The Waimate Advertiser. (Established 1898). (Published every evening since 1914). TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1923. PATRIOTISM OR PAROCHIALISM.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 6 February 1923, Page 4

The Waimate Advertiser. (Established 1898). (Published every evening since 1914). TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1923. PATRIOTISM OR PAROCHIALISM.

One feature of the recent election campaigns has been the plea which has been repeated time and again throughout the country for everybody to “pull together” for the common good. It is rather striking, this plea, and voices an essential need if the country is to prosper, which, we fear, is somewhat lacking at present. It is an unfortunate fact that peoples of the North and South Islands are just a little suspicious in their attitude towards each other. If any big scheme is started in the North Island there is generally to be found a cry from the South Island that Northerners are trying to “Work a point” on the Southerners, and vice versa. Thus we find South Canterbury regarding the introduction of the new Main Roads-Bill with distrust and the impression that the North Island wants the South to pay for its roads, Auckland loudly protesting that it is being neglected whilst money is being squandered on Lake Coleridge, the people from the far south of this Island uneasy because northern ports are securing a larger share of the Australian shipping, and so on. The people who make these protests are, of course;, actuated by patriotism for their own district and by that alone. They say so; and let it be said to their credit that they generally think so. But we cannot help thinking that in some cases at least they are exhibiting a somewhat narrow-minded parochialism. The country is young and advancing. With advance must come improvements and. big works. There is not sufficient money to put everything in hand at once and so some things must take precedent to others. And! if the country is to advance as much as it should there should be less protest and attempts at delaying by one Island, any big improvement which is suggested for the other. It behoves every district, of course,, to. look after its own interests, but the best way to answer the plea, that has gone forth—to “pull together”'— would be for people to view proposed improvements in other parts of the district more in the light of their effect on the country as a whole than ©f their immediate effect on their own small part of the country. There is sometimes a great deal to be said for the other fellow's side of the question.