliver admitted to being lhe koroer of documents au... .rising Lum. 40 drive a motor vehicle in England z Spain, Norway, Morocco and tne Dutm r-ast indies. ‘‘Then youTl have to gut one. I’ll arrange with the trufiic inspector to give you your test at eleven, if tnat 11 du.” “My what?” asked Oliver faintly. The foreman explained the nature of the test through which he would be put before he could hold a driving iicunce in New Zealand. It sounded very formidable. Leaving tne garage tu arrange the details, Oliver paid lui trie repairs to Mary s car, and in spite of the foreman's protest druve it round lhe Bquare to his hotel. Mary was waiting in the hall. “The car’s outside, complete with your luggage,” said Oliver after he nad greeicd Her. “Come upstairs and have some coiiee ur tea.” "But I’ve only just hud bretiKfast!” protested Mary. "Never mind. I’m sure you’ve a long day in front of you.” “As a matter of fact 1 have. And I’m a true colonial , . . . #0 let’s have some tea.” They went up to the louqgc and Oliver gave ills order to tue waiter. “Now,” he said to Mary, “tell me about yourself.” Mary smiled and shook her head. "You first. I’m simply dying of curiosity to know how you came Lu be in that van yesterday ” “It’s a very long story, and—” "Then please begin it quickly.” "Well, you’ve asiced for it-” Oliver plunged into a recital of all that had happened since his meeting with Tanner. Mary sat, with her hands clasped, looking out of the window and Oliver could nut* tell whether she was absorbed by his story or whether her thoughts were a thousand miles away. Tea arrived but she made no motion to pour it out. “And then,” finished Oliver, “1 woke up and saw you .standing m the road and here we are.” Mary looked at him. “1 see,” she said slowly, “i think your Mr, Tanner must be a great man. 1 should like to meet him. And what have you discovered so far?” “1 am only just at the beginning, 1 prefer, like all good detectives, to marshall all my facts before 1 start to make deductions. When I’ve been through the country and collected my facts 1 will form my conclusions—and then I’ll tell you what they are.” ‘•'The spirit of New Zealand ’ breathed Mary. “I hope you will find it, Oliver. Oh, you must find it!” Her steady eyes held his for a moment. "You ought, to join us, you know.” “Join what?” asked Oliver. (To be continued.)