Colour And Its Problems

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28699, 24 September 1958, Page 16

Colour And Its Problems

Sir, —The racial riots in England began when a white woman was assaulted by a coloured man. the persons admitted to hospital in Nottingham as a result of the initial disturbances were white victims of coloured thugs. Yet we are led to believe that the blame for the riots rests solely upon the white residents of Nottingham and Notting Hill. Are they expected calmly to submit to every insult and assault handed put to them by coloured immigrants on the grounds that it is “racial discrimination" to defend themselves? I. wonder if all those who cry “shame” at the mention of Notting Hill or Little Rock were as vocal in their protests against Mau Mau atrocities in Kenya?—Yours, ets., B. B. THOMPSON. September 21, 1958.

Sir, —“Kiwi’s" suggestion that New Zealand should cancel the 1960 Rugby tour of South Africa if coloured people will be prevented from attending the matches is a very sound one. As a small country, as yet isolated from racial strife, we are inclined to deplore apartheid without doing anything constructive to oppose it. This may sound a small way of showing our disapproval, but if Rugby is worshipped in South Africa as it is in New Zealand, its consequences might be very considerable. Let the Rugby Union take this as a challenge; are they willing openly to oppose the colour bar?—Yours, etc., UNITY. September 22, 1958.

Sir, —A poor negro is sentenced to death for stealing a few cents from a white woman, yet if a white man were to steal pounds from a negro nothing would be said. The South Africans are only asking the dark races to hate and probably stir up such bad feeling to cause much bloodshed. Why do not the whites humble themselves and recognise that God made man the colour most suited to the land he was born in. Do the whites forget that much harm has been done by the example of such white men as criminals, drunkards and murderers. When a coloured man does the same the treatment meted out to him is worse than our own races get. What are the churches doing, sitting back ignoring and allowing the dark races to be persecuted beyond all reason. Now is the time all the churches should get together but I doubt if there were enough true Christians to appeal for just treatment. —Yours, etc.*, DISGUSTED. September 19, 1958.