Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 681, 5 June 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

OBJECTS TO BOARD PERSONNEL Sir. It is time the ratepayers woke up. Will the Mayor, Mr. Baildon and Air. Allum let us know what next will be foisted on the ratepayers of the city and suburbs? Mr. Allum was voted out at the Alunicipal election and Mr. Baildon got the confidence of the people. Does he expect the same again from the people? I, as a ratepayer—and thousands of others—want a fair deal over the Transport Board business. A RATEPAYER. FARMERS’ CONFERENCE Sir, I was interested to peruse in The Sun the splendid report of the Farmers’ Union Conference recently held in Auckland. Speaking as a farmer I must say that our comrades are the most amusing “cusses.” What strikes me as humorous is that they pay 3Us a year as members of the union for protection under the, Trades Union Act. And at the conference they said it was a curse. Anyhow, the conference wanted free trade with England to help the big importer to buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest. What most farmers want is a policy that is neither free trade nor protection but a policy that will give the primary and manufacturing producer the product of his labour and eliminate the middleman. A BEWILDERED-FARMER. ARE WE COLD? Sir,— I recently read the assertion that there is an unfriendly attitude adopted by the New Zealander-born to the newcomer. As I have, been a resident of the Dominion for 46 hard-working years mine is no hasty judgment. Having, during this time, been an active member of various societies for the improvement of local conditions I have found that unless one has attended the same school as, or played in the backyard of, other members one remains on the outer fringe. Inside, there may be friendship; outside there is utter indifference although the man on the fringe may be a lonely soul seeking human companionship.- Whether it is diffidence or ignorance, the fact remains that the average New Zealander has not the spirit of warm friendliness to strangers that one meets in other countries. The British people, cold and selfcentred as they have been dubbed, certainly opened their hearts and homes

to strangers from, overseas in the war period. Is it not strange that aliens should be encouraged here rather than those of our own stock? There may have been failures among those admitted but is there any race of human beings without its quota of failures? I hope that a more reasonable attitude will prevail and that the friendly hand will be held out in greeting to those who are after all our own kin. BRITISH. EVOLUTION IN SCHOOLS Those correspondents who contend that Evolution is opposed to Christianity seem to fail to realise that Christianity is but the outcome of Evolution as applied to man’s conception of God. Although there is abundant evidence that this world is millions of years old. it is less than 2,000 years since Christ was born, and before that time Christianity was unknown upon this planet. If we accept the belief that man has fallen from the perfect state to a state of sin, and that he is now striving, through Christ’s teaching, to return to the perfect state, here again we have convincing proof that man and his spiritual ideas are perpetually changing, which implies the existence of the principle of Evolution. Even in the lost few hundred years man’s nature has greatly changed for the better. Dreadful acts were committed in the name of religion less than seven hundred years ago, and after the Biblical teachings, “Thou shalt not kill,” “Love one another,” Unto others as you would be done by,” had been preached for over twelve hundred years. But could we imagine such atrocities being permitted in any Christian country today? I think we may safely say no, thus showing that man is gradually evolving toward “that great far-off divine event which the whole world moves,” when the teachings of the Bible will be universally adhered, to by all mankind. when war will become a thing of the past, and all nations will be as one nation, with one supreme ruler over ali, who will rule, not by force, but by justice and love. But before that day arrives Evolution will require to work wonders in the human heart, and the capacity to “be fruitful and multiply” will require to be so completely controlled that the new lives Drought into the world, in fully populated countries, will just balance those that pass out Then, but not till then, w ill true Christianity be possible, and i peac ® bo established on i Let us therefore accept the principle

- Evolut.io n as essential to religious and. spiritua I development of man, as to the birth pf worlds, species, steamboats, gains, /lying machines, etc. 11 we open our t ryes we will see Evolution (or devolution? on every hand. Nothm 3 in creation st ands still. ___ JUS. DIVINIUM.