Citizens Say-

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 375, 8 June 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say-

(To the Editor.)

“GRRR!” There icas an old lady of Riga Who tamed what she thought icas a tiger ; She made it her friend And from then to the end It had no occasion to “cry grrr.” Sir, — Trusting that “Glendowie” doesn’t mind my borrowing to pay back, but really, it was too tempting. I must admit his line was really fine, but where are we both if—whatever it was—it couldn’t “grrrr”? Oh! please, Mr. Barton, be kind to us both and let it “grrrr.” STILL OPTIMIST. A RIGHT TO MORTAL LIFE Sir, — 1 am not surprised that your New Plymouth correspondent, “Student,” finds the “Book of 'Life” unprocurable in that town; for I find, on inquiry, that it is not listed by booksellers in this country, it is a work of eight volumes by Newton Marshall Hall, A.M., D.D., and Irving Francis Wood, Ph.D., D.D., professor of Biblical literature and comparative religion, Smith College, Northampton, XJ.S.A., authors renowned in Theological circles. I should Imagine such a work to be a subscription one. My copy is a present from a friend. But if “Student” cannot secure a copy and would care to see mine, it could be arranged. I am afraid the £SOO will not be claimed, and the 1.8.5. A. may possibly feel inclined to follow Biblical teachand and "Give unto the poor.” It. might be more In keeping with the times to offer the £ 500 to anyone who can prove that he has a right to mortal life; and let immortality take care of itself. "ALINARI.” A LAND SETTLEMENT POLICY Sir, The writer holds the opinion that there is no permanent solution of the country’s difficulties apart from a satisfactory land settlement scheme — meaning thereby not a scheme for the promotion of land gambling, but a scheme which will place people on the land and assist and induce them to remain there. In this direction Reform has one panacea and prescription named “Freehold” guaranteed “to remove all obstructions and bring about all that is desired.” Well, the effects of Reform’s remedy are well in evidence to-day, one of the most outstanding items being the removal of some 13,000 to 14,000 people off the land. Anxious and thinking electors looking for an alternative to Reform will be well advised to look for a land policy

calculated to bring back again the old-time prosperity to the man on the land. Thousands of New Zealanders bred and born on the land, who have for many reasons drifted into the cities, whether in work or out of work, would jump at the chance to-day to take themselves and their families to a farm proposition which gave them a sporting chance to make a do of it. In the opinion of the writer the many thousands of pounds that are now being spent by the Government on unproductive relief works would be better spent in assisting such would-be farmers to get established in making parmanent homes for themselves and their families. This is not a suggestion that all the present unemployed should be put or expected to go on the land —many of them are probably quite unsuited for the life and would only pix>ve failures, whatever the conditions might be —but it is suggested that the creation of a land policy of the right kind would attract thousands of would-be settlers of a good type, thereby creating vacancies and jobs for those unsuitable for the land. Now, then, which party is going to produce this policy? 45 YEARS IN N.Z. INCIDENCE OF DISEASE Sir, — I am so pleased to see someone at last beginning to take an interest in my letters that I am only too pleased to supply “Stiggins” with the following figures regarding the incidence of disease from the “Year Book”: Hospital Population.—l9l9-23 (average per year, 46,000, or 357 per 10,000 population); 1924, 58,600 (434 per 10,000 population); 1925, 61,500 (445 per 10,000 population); 192*5, 68,000 (484 per 10,000 population). From 1922-26, the increase was 23£ per cent., or roughly 6 per cent, for each year. Insane in .Eight Asylums.—l92s, 5,257; 1926, 5,467. Regarding certain specific diseases, the position is, taking both male and female patients; in-patients: Influenza. —1922, 448: 1926, 1,379. Diphtheria.—l 922, 1,377; 1926, 1,584. Scarlet Fever.—l 922, 1,107; 1926, 1,187. Cancer. —1926, 1,341 deaths, a proportion of 9.91 per 10,000 population; highest ever recorded in New Zealand. Tuberculosis of all kinds.—l 922, 1,979; 1926, 2,275. These figures should supply people with any amount of hard thinking. Regarding the increase of population argument, I don’t think it a reasonable one at all. Because our population increases, that is no valid reason for the increase in disease, except in so far that it shows how we are leaving the same old vicious causes to operate in the spread of disease. Obviously, the sensible thing to do is to redouble our

efforts in prevention. The inci eased population argument is a false one, because it lulls people into a false security not unlike a fool’s paradise. It » like saying that because one buys a dozen eggs at 3s 6d, three or four of them must be bad. A very poor argument indeed. No, the obvious thing is not to allow, but to prevent, disease. R. M. THOMSON ETERNAL LIFE Sir,— If man is not immortal then tn orthodox Christian religion is a fallacy and has no foundation at all. It bases its beliefs on the assumption that was the Son of God, sent into the won to redeem sinners and to save tna which was lost. Now if this life enas all, then all such ideas are useless, we would all live for the present an would not want to be saved from What beautiful flowers grow from small seeds to delight us with the wonderful colours and perfume. w acknowledge that the formation of ° physical body is a wonderful thing an we admit that none of these miracle® could be accomplished by human powers alone. Admitting all this, wn should we refuse to go a step furth and admit that we have an eternal living soul. If we use o.ir * nne *\£ e a ]* ceptions we can grasp the spiritua • We say God is a spirit, infinite a eternal. Even if we live three tcore ana te years what is that in eternity * a drop in the ocean. Now we ma *J o our own heaven or hell. If we good, w'e create heaven within, u injure another we create hell, a somewhere and sometime, if not be ’ we are brought to realise our wrw* If one needs further proof of the m» mortality of the soul one need read the account of the Crucifix* o®.. 0 ®.. Jesus on Calvary. The dying tn said unto Jesus: “Lord, remember „ when thou comest into Thy KingdomAnd Jesus said unto him: say unto thee. To-day shalt thou with Me in Paradise.” And when J ~ had cried with a loud voice, he ' “Father into thy hands I commena Spirit.” .. c The same thing applies to-day, dead body is given back to the < ?a * and the soul goes back to Goa Father who gave it. |f Thanking you for this space in y valuable paper. ItnraaL FIRM jI>ELILVBR*