PUBLIC OPINION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10616, 15 June 1920, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION

THE P.P.A.—AND ORPHANS e (To the Editor "N.Z. Times.") Sir,—The Hcv. Howard Elliott may be a good man among his own satellites and backers, but when he attacks tlie orphans, and the methods of collecting for them, I think, and am pure that ho oversteps the limit". lam a Presbyterian myself, and my father was Ruling Elder in the auld lurk -in .his parish, and the man who would not have taken off his shirt to shield an orphan of any persnasion would have ■received short shrift from him. Every true son of any persuasion is built the same way—except, apparently, the Rev. Huward Elliott. Did he pass by the boxes witli a sheer on his saintly iace, or did ho like most of us, put in his mite till he could spare no more from his own kids? When he complained to the Mayor—a protestant himself, and from whom he got a deserted reply—l think he proved that he had. the sou'l of the insect about which Bobby Burns wrote a hymn. What is the P.P.A., anyway f Who are their backers?' Are (hey-registered as an association under any Act ? Are they compelled, under the articles of their association, to issue a balancosheet? Do they help the housing of the poor, the caro of the widows and orphans? Do they try to keep down the cost of living, or do they fatten on those who are keeping it up? Until thee* questions are answered, 1, and every other decent-minded man. Catholic or Protestant, Jew or Mahommedah, Buddist, or anything el*e will remain at the conclusion that the Rev. Howard Elliott, his followers and backers, exist only for the stirring up of sectarian strife, which has been dead for many generations. The widows and orphans are nothing to them. HIRAM GTJNN. Wellington, June 14th, 1920.

TEMPERANCE TEACHING (To the Editor "N.Z. Times.") Siir„—Pfolubittovstp arei wanting to get prohibition taught in the "schools. They have a habit of confusing piohibition and temiperance. Temperance it'. nob prohibition; temperance is the moderate use of anything that may be found necessary to some, y«t - unnecessary to others; but temperance is the moderate use. They want to nominate the text book of Horsley and Sturges—those were both fanatical men like the prohibitionists. The most reasonable and up-to-date book on alcohol is by Charles Simmonds. 13. Sc. analyst to the Government Laboratory, Loiidon. It is ■entitled "Alcohol: Its Production, Properties, and Applications.'' "Alcohol/' he tells us. "is found in fermented liquors. Such liquors have been known from remote antiquity, and ij-riinitivo stills for the manufacture of alcohol have been described from Tahiti, ancient Peru, and the steppes of Central Asia. It was notuntil the eighteenth century th*t the nature of fermentation was-bnt-partially understood, and it was only towards the end of last century that Pastour adequately explained it." The book concludes with an impartial and very useful summary of investigations into the psychological effects of alcohol The history of alcohol, its many uses, and its great service to humanity to oe a proper subject for the education of our youth. Hei 1 © are a few questions which might be put into the curriculum :

Question.—Who was. the first traker of wine? . -• . Answer. —Noah. Question. —"When di 1 he mate this wine ?

Answer.—When he cam© out of the ark. i ~ ........ \. j

Question.—What did ho make it of? Answer.—The grapes that grew on the vino trees that he" had planted. Question.—Do yon know what God says about wine? Answer. Yes. lie says: "It maketh glad the heait of man." Question-—What is temperance? Answer—Temperance is the right and moderate use of anything. Que&tion.--Thoi/ the right end moderate use of wine, or any ')thcr commodity, <s bad?

Answer.—No;-certainly not. Question. —If you out iminodeiatoly or two much what happens? Answer.—You boconie ill.

Question.—lf you would exceed thfl limits of temperance with regard to drinking alcoholic liquors, then you would become intoxicated. What is intoxication? Answer.—lt is due to tho excessive use of alcoholic liquors. Question.—What form does it take?

Answer.—A man becomes dmnk. and u drunken man is a nuisance to society, and a danger to himself. Question. —What is done to a ilruuk«)\ man, or a mafi who indulges excessively in alcoholic liquots? Answer.—He is punished by fine or imprisonment. Question.—lf a man would bo U-m/.rr ato in the use of alcoholic liquors, what must he do? Answer.—He must xise those commodities as he -would til others, by just taking sufficient for him. Question. —What ought you all theioforo to .do? .

Answer. —To practice temperance, nt.a right living; cultivate liberal views; and not be a nuisance to the community like cirimcards and prohibitionists. Question.—Why do you includo prohibitionists -with drunkards?

Answer. —Because- they are both temperateTho temperance lesson is over for the day. 1 would suggest that the Minister for Education adopt thio question and answer syotere, for such is & sample- of tno teaching on temperance of one of tho .sane-' and most high-minded men among the teaching profession. Ho believes that temperance in all things is iho virtue, and that even excess of temperance—prohibition—is a vice. CATECHIST.