Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 May 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say

To the Editor.

DANGEROUS DOGS

Sir, — In a case reported yesterday it was stated that a girl whom a dog was “supposed” to have bitten was not in attendance. The writer was the defendant in a similar case recently and the party who laid the information was not present when the case was called. After waiting two hours the “bitten” party was discovered playing cricket and appeared before the court, having been collected by the police. The case was speedily dismissed but the writer, in addition to paying a heavy solicitor’s fee, lost several hours of valuable time in attending the court. Surely, if the prosecution in such cases be persisted in, it is reasonable for the complainant to be produced. The logical conclusion would seem to be that many of these cases are of so trivial a nature as to be unworthy of serious attention. Presumably if the defendant had not appeared he would have brought some trouble on himself, and it is difficult to understand just why a subpoenaed complainant should be permitted to flout the court. INDIGNANT. THE BIBLE IN THE LAW COURT Sir, That I consider it deserves “reflective thinking” (to make the way to the formation of a reasoned conclusion more easy) rather than that I admit the logic of “H.R.H.’s” argument with regard to “the use of the Bible in our law courts,” is why I do not refer to it in my second letter. Personal observation has led me to believe that with most people the taking of the oath is only a mumbled acquiescence with the gabble of the official standing in front of "the box.” Unfortunately, it does not act as one would naturally expect, as a deterrent to untruthfulness, as witnesses are frequently subjected to a sharp reprimand from the judicial bench because of the unreliability of their evidence. It is also an amazing fact that some religious people will, after doing wrong, deliberately swear their innocence upon the Book which they were taught to reverence at their mother's knee. “H.R.H.” seems to

infer that the use of a Bible as part of legal procedure furnishes conclusive proof of the objective existence of Christ, and that our children should be so informed. Every wise parent will endeavour to save a child from the pain of unlearning, therefore, I do not wish my family to be given religious instruction in our day school which expounds the theory of the Son of Man having ascended into heaven. The work entrusted to our teachers is to give children the common rudiments of knowledge. To encumber this end with theological error would affect the students' ideas on other subjects. JOHN BAILEY. DEFINITIONS AND DICTIONARIES Sir, “Reciprocity is Right” chooses to adhere to purely literal interpretations. But it is the spirit and not the letter of treaty or law that is important. Equality, a very necessary ingredient of true reciprocity, has been rendered impossible in China by unequal treaties. Few will dispute that Britain has both demanded and taken what she desired in China, yet reciprocity has not been achieved thereby. This should not be so if “Reciprocity is Right’s” theories are correct. Again, with the aid of a dictionary, it is easy to show British capital is British; that retaliatory tariffs or even the Chinese boycott of British trade constitutes reciprocity. It is not difficult to find bona fide examples or capital claiming British nationality, which claim would be repudiated by every decent Briton. Taken full and by capital has no nationality; some of it can best be described as outlaw, while most of it knows little and cares less whence and how profits accrue—so long as they do accrue. “RIGHT IS RECIPROCITY.” NEW NORTH ROAD TRAFFIC Sir, The above thoroughfare has long been a very rough one as far as motorists are concerned. We now find the Mount Albert Borough Council making a fine road by concreting the surface. So far a portion has been completed

and is open to traffic. My word, doesn’t one know it is open! When this road was in its rough old state so-called steady drivers could attain a fair speed. With this new P ie £ c of concrete road it is simply a Brooklands track for them! From Kingsland Avenue to Morningside Bridge is a very dangerous section for trian traffic. In the vicinity of this stretch we have a public school with an approximate attendance of 600 cb* l " dren. A very large percentage of them are of tender years. Sir, I sugg^ s that the New North Road, like many other main roads, should have more prominent signs or finger-posts, at gular intervals, near dangerous intersections and bad bends, and also where schools are, it should stressed that the speed-limit 18 15 miles an hour. In my ion Mount Albert could do wu at least two traffic inspectors. Tn traffic by-laws in the Mount Alberx district are abominable and are . n ? emore so since the alteration and pairs to the road. Should this speeaing and abuse of by-laws go on mot_ • will be afraid to send their child* to schooL __ PEDESTRIAN.