Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 43, 13 May 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say

To the Editor-.

A BOOST FOR NEWMARKET

Newmarket is the bright little borough! I can get to my work at Parnell on a one-section tram ticket, and my brother to Queen Street on two sections. So we have all moved in from Point Chevalier. Newmarket every time! It suits all our family; the girls, too. C. CROSS. Manukau Road.

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Sir, — Mr. John Bailey writes that my suggestion that we should use the Bible in our schools as a basis of moral teaching will not meet with every parent’s approval. That is quite so. But on the other hand it will meet with many parents’ approval, and I believe with that of the majority of parents. The only way we can decide this is by a plebiscite as proposed. Mr Bailey's idea of religion is very different to mine. My idea is that “all religion has relation to life, and the life of religion is to do good,” and I think this idea is becoming every day more prevalent. To say that the Bible contains a. number of false hopes and broken promises is a very debatable assertion, and would not v be a subject chosen by any reliable teacher for instruction to children. As a foundation of morals what could you have better than the golden rule and the commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself?” As Mr. Bailey makes no reference to what 1 said as to the use of the Bible in our law courts, I infer that he sees the force of my argument on that point. He says that in practice religion is the worst of moral educators. I am afraid he is a bit mixed in his ideas of practical religion. If he had said that much harm had been done by religious theories apart from practice, I would fully agree with him; but 1 do not think he will have many sympathisers with his condemnation of practical Christianity. H.R.H.

FRUIT

Sir.— lour editorial in Wednesday’s issue of THE SUN states that the growers are only getting Id a lb for their apples, whereas at present even very inferior seconds are up to 5s to 6s a case of 401 b approximate weight, while anything of decent quality is bringing a case as under:—Delicious, about 10s: Sturmers, 11s; Jonathans, 7s 6d: and cookers, 5s and over. These prices work out at from 2d to 33d a lb, while from any white fruiterer, apples can be bought from 3d a lb and the very choicest at 5d a lb, of which latter qualitj; there may be only the top and second layers, as in my experience as a retail fruiterer, the packing is “sunny side to London” in the majority of cases. The last Island boat with bananas was an instance of a glut of which the public reaped the benefit. The wharf price of this shipment was 10s an 801 b. case, which would weigh out approximately 721 b retailed over the counter. The retail price for a fortnight was 3d a lb, and in many

cases 51b for a shilling, less than cost at the wharf, to which has to be added cartage, waste and labour of sorting. The white fruiterer has a very hard row to hoe at present, owing to the intense alien competition, and is finding it difficult to keep going and provide a fair living for his dependants. Note the number of white fruit shops that are closing down. WHITE FRUITERER.

BUSES V. TRAMS

Sir,— I think “Walker’s” letter in reply to mine is a poor attempt to make a case out for his preference for buses. The effort to prove that more money is sent to America for tramway equipment is futile, for whatever equipment is purchased in that country (and I believe it is a very small amount, as most of the gear is supplied by English electrical firms) is a mere bagatelle to the enormous quantities of petrol that would have to be imported rom abroad to drive the transport services if we depended on buses; how much can be imagined when we remember that the trams carry sixty million passengers annually, and that importation would be continuous, in addition to all the spare parts, chassis and tyres which are manufactured by American firms. So far as making buses pay on tram fares, it has never yet been demonstrated, for the reason that the bus companies did not keep a large spare list to cope with the peak loads, neither did they- contribute tc-„_».rd the upkeep of the roads in the manner of the trams, which have to keep the centre of the road in order out of revenue.

It was not fair competition, but bus pirating. Regarding the rapid speed of getting home, it would be interesting to see buses attempting to shift the 5 o’clock crowd out of Queen Street without the assistance of trams. In conclusion it would be interesting to know how, in the event of a war in the Pacific, and an embargo being placed on the export of benzine by the countries from which it is imported? the districts that depended on petrol for transportation would fare. PROGRESS.

CHILDREN AND RELIGION

Sir,— “H.R.H.” makes a strong secular plea for the introduction of the Bible U sc £°° ls - . Unfortunately for his case, the Bible, in addition to being an important piece of literature, is the foundation book of a religion. ArJhbishop Avenll, one of the leaders of the Bible in Schools’ movement, has had the courage to deplore such disingenuousness, and has stated the real object to be the inculcation of religious ideas m the minds of children.

Apart from that consideration it is not proposed to place the Bible in the hands of the children, but only certain unknown extracts to be selected by a secret junta of the Protestant Churches. And worse still for the arguments of “H.R.H.” these extracts are only to be read. —explanation being expressly forbidden. How could such an emasculated anti-educational ritual

give the children any idea of w |^ eraJ y Bible might stand for, or us significance? * literal' Explanation is the ba s is basis training, and example, tn jjgjous moral training. The propose" suck exercises are as devoid ol _ ' G fpa- I capabilities as the performance H gan children before the wooden gods. ji £ • gj