Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 52, 24 May 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say —

To the Editor,

FITFUL SLEEP Sir.—• For my sins, I live in a boarding house not very far from Waterloo Quadrant. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep for weeks, thanks to the perpetual shunting that goes on in the railway yards in the late evening and early morning hours. Can nothing be done to obviate this nuisance?" If any of your readers can suggest a remedy I should be delighted to hear it. MANDRAGORA. COAL NEAR AUCKLAND Sir,— Your letter under the above heading in Saturday evening’s SUN interested me greatly, and I was struck with the possibility of opening up a very valuable industry, both to Auckland and the locality where the coal is situated. I am a coal miner with 20 years’ experience, about 12 years of which has been spent in the Waikato and South Island coal-fields. I am unemployed at the present time and would be only too pleased to have a look over the property and discuss it with the owner or others who may be interested. The editor of THE SUN knows my address if “Pro Bono Publico” or others interested care to communicate with me through him. CURIOUS. “AUSTRALASIA” Sir,— Yes, we object to New Zealand being included in the geographical meaning of “Australasia,” though we didn’t object to “Australasian” as the name of the purely Australian tennis teams which tussled for the Davis Cup, and, as “D.A.8.” points out, despite the fact that the Australians don’t object to the letters dominating the word Anzac. “D.A.8.” asks can it be possible that the Australians are more broad-minded that we? Certainly not! The Australians cannot be more broad-minded than we are—nor can any other people be more broad-minded or more anything else than we are. You have only to read the interviews in the papers with returning New Zealanders to realise that we New Zealanders are absolutely the last word in human progress—that we are absolutely and most emphatically IT. “URIAH THE TTTITE.” INCREASED FARES Sir, — In the columns of THE SUN on Thursday last you printed an account commenting upon the action of the Tramway Company in charging the extra fare on the long-distance routes of the Auckland tramways; an altogether unjustifiable proceeding. At the close of the article you stated that as the day for increasing the fare —May I—fell1 —fell on a Sunday, the company had extended the date to Monday, May 2, but such was not the case. The increased fare was charged on the Sunday, as I had occasion to travel to Onehunga on that day, and had to pay the increased fare both ways. EDENDALE. NORFOLK ISLAND Sir, The remarks of your contributor, G. I. Peacock, on the subject of Norfolk Island, in Saturday’s issue, are so obviously those of one who has a very slight knowledge of the place that they call for some comment. Whatever the island may have been in the past, it is no Utopia now. The administration by the Australian Government is slack, and there is discontent among the islanders. As for these “simple people,” they are not as simple as they look, as any of the white inhabitants will bear witness. There may be “something hard and British” in them, but it is not very successful in “keeping them straight.” The Tahitian element wins as a rule. And their loyalty to England does not prevent the older members of the community from holding forth on the manner in which they have been tricked by the Government in regard to land ownership. Their “unswerving loyalty to their religion” has not prevented them from splitting up into at least three different sects, and there has lately, been a great

amount of squabbling among the members of the largest of these sects. In any case it is safe to say that Christianity acts upon them rather as a superstition than as a religion, and they fail as a rule to appreciate the connection between religion and morals. Does your contributor happen to know that the Melanesian Mission was removed from Norfolk Island on account of what was considered to be the distressing immorality of the people? There is growing up a younger generation whose ambition is to ape white civilisation, which they appear to flunk is a system based on powder, paint, cigarettes, and jazz. As regards the island itself, apart from the inhabitants and the administration, your contributor is substantially correct. It is a Utopia, populated by a people who may once have been Edenie, but who have been corrupted by the influence of the white man. “EX-RESIDENT.” NURSES AND HARD WORK Sir, I noticed in your issue of Friday last an interesting letter by “Searchlight” on the subject of “Nurses and Hard Work.” Having some knowledge of the conditions under which the “Angels of the noblest of professions” have to labour, and also their long hours of duty, I have no alternative other than to endorse “Searchlight’s” remarks. If employers in other trades or professions were to work their employees for 12 hours without a break, save for a few minutes for meals, they would, as “ Searchlight” predicts, be very promptly brought before the court, yet such cases are by no means unknown in the Auckland Hospital. I have always been of the opinion that public institutions such as hospitals should set the ideal in the matter of working conditions and general treatment of their employees. However, this is not the case in the Auckland Hospital, as some of the conditions existing there are so far behind the times as to make some of last century reformers turn in their graves. It is little wonder that Dr. Bedford’s report is so unsatisfactory; and as long as the Hospital Board sees fit to maintain some last century methods in this, the twentieth century, the various reports will still be most unsatisfactory. “NURSES’ FRIEND.” SOMETHING BETTER SUGGESTED Sir,— X see by your boxing notes in THE SUN that the N.B.A. is endeavourfng to arrange another feather-weight programme in the near future, it is indeed difficult to suggest anything better at the present time, but I am of the opinion that a 10-round contest between Harry Casey and Dick Loveridge would prove a better draw. As these men are not likely to haggle over the size of the purse it might also be possible to stage a feather-weight fight on the same night. Casey has done well since he came to New Zealand and can always be depended upon to make things willing Loveridge is always popular when he fights, simply because he goes in and fights from gong to gong. He has lost only three professional fights and his winning list includes victories over Trowern (for the New Zealand amateur light-weight championship), G. Stace. McKnight, Jamito and Hay. He had just started on his professional career when he met the rugged Queenslander two years ago, but since then he has learnt a lot and is keen to avenge his defeat. This is my reply to the N.B.A.’s challenge to “suggest something better, if you can,” and I trust you will bring it under the notice of Mr. Watts for his consideration. H. MATTHEWS. BIBLE IN SCHOOLS Sir, — 1 do not want to get into controversy with Dr. Buxton on the Bible-in-Schools question, but I would like to explain why the education policy of the Roman Catholic authorities in New Zealand differs from Papal policy in other countries. I understand that the policy in New Zealand is “Catholic Schools for Catholic Children.” In Italy religious instruction of the Roman Catholic type is given in the State schools with the approval of the Vatican. The concordat betwen Poland and the Vatican provides that religious teaching is obligatory in all public schools, and is to be given to. Roman

Catholics by teachers chosenn •• school authorities, but only approved by the bishops. The dat with Serbia provides that , State schools religious instruction be given to Roman Catholic by teachers nominated by the The Government has to remune these teachers. It is also provi _ in order to prepare young - « i>> for the priesthood a seminary gha ]i established to which the Sta furnish an annual endownien concordat with Spain provides Roman Catholic religion is the of the State, and until 1906 the wer i signs of other religious belie prohibited. It is further education, ptiblic and conform to the doctrines of tn Catholic Church. These f aCt ti« as far as I can see, agree pr. Catholic principles mentione Buxton in his statement, 1 cently appeared in THE ©Jr would like to explain that X tained my information from sources accessible to me. g # stand that Dr. Buxton has * gr e the official documents. If me0 t & any inaccuracies in my _.jii the position I hope Dr. ni£ good enough to correct t he m- _ t i statement is substantially * would like Dr. Buxton to exp«“ Roman Catholic policy m f _ t.i* land differs from Papal P oll r.- n *j. » other countries I have me fV nre hope Dr. Buxton will not lg .