WORKERS' FAMILIES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20170, 24 February 1931, Page 13

WORKERS' FAMILIES.

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THE AGE OF CREDULITY. XO THS EDITOR 0* THE PJUEBS. Sir,— Mr A. H. Wheeler, after advising me to study Christian Science with an open mind in ft letter, shows by his attompt to prove the unreality of unemployment that his . mind is and beydfcd the reach of argument, and 'that he is just as much a,mental slave to his creed a- the Mahommedan leader who, on the occasion of the capture of the city of Alexandria, Baid: *£ I?® books of the library disagree with tfte Koran they are not true; if they agree they are not necessary," and so burned it. His attempt to prove the unreality of unemployment by showing that man himself is the cause of it does not prove its non-existence. Man is not responsible for the millions of lives lost by earthquakes or the countless parasites and'disease germs that* prey on man and all animals, and, "as all .these seem inconsistent with a good God, they aont exist according to Christian Scientists. Modern science does not claim to have conquered all diseases, or to cure people from accidents beyond the skill of doctors to repair. If it could everyone* would die of old age. Eighty-five per cent, of people are medically unsound, and the only real cure for this is a'.system of eugenics. The fact that the deatli-rate is only one-fourth of "what it was years ago is encouraging, It is no more a violation of the fixed laws of Nature if a man dies from a disease or accident than if he re-: covers; It is a battle between the disease germs and the. system; sometimes one wins, sometimes the other; and the doctor helps the body to overcome the 4i 8e & 80, As for the numbers who recover after being given up by doctors, hospitals are not boardinghouses or even convalescent homes, so when. they can no longer improve patients they discharge them with advice 1 concerning after-treatment and diet.

Nature is a wonderful self-repairing machine, and some apparently hopeless cases recover in the course of time, and the patient generally gives the credit to the particular treatment that coincided with the recovery, because he can't distinguish between a coincidence and a cause. A Hindoo, medicine man once gave a bottle "of coloured aitch to a native prince who was ill, and, as the patient recovered in ;spite of this medicine, he richly rewarded the faker. •. ■ Some years ago a Chinaman; an employee in one of the Dunedin laundries, set up as a Chinese doctor. He was sued and' imprisoned- for unskilful treatment, put he was able to bring forward people who claimed to have received benefit from his medicine. The following by Mrs Eddy will show how open to reason the mind of a Christian Scientist is: "Manifestly for one to assume th, reality of sin, sickness, or death, he must assume that God the infinite good 1b not in controV of His universe, but permits some devil or evil to enter with discord and imperfection." For self-deception this is hard to beat. As my letter is already long, I will, With your permission, dea! later with "Be Eeasonable."—Yours, etc., R. yr. PEARSE. February 23rd, 1931. I -

WILDING SHIELD CONTEST ro THB CDITOB or TH* FB*SB i Sir, —"Service," in hia comments 01 tennis, is usually very sound, but be it not correct in saying that everyone ww confident that Canterbury would wii the Wilding Shield contest. Person ally, I doubted it, but thought Canter bury had a good sporting chance , il Patterson could defeat Len. France The Wellington team was a 'strong o,ne especially as Don. France and Wilson were both on top form, the latter haying, defeated Stodman, the New Zea> lanj champion, in one of the thirteen championships he won since he was in Christehurch at", Christmas time. • • * Ivan Seay had no wish to play in the match, and, informed . the MatchvCominittee that he ha'd no practice , and little opportunity, of getting. any,,owing to pressure, of business, particularly at this i time of the year, 1 and, .more especially as his partner -was away in England. ■ Under pressure -Jbe, reluctantly promised, he ■ would, do hi# beßt, >,but thought someone else should be selected: Be gave up tiro afternoons to' the match in Wellington on courts sodften, wet, and slippery, and with a strong gale blowing, He lost-'/ bbtji singles, which he knew, he could not "Win, but helped his partner to win both doubles, although "Service? .says it was Angaafs, play that decided.. the wins. Tliiß,}of course, is'ridicuWusj because if one player ia playing wjll get the gldnt's shfreof the pldy. I am'highly, delighted 'to? know that AngasVaa ,-playing so-'well,' for .this is the first year that he "has'speeded in Hew, Zealand championship doubles. It would, no doubt, be very interesting to know why ho arifl, Seay have played so welll together in, doubles recently.) ' Again, •'Service" states that Don. Francis's performance?,, in l , they : Shield 'contest"show,how-badly he was off form in - 'the , New . -Zealand . championships he was beaten bv Barnett. Why did ie not add that Setfy's performances in 'the 'New Zealand championships shoW'how badly he Was pft "form in .the Shield match,- then 'go further and state that Scay's performances in the Shield match in' Christ church two, years ago—when'he defeated bofh iDfln/ France and Malfroy, in straight sets, when evqry other"' Canterbury representative' lost single and double played. Go further still 'and, take all the performances of Canterbury men > from the time the Shield contests were inaugurated and pee if you can find 1 any -Canterbury .player with" a batter record Shield contests, than-fjeoy. - ,}Xthink "Service" must admit that his criticism Jb unfair and unjust when he says:—"Seay's performance must be considered a distinct .disappointment i. . . . and it is doubtful whether his selection as a'provincial representative will again be justified.'?-' 'With these remarks'l entirely disagree. He assisted in winning his two doubles, and no other player yn the team,* 1 except Angas did''so well,T Eeviewing his performances,. conditions of courts, lack of practice, 1 and physical training in the midst of business perplexities to-day, I consider, his efforts in helping Canterbury not-only good but meritorious. Irr conclusion," I Bhould just like to add that' Seay is still one of 'the youngest -among!, the , leading flayers;, of New Zealand. With training and time to he is now a better player than ho has ever been in the"past.'. Instead of criticism of a best efforts for his' province, he should be thanked for giving up ' time and playing under almost: impossible ■ Hbwever, knowing »him as I do, I can tell you one thing your critic has succeeded in dping. He t driven, him off the courts in alj ■■ future \jTildisg Shield matches, and' this iX, regret, afr he has been Canterbury's best, performer.—Yours,, etc., £AIB PLAY., * February ;£3rd, 1931. ■ - ■ ' ["Service" mantes the following i reply; ?<I am both surprised arid sorry that a newspaper criticism, it 'fair or unfair, could have driven'frojn-the courts so excellent a >playe£ 'and\sport«ma» as Ivan Seay. I would prefer to have my 'unfair and unjust criticism' quoted in f u y'Altogether Seay's performance bei countedi a distinct disappointment, and until hia business permits him to take part in ranking ana other provincial matched, it ,is doubtful .whether 'his, selection'.'as representative ..will' again,, be ' justified.' j mer#? .that gptffeow* y *•"',' f ' 4< *i * «i„ n F . t j ' ( t '|i t , f "t " s 1

{ « s realisation of Ms laekof practice '(stated, ftOTaren,Hy, .the Match Committee) justifies every ■word of iV] * ' i ' ' ? f i'" 4 V