Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 201, 14 November 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

WHY NOT WOMEN POLICE? Sir, The Rev. Margaret Sutton-Sharpe in an interview in Saturday’s SUN says that women police are a great success in England. May I ask, if that is so, why this course was not followed in New Zealand? I understand that women parols were utilised in our leading cities during the war, and, possibly, just after it. Why were these women not reappointed? Is not the Government sympathetic toward the appoint - ment of women police? This is a matter our Auckland social workers might merest themselves in. WORKER’S WIFE. TWO-MINUTES’ NOISE Sir, — I would like to support “Reverence” in his protest against those thoughtless persons who kept their car engines running throughout the two minutes’ silence on Armistice Day. Surely, sir, on this one day set aside for national remembrance we can spare two minutes for contemplation? Is it imperative that cars should be keyed up ready to start off almost before the boom of the gun announces the end of the silence? I think not. The same drivers would think nothing of stopping for five minutes to witness, say, a first-class dog fight. DISGUSTED. NOTICES ON TRAMS Sir. Travelling in the trams is itself an ordeal without having matters made worse by almost complete isolation from the scenery without. Why does the City Council plaster notices on the windows of all trams? At present there are no less than eight huge notices on most trams which obscure the view and are particularly annoying at night when one is not sure of the locality. The notice about “lower” fares, surely patent to all now, could come down, while advertisements for the Municipal Band and the Zoo should be placed outside the trams. Then, again, if the council is going to reprint sections of by-laws to further orders we shall soon be travelling in total darkness. “ANNOYED.” THE BASIS OF THEOLOGY Sir.— At last we have Mr. Norman Burton’s reason for positing faith as the basis of science (SUN of 11th inst). The reasoning he would force upon us is briefly as follows: Both science and theology are based on faith, but science is true, therefore theology is true. Quite apart from the validity of the

premises, we have only to substitute astrology- or . any other discredited “ism” for theology to demonstrate the absurdity of the syllogism. Every educated and intelligent person now accepts the truths underlying natural sciences (if not the theories built thereon) because these are backed by the whole gamut of human experience. But there are as many theologies as there are religions —almost, I might say, as there are sects. These theologies are mutually destructive and antagonistic in vital fundamentals: no single one has the support of all educated persons. Large sections of intelligent people, including prominent scientists, eschew all theologies; theologies are so little based upon experience that, a full generation behind the advance of science, some have been compelled to throw overboard cherished dogmas as an alternative to losing all educated adherents. A.E.C. FRANCES ALDA’S OUTBURST Sir,— Madame Frances Alda did not lose any time in telling the Canadians what she thought of the Australians. Though we cannot applaud the extravagant language used by this tempestuous little songstress, there is a good deal of truth in what she says in regard to non-heating of the concert halls. I was only surprised that Madame did not include New Zealand in this category, as we are just as much to blame as the Australians. It is most unfair to expect an artist, especially one with Madarae’s undoubted temperament, to sing in a hall with “a temperature approximating that of an ice box.” Yet when Madame weighs the pros and cons of an Australasian tour—and Madame is an excellent woman of business—she must realise that she cannot expect all the facilities of her beloved Metropolitan. And in Madame Frances Alda’s case she knew very well from past acquaintance what she was coming to in this part of the world. What surprises me, though, is that she let New Zealand down so lightly. MAORILANDER. EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIMENT Sir, «i Instead of being an answer to my points, Mr. Burton’s previous letter was merely additional evidence that he is a captive tied to the chariot wheels of barren metaphysics. But I have to thank him for giving what he considers the basis of theology which he says “is based on faith, reason and experience.” On the first, assuredly; on the second, .in h limited sense; as unreason has had too large a share.

As to experience, will Mr. B kindly furnish evidence'.' • __« Although nurtured on - I came to man’s estate I h a ' e ‘ ! forced to realise that theoiogy ! been a happy hunting ground o * reason, a cause of wars and . amongst the human race. , ( a . n arifr -i Burton name even two tbeo J°*£* dogmas that are based upon e P - „ ence and are verifiable by ex Takapuna. NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS 1 “Morepork.”- Your aih-gations, | too sweeping.—Ed., THE SUN.