Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1033, 25 July 1930, Page 10

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

| CHILDREN S COURT AND CHILD WELFARE Sir, — Much has been written on the above subject in the last few days. The question prompts itself: Is oil well with the administration of this important branch of the Public Service? The Minister of Education has said a great deal about agricultural bias—but ho has been strangely quiet on tho subject of Child Welfare. Has ho inquired into this work, or is ho satisfied? There are many people in Auckland who are not! The Director of Education is a specialist on education. Is the Minister satisfied that ho is likewise a specialist on Child Welfare? ISIS.

MILITARY TRAINING

Sir. — I can quite appreciate the woeful strain in the jeremiad of "Vae Victis.” After his long silence he comes forward with a repetition of the old saws and platitudes of a bygone age. He is evidently oblivious of the fact that New Zealand was the last, not the first, of the Dominions to give up compulsory military training. He refers to General Sir George Richardson’s quoting Lord Roberts. Does he know that Queen Elizabeth expressed her views in favour of international trust and understanding when she said: “The sea as well as the air is a free and common thing to all.” Since first the proposal to abolish or modify conscription in this country was mooted wo have been inundated with the jingoistic outpourings of those who think with "Vae Victis” that our I mighty Empire will suffer annihilation unless the disgruntled youth of New Zealand periodically don khaki and prepare to defend democracy—and incidentally provide employment for a number of military gentlemen who. from purely altruistic motives, love to see the lads so occupied. I am still surprised at your correspondents’ hiding his identity, and refuse to enter further into controversy with one who | while claiming military training, takes shelter behind a pen-name. In conclu- ! sion, I shall quote for him the words | of General Sir Frederick B. Maurice: | “I went into the British Army believ- | ing that if you want peace, you must 1

prepare for war. I believe now that if you prepare thoroughly and efficiently for war, you get war.” M. B. SOLJAK.

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Sir.— “Old Rep.’s” diatribe in your Wednesday’s issue is surely not in accord with the opinions of the average local sportsman, though judging from the sample of shockingly unsportsmanlike barracking exhibited at Eden Park on Saturday such seems to be the case. Aucklanders are becoming notorious for their squealing propensities. To give just a few instances: They squealed over their defeat at Wairurapa’s hands last year, and followed it up with a few moans after the game with Wellington; they carried on the good work even more enthusiastically after the Plunket Shield final; and, if "Old ,Uep.” can be accepted as their mouthpiece, they are still in form. As for Mr. Moffitt, he did a good job. In every instance the reason for his decision was plain to see. As someone aptly put it, "The game’s the tiling.” A little less moaning, and a lot more sportsmanship, Aucklanders, and the rest will be easy. MIDDLE-AGED REP.

SING, HO!

Sir.— Permit me to break forth into song in the columns of your distinguished paper, for while I realise that in this day of great pessimism it will be like a voice crying in the wilderness, it is. nevertheless, only fair to call the attention of the angry multitude to the* fact that of all the dutiable articles in the new tariff, the last, but not least is agar-agar, which, praises be, comes in free. Free. I tell you positively free. Pass the word along and bring your buckets, but don’t crowd. There will be plenty for everyone. What a joy to the depressed populace to know that this one essential commodity has been left unencumbered! You ask what is agar-agar? I don’t know, but on the ferry this morning various valuable opinions were offered. One eminent educationist volunteered that it was a compound for removing inkstains from celluloid collars, creat (Continued in next column.)

quantities of which were sold in thft vicinity of Wellington. Another raJ); mitted the opinion that it was used as a hole-filler in certain cheese factories, and still another (premia*®* legal man* suggested that the "'dear wee children used it on bread and butter in lieu of sugar.’’ Thant heaver the children are to be spared thjfr agar-agar. Think of any child bring deprived of it. and on these cold, wet days, too. All glory to such human* Par.iamentarians. who would not permit the sordid business of the monies* to cause them to forget the dear children. (Applause.! A benighted medico mentioned that agar-agar was a food for fattening germ cultures. Probably incorrect, bR if it were—what a beautiful thought ; refusing to tax the daily bread s* ! microbes. How intensely sympathetic what a subtle way of exhibiting* ■ fellow-feeling. Such political finesaa 1 . . . The thought inspires verse. Her* it is:— Rejoice and be glad. We are all going broke. The new tax on hairpins Is only a joke. So laugh and be happy. And go on a spree ... Quit worrying dear people. Agar-agar is Free. CACTUS. I>e von port. ON THE LAND, TODAY Sir. — His'o.w proves to is that a cannot live by its towns along- ** tells us that the virile and progre***** nation is that which can keep with the modern industrial world. at *lie same time support a content*® and flourishing peasantry. ‘The Baej to the Land Cry’* is a perfectly soow Instinct of racial survival —but tod*., in New Zealand, this is the “Mortgages on farms and no **» capital, land high priced, long in s hours and a lot of hardships—in fact some farmers mm* have hearts of lions to tackle in jobs at all!” A revised land Is required with honest values a l '**: Inflated values seem to rule the Too much money spent on bricks mortar in the cities when r reading and other facilities sheuW" taken in hand, and conditions in of the backbloeks made more' com fortable. A streak of ancient wisa«w*j warns us that it is our duty to * an eye on our Old Country cause we may have to go back t"** some day, if not for the sake ot bodies, perhaps for the sake __,v souls. Train boys after the standard, and give them a knowledge of farming pursuits as for commercial and profesw* life. Sine© New Zeaiand Is a fanning community, it seems lutely necessary to give a very proportion of the young m | en | ,yg women a first-class farming riuc __ It is recorded that France has employed today. Our politicians write and ask her how it is ra *Tji —especially as France suffer® o much during the Great V* ar * %ii Lnt Zealand did not suffer eeonotn I during the war; in fact, j was “boomed.” and when the ; returned everything was 5 , >r o .so far as homes, furniture, lan ° \ farms that were on the I ” a t Now most of the men find that homes are costing too much. 1 . I way of rent and the reduced v(?0 | ing power of £ s d. j for a small space in your WJT iw r. • able paper, to make public tn» NOW IN NEW ZHALANP-