LETTERS TO EDITOR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 105, 20 May 1937, Page 6

LETTERS TO EDITOR

Manhandling Children (To the Editor.) , Sir,— Your paper has at all times proVed an advocate for justice| there* fore- the writer seeks space in its columns ■ to point out marked shortcomings or dustances that happen in regard to bringing up children. I do not desire to use your Yalnable paper for petty or personal grievance — only to make it clear that parenfs must exercise sense, and that the taxpaye? still has to maintain various institu* tions that are largely necessary because> of children being wrongly treated. Recently a girl of about 15 years ofi age had her face badly disfigured, which she attributed to her father'a "method" of showing his "authority." Several' children were presenti and this man's wicked behaviour had too bad an influence over them for maf to describe. * , The matter should have been report* ed, I admdt, but when the writer ap* proached the father his excuse was that the girl disobeyed him. Welfare officers do their work efficiently, but surely it; is the father 's duty to show xestraint. Many readers will wonder- why ths. mother did not try to save her childi Well, my answer is that? the mother is dead, and a stepmother now fills her place. Serious matters like this should be dealt with severely, as the parents havi a moral duty to perform for the betterment of the rising generation.— Yours, etc"B.R." Hastings, May 19, 1937.