BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43318, 28 April 1908, Page 2

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

[To the Editor.]

Sib, —Allow me to congratulate you upon the keen sense of humour possessed by your correspondent “ Parent.” His letter of April 26th is truly a brilliant satire. He suggests that “ for convenience sake all children should be classed as Anglicans, Presbyterians, or Wesleyans, though this classification will in no way interfere with the ohild’s real religion.” It is all so beautifully simple, aud reminds one of the dear old lady who labelled her mince pies and her meat pies both T. M., meaning “ tis mince ” and “ taint mince,” so that she would know the difference.

One is led to ask why your correspondent should be hurling such satire at the Roman Catholic body, for of course no religious body in these days entertains the wild idea of proselitjing by compulsion. The independence of the human spirit is now known to be too august 'a factor to admit of any possible good, being achieved by its violatioo. One does not like to suggest a want of taste on the part of Parent, but it hardly seems fair for him to seem to insinuate, even by satire, that any religions body at the present day is desirous of promoting a lapse into medaevalism. fhe very notion of trying toimposeupon these arbitrarily labelled children of protestant parents, the practices which their forbears renounced at pain of death. Of course nobody is dreaming of such an undertaking, and your correspondent’s letter is distinctly ill-timed.—l am, eto, Protestant.

[To the Editor.] [For the cause that laoks fisistasee, not the future in the distance, bat the living present.]

Sir., —I see by the first meeting of the Borough Bridge Domain Board Mat they have decided to call for tenders for leasing the Reset ve for grazing purposes. Surely Sir, this is what was not intended when the Government made this grant to the people of Te Aroha, this is not to advance Te Aroha, bnt u my hnrable opinion, is a decided step backwards 1 The Chairman in addressing the meeting hoped to make this the beauty spot of Te Aroha in the future but what is to prevent the Board from going right on to improve this place ? Surely we have had enough talk of the future. By letting this niece of ground for grazing purpases tneir wi’l be, I admit, a small revenue. Will this benefit the ratepayers ? Surely not; it will simply dose the approaches to our beautiful river and stop all improvement for an indefinite time- The spirit of advancement is in the town; the gentleman who advocated the planting of onr Mount struck the light note; his ideas are larger and I would nmoh sooner see a man with large ideas than one with ideas of making a grazing paddock of our domain, If that gentleman’s idea is taken up with the Bridge Domain I believe it can be carried out. Have it planted with the light sort of trees. I believe there is no badness man in Te Aroha but nlUw"’ugly supply one tree and have it planted at his expense. I would remind the people that Te Aroha has done nothing to beautify l onr town iu proper tree planting, True, there were a few trees put in at one time, but they were never cared for or properly looked after, lam sure, sir, if the domain is laid oat by a practical man and Arbour day set apart, we would form a co-operative party to help to clear some of it and plant it witii trees, and also place there' a few seats. The school children could be asked to assist which will give them an interest in this Domain m after Vie. Each child in the school should have a tree planted and given into his own special cire, so that he oonld always look back, wherever bis lot may be cast, with kind remembranae to Te i roha. This piece of ground is an ideal spot; true it may he flooded now and aga ; n but never anything to hart. Most of it is cleared ana it would take very little trouble to improve it. If it is taken, in hands now we could do a lot to it before next visiting season. It is to all our interests to make Te Aroha as attractive as possible for our visitors, and the more open spaces for them to roam in, the better they will like it. I hope to see an abler pen than mine take this matter up, as I feel I cannot possibly do justice to it, but as my friend, Mr Donovan, says I hope to see deeds not words. I see a real beautiful spot here and if the pound is added to it, it will be a Domain second to none in the district, where you can have room for annual sports, aud the beauty of our river fully admired. Sir, this concerns the Press as well as the people, and I hope you wi’l take this matter up and point out the advantage it will be to Te Aroha to have ibis put in proper order as part of our tourist resort- I mast apologise for taking up so much of your space, hut I have no ends to serve bat the advancement of our town.—l am, etc-, JohwWh.ua vs.