DEMORALISING EXHIBITIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1918, Page 7

DEMORALISING EXHIBITIONS.

ACCORDING TO PACIFISTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Cbristchurch, October 4. "I move that we go on to the next business, and not even receive a letter of that sort," said Mr A. Peverill at a meeting of the Education Board to-day, when a lengthy letter was read from the National Peace Council strongly protesting against children in Standards 5 and (i being permitted to attend the entertainments recently given by the Trentham physical training squad and bayonet fights. The letter went on to say that children were allowed nowadays to see entertainments some of which were positively demoralising, and the bayonet exhibitions, in the opinion of the council, came under that category. The council :was of opinion that there was no more degrading spectacle than that of a body of men demonstrating, with fixed bayonets, the act of killing tiieir fellow men. Such an exhibition could only instil into the children the spirit of murder and hatred, and the council desired to protest very strongly against their being allowed at the present time. The letter provoked laughter, but in order to show the council some sort of courtesy, as Mr C. H. Opie put it, it was decided to receive the letter by six votes to five.