LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 281, 20 August 1908, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE. 1 "Sir,—Having read your articlo headed as :abdye,,-.whiph appeared in your issue of 17th instant, permit mo to make a few remarks thereon.' I refer particularly to'that por,tjon of your arliqlo. yt\der tho, lie.ading "Openings for Youths," and submit that you should have included another heading, viz., ."Closed Openings for Youths," or perhaps "Open|i|igs fqr ; youths provided they are.not too ; At the examination for tho 'Junior Civil Service at tho end of last year one of my boj's,' aged' then fourteen years odd, passed with credit in tho examination mentioned. Tho boy, quite reasonably I think, understood he was eligible for a cadetship in the Civil Service, but the other day ho received a. circular informing him that as ho was'under fifteen at December 1, nearest tho date of tho examination lie could not be offered an appointment in the Civil' Service, and continuing: "If you still desire to obtain appointment in that Service, you will havo to pass the Civil Service Junior Examination to bo held in December next." Presumably also ho will again havo to:pay the foe—but the hardship comes in in. the caso ,of a boy who _ has meantime turned his attention to other studies and is not advised until eight months of tho year havo passed that he must again go up'for the examination* he passed with credit eight months ago. No doubt tho authorities will say the boy ought to have known tho conditions under which he sat for but if so, why remind him by circular in August? ' Surely if a reminder wero necessary it ought to bo given earlier.

To stato a case:—A. is fifteen on December 1, sits for examination samo month, passes, and is offered an appointment at end of February, thus reaching .his immediate 'goal at the ago'of fifteen years and thrto months. _ B. is fifteen on December 3, sits for examination same month (along with A.), passes, and is bracketed with A. ill tho credit pass, list, but is not offered an appointment at end of February, thus missing his immediate, goal, .only to be'told six months later that he 'wSs''never 'really in'tho running. We sneer at' America because at forty a man is too old and only fit for the scrap heap. America' in turn might sneer at us because we say, "Oil, he may be good enough v and all that, but don't you see, lie's just too young'by forty-eight hours."—l am, etc., J. G. FOLDER. Wellington, August 18, 1908.

EPISCOPAL AND PRESBYTERIAN <•, fj UNION. ' ' Sir,—"Presbyterian" declares that unless Presbyterian ordination is admitted valid by the Anglican Church all negotiations for iu'nion must coino ■ to' an eiiu. Well, Mr. :MiJligan tolls'us that the Australian proIposals such an admission as a 'basis. ' The answer to tho .proposals has then been' given, *as anyone may see in tho telegram in your columns of August 11. That telegram is a telegram of regret. It is couclied in the most inoffonsivo language .possible, and, therefore, does not appear to havo so readily understood as a simplo negative would have been. The,proposed basis is Isimplypassed- overhand another suggested, for the .simple reason that tho Australian (Souid not bo accepted so lonig as thoy involved tho admission of tho validity of Presbyterian ordinations. This is h's it should be.

! "Presbyterian", refers, to tho Bidding prayer and tho Continental churches. It is a fiction to ' say that the Bidding prayer .desired the prosperity of tho ''Presbyterian 'Church." That' is not what was meant by i"tho Church of Scotland," and could not bo. (As to tho othor caso, there worn special circumstances to bo considered that did not joxist in the caso-of_tho Presbyterian body. ;"Whilo Anglican writers of tho seventeenth century' nlontioiv the' reformed' ■ churches in (Franco, Holland, and Germany, they significantly omit Scotland, tho nearest of them pll. ; ' An,d ■theJ roason is obvious.- ''You do Mtremqly well,': writes Archbishop .Laud to (Bish'qp-Hall, 'to ■distinguish . tho Scottish (business • ..-from'- /tho foreign churches.'" (('■'.Church. Quarterly; Ro'yiew," >. I January., 3891.)'" "Presbyterian" refers to the proIsent Bishop of Durham. I have read'the IppssAges referred t0,,, and find that tlioy do fiot help "Presbyterian." Put them into their historical-settiugaridi the fiction will vanish •into thin air. I am quite prepared to discuss this question with Presbyterian" as fully kis.you will, allow. Meantimo, let him study tho Prefaco T to the Ordinal.-

