LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Press, Volume C, Issue 29706, 27 December 1961, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

1. Letters sent to the Editor for printing must be written in ink on one side of the paper only and writers must send » in., tKecr aiames and addresses.-4n JtulL whether they wish thes© 46 be published or not. 2. Writers must say clearly whether or not their letters are being or have been sent to other papers. 3. The Editor cannot return or keep any letter which for any reason is unsuitable tor printing nor can he acknowledge unsuitable letters, although this will be done where it seems to be needful, or enter into any correspondence. 4. Letters must not be of more than 150 words in length. R.H.—Offensive, even for a prophet. Citizen No More.—Of little relevance to the subject. Appreciative. Thank you. Passed on to those concerned. Dinkum.—A person is entitled to use sufficient force to protect himself or those in his care. He is not entitled to go beyond that point to administer punishment; hence the remarks of the magistrate. Teacher Studentships Sir.—A short time ago, the Director of Education gave some quite encouraging figures on the post-primary teacher studentship scheme. I wonder if he would be so good as to supply some more, to answer the following questions for each of the subjects set out below: (1) Howmany students intended, at the time of acceptance, to major (i.e., do stage 111 or honours! in each subject? <2> How many of these students fail to complete their degrees (for each subject!? (3) How many of these students are lost to the post-primary service after completing their degrees (for each subject)? The subjects are: English, French, German, Latin, history, geography, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology (including zoology and botany).—Yours, etc,, STATISTICS. December 13. 1961. [“The studentship statistics are not kept in a form which would enable the question raised by ‘Statistics’ to be answered readily,” said the Director of Education •Mr A. E. Campbell'. “The information could bo obtained only by a lengthy search through the records of many thousands of students.”] Christinas Sir.—“ Why can’t it always be Christmas?” In a dream I saw many people with a heap of old banknotes altering them; IDs to £5; £1 to £10: new notes were not altered. "Hurrah! Value back into my savings,” I cry. But no, mor- people with bags gather notes and stow them away. Mustn’t spend; quite wrong. Brainy people, these: don’t plant taters don’t hoe cotton; those that do, plant for those that don’t Turmoil and strife Still dreaming. Coloured lights, all different; very confusing. I’m in a rocket, astronaut now viewing humanity, all milling about, taking each other down, some clever ones. Whoosh! The H-bomb, Bubble burst, all stardust I awake hold-

ing fast to 3d whih I found in my pudding.—Yours, etc., B. CONSTANT. December 26, 1961. War Pensions Sir,—Unless the fighting qualities for' which New Zealanders are justifiably renowned in time of war. whether or land, by sea, or in the air. are more in evidence in time of peace than they appear to be, there is little likelihood that such as your correspondent, “1914-18,” will get much satisfaction from any government in regard to pensions and similar concessions. Service pensions should be related to the current cost of living; and to achieve this would cost the country a mere bagatelle by comparison with what the average government squanders—and that is the right word—on other projects.— Yours, etc. EX-REGULAR. 1915-45. December 26, 1961. Electrical Interference Sir, —Obviously “1.5. T. is unaware of the recent amendments to the Electrical Installations Act, and contradicts himself. His hobby maybe useful, but that does not justify the nuisance of electrical interference which is more annoying than the background of persistent “money chatter” from the back benchers in a Parliamentary debate broadcast by radio station 2YA.—Yours, etc., RIP VAN WINKLE. December 26. 1961. I This correspondence maynow cease.—Ed., “The Press.”]