Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 78, 23 June 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

IN SUPPORT Sir, — I rise to support Mr. Parry in his remarks on THE SUN’S fairminded policy. This northern community has been taxed (chiefly by Wellington newspapers) with narrow-mindedness and self-sufficiency. If the claim be true this state of mind may be attributed to the daily dishwater consumed in the past. Since the coming of THE SUN, things are brighter, and life now seems almost worth while. “Lang may your elbuck jink the fiddle.” NO HAGGIS. ADOLESCENTS Sir,— I am glad to see that another humanist has been attracted to your columns, and may say that I am heartily in accord with the queries raised regarding immigrant youths. I have often looked at photographic groups of these young fellows, and sadly wondered what lay before them in a land where unemployment is as rife as it never has been before. Those who have the handling of thes2 young men have a lot to answer for, and it is generally the comfortably-placed social leader, who is the great offender whether he be a bishop, or anyone else, whose own job is warm and guaranteed. But there is the other aspect, too, which “Humanist” raises in the query: Perhaps the fault is at this end? And in many respects I should say it is. Our own treatment of adolescents is as crude and ignorant a-s it can be. There has been an outcry lately over our educational system. So there should be, too, when our adolescent youths are subjected to a vicious examination system, at a time when nature is working at high pressure to develop the man. And this is because those who have the handling of adolescents seem to think they can just treat them like so many sacks of flour. It is high time they were all made to take a long course in Professor Stanley Hall's researches in adolescent phenomena with an addition of Judge Ben Lindsey’s “Revolt of Modern Youth” to top it off. There is too much ignorance of the adolescent man altogether. Why, I know of a “family” man who nearly knocked me down once because I told him his son was adolescent. He thought that term and puberty were technical terms for sex-perversion! And this from a man who was supposed to be well educated! HUMANIST No. 1. LICENSING REFORM Sir,— As the Prime Minister announced that licensing legislation will be introduced this session, the time is opportune to tender a few remarks from the point of view of one who has always voted continuance, but nevertheless is dissatisfied with the present conditions existing in the liquor trade. The vote for continuance has a night to some consideration so with all due respect to the New Zealand Alliance and the liquor party’s organisation, there is only one quarter from which the vote for continuance can be honoured: this is in Parliament. I contend it is absolutely wrong that in a democratic country the capitalist should be privileged to create and control a monopoly in a limited number of licences, to the detriment of the public. No provision exists for increasing the number of hotels to meet the de- ; mands of a growing population and I also tourist traffic with the result that | the present unsatisfactory conditions in | the trade become more intense day ■by day.

It is futile offering criticism unless of a constructive nature to combat the present menacing monopoly that has been granted carte blanche to extend operations. The question of increased tenure improving conditions in the trade is a mere myth. The reform whereby the public as a whole will be protected and benefit is for the Government to legislate against the tied house and introduce legislation granting an increase of licences to be distributed to legitimate hotelkeepers who are prepared to conduct hotels on a fair and reasonable trading basis immune from fictitious goodwills and ridiculous rentals for which the public foots the bill. Taking a retrospective view.of the whole position the time is long overdue for drastic reform in the clrection indicated. PRO BONO PUBLICO. ANNOUNCERS Sir, — The salary offered by the Broadcasting Company for the post of announcer is indeed parsimonious and your leader on the subject will be widely appreciated. At the salary proposed we cannot hope for a cultured man and I suppose we shall have to listen to the mangled English that too frequently comes from IYA, for a further indefinite period. On Sunday, “vigil” was pronounced “virgil,” and “cowardice” to rhyme with “dice.” The announcer is such an integral part of the programme that he cannot be cut off, if one wishes to follow the programme at all. We can only hope against hope for better times. CHEAP JACK. “GET THINGS DONE!” Sir.— Will you permit an old hand to give his view on immigration, pro and con, as discussed in the local Press. Let me state at the outset that in my opinion British immigrants have as much right to be here as we have, if New Zealand were in a normal condition, which she is not. Can the newcomers blame us when we want to see our own children get the preference of any work available? New Zealand is the same fertile and lovely little country it used to be 60 years ago or more and her people are of the same friendly and hospitable disposition as of yore. If the immigrants have the great self-reliance and force of character they claim, why did they not go for “the man who gets things done” when he was here with banners flying? Don’t blame the people. Only a day or two ago Sir James Parr stated at a dinner that New Zealand is the land of opportunity for the man of small means . When he made that statement he must have known the “soup-kitchen” state of New Zealand. Less than a week ago 78 immigrants arrived in Auckland. There was a promise that immigration would cease for June, July and August. Has it? Let me remind my fellow- workers that strikes and violence are the games of fools but frequent orderly visits to our rulers generally “do the trick.” I have tried it on both sides of the Tasman. OLD HAND. FALLING BIRTHRATE Sir,— Archbishop Averill’s remarks on this • « , r .f ported in a recent issue °f THE SUN, as well as his warning concernlng the peril to the nation which this social phase connotes, are of wide interest. However, Bishop Barnes (Anglican prelate of Birming-

ham), as well as Dean Inge, are found openly advocating or tolerating the gospel of Dr. Marie Stopes. She is not a medical doctor. Herein is seen that lack of “authority” in the Church of England, is both far-reaching and fatal. The Catholic Church holds fast*to “Papal authority” as the key to its impregnability. That Church regards the “Stopes” doctrine as sinful and damnable. Catholics are proud of their unaltered and unalterable moral law. Sir Thomas Horder, one of the King ** physicians, applies the term “highly nauseous” to the shameless flooding of England with artificial restriction literature, in his introduction to a volume entitled “Medical Views on BirthControl,” edited by Sir James Marchant, secretary of the National Birthrate Commission. The work treats of the scientific side only. It declares emphatically that the methods of birth-control commonly advocated are most emphatically physically injurious. It concludes that a consequence is an immense increase of immorality among the young. y M S NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS “Justice.”—Your sentiments are good, but we must be careful of our £ aC The charge was not one of consorting.”