Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 935, 31 March 1930, Page 10

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

COCKTAILS AND GIRLS Sir, — I most heartily agree with your leading article, on Thursday, on the subject of sweeping condemnations made against the young girls of New Zealand, and with the letter of "Infuriated Mother.” The percentage of criminals and degenerates among our girls is as low in New Zealand, I’ll wager, as in any country of the world —or perhaps it is lower. It is utterly surprising that women can be found who will calmly stand up in public and, -without figures to support their claims, make statements which are a libel on the clean-living girls of the country and an exaggeration, even, of the position in regard to girls who drink an occasional aperitif. I am pained and surprised that women of Auckland should have supported a remit of the nature. MOTHER. AFFAIRS IN RUSSIA Sir. Letters which have appeared in your columns of late over the signatures of the Welfare League and “Britisher” have reopened a-subject that is agitating the minds of many thoughtful men of all shades of opinion. Personally I am much of “Britisher’s” way of thinking: that there is deliberate propaganda afoot in certain quarters with the object of giving one side of the subject only, and the worst aspect at that. From what I can gather by careful perusal of our daily newspapers, so far, no attempt is being made to enlighten the public as to what the Soviet Government is doing in the way of reorganising Russia’s internal affairs; it is only by reading the reports of the many committees of investigation into Russian affairs that one can derive any knowledge o t the more favourable aspects of the above subject. This state of things, it seems to me, is most unsatisfactory from a British point of view, since we as a nation take particular pride in being good sportsmen. Since there are dozens of publications in our public libraries descriptive of Russia’s attempts to form a new economic order out of the chaos left by the war and the subsequent revolution, why is it that the columns of the Press, the most potent power for good or ill in Christendom, are destitute of any articles save such as tend to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the reader? Day after day we read stories, true or false, of “Soviet atrocities,” “antiGod campaigns,” persecution and what not and scarcely a word of Russia’s constructive programme. what I have gathered from other sources I understand that Russia has instituted unemployment and invalidity insurance, maternity benefits which include among other things enforced rest for expectant, working mothers, on full pay (before and after the birth of the child). generous compensation for accidents to workers, adequate oldage pensions, fullest educational facilities for every individual and othe»* beneficial legislation. There are two sides to every question as everyone knows. No individual and no nation is wholly good or wholly bad. Let us then in all fairness get both sides. And in conclusion I would say to those

who are apt to rail at Russia’s purely materialistic programme (if it be so) there is a passage of Scripture which exactly fits the case: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these ye have done it unto me.” J.M.J. Whangarei. MRS. PHILLIPS IN REPLY Sir, — In your report of an address given by me at the bi-annual council meeting of the A.P.F.W.I. on Tuesday last, I am stated to have referred to disgraceful scenes of drunken girls to be seen on the boats and launches plying between Auckland and Devonport after the hours of midnight. I emphatically deny that Lhave made any such “public statement” on that occasion, or any other. In your leader published in ydur March 27th issue I am portrayed as a wholesale denouncer of the younger women and girls of this generationUTo put it mildly, that was an “injudicious exaggeration” on your part. I plainly referred in my address to a small but growing section of girls and women who are addicted to intemperate habits to the detriment of their personal morality. In order to prevent the spreading of this incipient “moral evil” to the majority of our glorious womanhood, I have thought fit to raise my voice in “protest,” and to suggest means suitable for saving our girls from a danger which if allowed to proceed unchecked may bring misery and disgrace to themselves and untold sorrow to who love them. Albany. INEZ PHI LLIPS. no^n r c S ln^ illiP^e^ n a y £££“3? <£ address, as printed in another Auckland newspaper:—-"I have seen young girls "in a^. state of intoxication on the beaches after the cabarets have closed, and even ? ayl «ht on the racecourses. The drink habit crept in during the war period, tv-hen women were living under a constant strain. Instead of dying out the habit has grown to alarming proportions, ana it is noio in grave danger of sapping the very foundations of our country. It has grown to the detriment of our womanhood and to the peril of our children.”—Ed., The Sun.

CHILDREN AND DISCIPLINE Sir, Assertions and denials have been made in The Sun concerning the exC^if- nce otherwise of the behaviour of New Zealand children. I will not trust my judgment in the case of smail children, nor can I judge between New Zealand and English children; but the following experience may be of interest to your readers. Some years ago I attended the Sydney High School, which I left, after two years, In order to come to Auckland, where I completed my secondary education. I can say with all sincerity and honesty that, after my two years at Sydney, I was absolutely astounded at the lack of discipline and good taste at the Auckland secondary school I attended.. This was the observation of a young boy who would not notice such a thing unless the difference was marked. The first few months in .Auckland was a period in which I was

continually being astonished by the lengths to which pupils were allowed to- go. Why there is this differer. e I have never been able to understand. : It may have something to do with the I amount of corporal punishment adniint istered, for, during the first month at •« the Auckland school I saw more boys ■ caned, from my own class, than were : j caned in the whole of the Sydney Grammar School for the previous two years. A caning at a Sydney secj ondary school is an event of import•j ance and interest to the whole school ■ a serious event; a momentous event. l It is hardly likely that the masters of the two places are so different in ability to preserve discipline, and the conclusion we can come to is that thfr ■ boys are more difficult in New Zea, land. I have been puzzled ever sincs : my experience, and this seems to shoi~ 5 1 how impressed I was with the differ:. . ence. Remembering the wartime 'I tales of difficulty in handling Anzacs, I have often thought that the New Zealanders probably Caused more than i ; their fair share of the troubles. ; I 11 EC LA. 1