IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 195, 19 August 1939, Page 8

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.

USE IN SECONDARY SCHOOIS.

(To the Editor.)

T was arlad to see '"FreedomV" protest against corporal punishment in the secondare schools. Yes, it certainly is an insult to voani •men to he treated in this manner. That-n-Mt authority. Dr. Susan Isaacs, wholeheartedly I opposed corporal punishment of the chiijl Young children at many of the primary schook are 'being taught in an atmosphere of fet r as they often hear the cries of children receiving punishment. Some teachers. bavin* a higher regard for their calling, would never descend to such method*. In Russia a teacher may not strike a child; lie would {rot imprison ment for doinjr so. I -would gladly work for this much-needed reform, and trust that "Freedom's'' letter may 'he the means of organising a petition to abolish this wrongful treatment of our children. E. M<<C<JP3IACK.

REPUDIATION

We have just witnessed what any levelheaded man would describe as a "storm in a teacup with a political flavour." There was not too much tea in the cup. With no political leaning towards Mr. Lec. one mmt own lie wa< right. All he said was that in effect, if the present method of financing the payment of our debts in England were"persisted in the inevitable mint hapnea. The Opposition amuses New Zealand. Xot a word | must be said against the British Government, i What did that Government do when America presented a hill for £ 1,000.000,000? It merelT said, after a few feeble attempts with g&ji "We can't pay. When Ave can we will," knowing full well that it never will be able to pay, as the only thing American bankers want is gold and the only thing Britain has to pay with is goods, which is the very thin* the American does not want. What hypocrisy the whole thing is! The Opposition know* this full well, therefore their cry of repudiation cuts no ice. It is merely political camouflage. The Opposition will persist in clinging to that "terminological inexactitude." that what hank* lend us is the people's savings. The idea k utter nonsense, and 'by this time they ought to know it. What they lend up to" 90 per cent is what they create with no effort or eori; Therefore they have no claim to the mlwealtli, to what we produce, and as th'e ulek system of cost accountancy is utterly wroa§, what they show as a deht is in reality a credit. It is our credit they work on, *i.e., aqr capability of production and distribution. When the money has been exchanged for the labour and raw materials the goods are for. The credits are cancelled 'by the hanks when they return, ibut they refuse to cancel the debt and demand that we should pay again. The whole system, while not exactly a futile one, is a crime against society and the sooner the people wake up to tha fact the sooner will there 'be peace in the land and economic security. Instead of robbing our neighbour we may perhaps learn to love him.

H. S. WINTHROIP.

THE NEXT STEP.

The indications are that within the next month the British Empire will again face w#r or capitulation. I maintain Munich was capitulation to German demands. The M'PlV* policy was the conscious surrender of European unity and European freedom in the hope thereby to win British immunity and Imperial security. When, therefore, it is the world position of Great Britain which is threatened, what combination and what universal ideal will Britain be able to call into play for her defence if Poland, too, is sold out? Whfli that happens, and it is coming sooner thftS deemed possible, vain will have been tilt attempt to buy Anglo-German friendship at the price of French influence, Czech independence, Russian isolation and the general good of Europe. Hitler, with an "appealed" Europe at his back, with a militarist Japan dominating the Pacific, with Italy strong in the Mediterranean and in the Red Sea, will once again forward his demands to Britain. Who will then be left to be sacrificed in the name of "]>eace"' but the British people them* selves? Remember, England must 'be a great Power or nothing. She is only a great Power to-day 011 the basis o-f ideals, ana only on thfc basis coil she remain such. Poland now standi before the chopping block of a second Munich, which will become known as the five-Power conference. Then German armies will enclose Danzig and the Corridor in an iron ring. Bat Poland will preserve her independence, until the next step!

REMEMBER CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

MUSIC IN THE SCHOOLS.

Of the secondary schools' musical festwij held at the Town Hall it is sufficient to sVf that one could only wish that such an excellent production could have been given more tjian one performance—however, the difficulties in repeating it are, of course, apparent, Bwy feature of the singing was wonderful, ana (.was indeed a real tonic in these days of doiAt I and uncertainty. I understand the choir h»d only one combined rehearsal, and yet thei? singing was so perfect that one might have been listening to the highly-trained Manchester Children's Choir. Sea chanteys, madrigals the sacred "Let All the World," -with ite concluding "My God and King," were all beyond praise. The teachers of the individual schools and Professor Hollinrake should be happy indeed with such fine results. There certainly, too, was a current between the professors understanding smile and the mind of each child in those 500 voices. A-rain, where efe» could the melody of Bach be hailed by the same audience who next listened to the Maori "Locust Song" sung by the native voices? The orchestra, too, was exceptionally in fact it was altogether a real feast of a" that is joyful and uplifting in music. PARENT.

JAPANESE TRADE.

"Pro Patria," in his letter, might have added our Labour and ultra-democratic ( Government to those mentioned by him. K sells wool to Japan to compete with Yorkshire and loeal mills, but not scrap metals. Our shops are full of Japanese goods, including onions, imported by the eelf-same Government and sold by it at a Shy lock's profit. Yet when there is a chance of our getting a little of our own back from the thousands of pounds' worth of scrap wasting in the Dominion, on ::oes the embargo. Otlier countries may buy Japanese goods, but they square the account by selling back. E.it what is a few thousand pounds to us? Off with the brake; we may be dead to-morrow! But don't forget we have a trade treaty with Germany, so hurrv on with the defence. CIVIS.

CHINA APPEAL.

As secretary of tlie Chinese Blanket Appeal Committee, my attention lias been drawn to a letter which appeared in the "Star'* 011 the Bth inst.. under the heading of "Money for China." lam .not concerned with tin? general contention of the writer, but as our appeal does not close till the end of August. I would stress the fact that blankets and woollens only will !be sent to Hongkong and that all money received by us will t>e used to buy blankets, pay for freight and for other ne.-ensarv charges. KENNETH C. MACLAURIN.