Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5478, 23 September 1929, Page 4

“Education,” says the Minister of Justice, “is doing away with the garrotters and the brutal assaulters, but the tendencies are towards forgery, false pretences, petty thefts, and confidence tricks. I am not saying it against oui- education system. I am saying it is a result.” This (says the “Dominion”) is queer logic. If these tendencies were in fact a result of the education system, then there would be grounds for saying a good deal against it. The truth of the matter probably is that, in the one case, education and improved social conditions have had a refining influence on humanity in the direction of diminishing the incidence of violent crimes ; in the other, that easy credit, carelessness of supervision, and the well-known and oft-remarked gullibility of tradespeople in accepting the statements, and the paper, of complete strangers have temptation to individuals who otherwise would perforce have remained honest. In the former case education and better conditions may safely be allowed to continue their good work. The cure for the latter is obvious and should be applied. The value of minerals, including kauri gum, exported, and of the coal used in the Dominion during the year 1928 amounted to £3,222,137, as compared with £3,312,543 during 1927. The total value of such minerals exported to the end of 1928 amounted to £169,465,395. For the year a total of £8586 8s lid was expended in subsidies for prospecting, and 113 persons were employed in connection therewith ; £1792 5s lid was expended by way of direct grants and subsidies for roads and tracks.