A BLOW FOR THE POOR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 24 December 1932, Page 4

A BLOW FOR THE POOR.

Though the Christmas stories of Charles Dickens take us back more than three-quarters of a century, they are, nevertheless, close to much of the life of to-day. Since “The Chimes” was written many blows have been struck for the poor, and there was need that it should be so. In those days of Dickens, women and children laboured in coal mines; the hours of work were long, the pay of most of the workers was very small, and the general conditions of working and living were appalling. An ugly temper, bitter and violent, was spreading among the people when Dickens struck his blow for the poor. ITe was not, of course, the only one ready to do so, but he was outstanding for the temper and spirit in which he struck his blow. He desired to strike his blow for the poor with tenderness in his heart, and cheerfulness ruling in his work and deed. Surely he saw how futile would be the result of striking blows for the poor by burnings, and destruction and revolution. AVhat was wanted was a new spirit and a new temper. That was what came about by the publication of “The Chimes” and other Christmas stories by Dickens. In our own! day, when helping the poor is so largely associated with Christmas, we do not easily realise the wonderful step in advance of that which was generally about him Dickens took when he linked helping the poor with Christmas. lie saw that to effectively help the poor the spirit of Christmas was necessary, and by striking his blow for the poor in a Christmas story he not only associated the two, but he put the association of work for the poor with Christmas into the popular vision. Perhaps we do not yet realise all that lies in such association.