PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20911, 16 September 1939, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents whose letters are welcome, but for whose I views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not appear. TEACHING MANNERS (To the Editor) Sir,—They don’t teach manners at school. Of course not; why should they be expected to do so? The “place” to learn manners is at home. The "teachers” are their parents or guardians. The “time” is from their earliest years, long before school age. A child spends a few hours daily at school, and long holidays, the remainder, a far greater number, at home. By the time school age is reached already is firmly planted in that receptive mind, good or the reverse. If parents shirk their responsibilities, they make the child who has bad manners very hard to deed with and teach. Also they are a great nuisance to whoever has the misfortune to come into contact with them. Taught early, good or bad, manners remain and are never forgotten. —I am, etc., NOT A SCHOOL TEACHER. Hamilton, Se-pt. 15. HAMILTON FOOTBALL (To the Editor) Sir,—On reading your paper on Wednesday, September 13, I was amused at T. A. Cooper writing about the local football played last Saturday. He mentioned Perkins being the best back in the Waikato. This man might some day make a fair wing threequarter, but a man who runs straight across the field will never be any good as a back. Finlay, to my mind, is a much better inside back, and should go a long way in football. T. A. Cooper mentioned that the juniors who played in some of the senior games were very poor. Probably this man has not seen the colts play, or he would not say that Henry Morgan and J. Cameron were weak. Either that, or T. A. ‘Cooper knows little about football. City players will be up against Old Boys shortly, so 1 will look forward to another letter condemning our players, who are not in tho -City team.—l am, etc., J. WOODS. Frankton, Sept. 15. WAR NEWB (To the Editor) Sir, —I am sure the majority of your readers will be gratified to hear of the determination of the British Ministry of Information to ensure that what war news is issued to the public will be reliable; that facts will be rigidly adhered to and lies eschew’ed. Last war I know we had an unpleasant jolt when we discovered that items bearing the official imprimatur were cot always authentic and on one occasion at least an “authoritative” denial was promulgated by an Incident which later was proved to be an absolute faot. It were better, as Lord MacMillan states, that no information were issued if it cannot be relied upon. If the truth is unpleasant we as a people are sufficiently stoical to bear up under it and it is more likely to strengthen our national morale than a diet of imagined successes.—l am, etc., H. E. PERWIN. Hamilton, Sept. 15.