' I hays asked twice in vain'for information as to what are the special claims mado for Presbyterian ordination! "• Now, I ask a third time. . I'want"'to know, in fact, whePresbyterianism, .as tho method of continuing the ministry, is tho firm belief 'of Presbyterians.- .. "Presbyterian" rejects it. What principles of ordination separated Presbyterianism from, say.Wesleyamsm, or Congregationalism? If Presbyterians expect us:-to'throw away our" belief'in tho n|f cossityj.of,..episcopal-ordination in-favour of Presbyterianism, why.should, not Presbyterians throw -away Proibyterianism in favour of, say;-Methodism, and Methodists their principles in favour of, say, the Plymouth Brethren? Presbyterianism was really the invention of a French lawyer. Now ''Presbyterian" does not believo in it, and, therefore, refuses to define it. Yet he wants us to acknowledge the .validity of Presbyter rian ordinations. —I am, etc., .. . ... PHYLAX. August IS. i "CHURCH UNION." Sir, —In reply to "Presbyterian" in your issue of August, 18 inst., I have refrained from stating' iny- opinions" on " Church Union." I only stated historical facts as far as the Church in- Scotland was concerned, and I think . "Presbyterian" will agree with me, that if thero is to be union it should take effect, at - tho...fountain.; head- of Presbyterianism (that is, in Scotland), as most of all Presbyterian churches own allegiance to the present Established Church of Scotland. Personally, I think there should be concessions on either side, but "Presbyterian" evidently speaks with some authority for tho Chui'cli in New' Zealand.;. I cannot iicccpt his' interpretation of "Primitive :Parochial" as another name for -Presbytery. Tho present' Bishop of Birmingham,-Dr..Gore, a .scholar.-as'pro-eminent for his'.recognition' of' modern thduglit as for his fairness and scholarship, says:—"lt seems to mo beyond fair question that'St-.' Ignatius,' one who 'had seen our Lord' Himself;.; insists upon Episcopacy as the only Church - government, and would havo refused any other." ; ' For "Pfesbyterian'sconsideration I shall quote Dr..Cooper, Professor of Church History in Glasgow. .University-, himself a Presbyterian .minister, who saysj in his ■ "Introduction to Scottish Liturgy of 1637,". p.' xi (this was /the first Episcopacy restored "bytho Assembly .of. Glasgow in 1610; it existed till 1638) :• "Tho system": now established .was a system .which) combined the Iguatian model, pre.sbyterial franchises,' and synodical rights with Episcopal dvorsight—the' system under which alone, it has been said, presbyteries performed their executive duties— the system which really gavo us our parish schools —.the system, which certainly pi<y (luccd tho brightest galaxy of theologians that ever adorned our northern sky—(Aberdeen City), John Cameron, John Forbes of (porse, William- Forbes, Robert Baron,' Alexander Henderson, Andrew Ramsay, David Dickson, Bishops Wedderburn and Maxwell, Durham, Saihuel" Rutherford, Georgo Gillespie, Robert Baillie, 1 Robort Douglas." • 1 Now as to "Presbyterian's" remarks about - Ijho apostate- "Scotch divines',!' instruments, .of moriarohs- who tried/to- crush tho .c'jvil* ■land religious liberty of a high-spirited nation. Evidently,, ho has.beon reading; Presbyterian history. . At thp' overthrow ,of Episcopacy in 1638 by the Assembly of Glasgow ill tl'io Bishops wero libelled by tho I'res-' bytery of Edinburgh ;, n preposterous list of charges against their -lives and charactersivas drawn up, which Dr. Cunningham justly Sails "abominable calumnies "against mien, jjnany of them -'vonerable for their ' liiety, learning, and years, _and whoso only; crime was that thoy wore "bishops." The Assembly was dissolved by the. Royal Commissioner, tho majority of..i members, • however, continued to 'sit. All the fourteen Bishops wore condemned, and-, deposed frorjii thtf" ministry,' nri'd eight iif thorn!.,excommunicated. So much for tho civil-

and religious liberty of a high-spirited nation. Tho inference might be drawn from "Presbyterian's" remarks that tho apostate "Scotch divines" wcro tho only people to support the monarch. This is a very common error by Presbyterian critics. As I said in a former letter, thoro wcro two parties in Scotland who took part in the reformation. Tho Presbyterian Carlyle, of Invercsk, declared in 1689," that moro than two-thirds of the pcoplo of the, country and most of the gentry were Episcopals," and, later, General M'Kav, a zealous Pr.csbyterian, wrote, in IGP'O, "Let men flatter themselves as they will, I tell yon, who know Scotland, that if I were as milch an enemy to that interest-(Presbyterianism) as I am a friend 1 would without difficulty engago to form in Scotland a more formidable party against it (ov.en for their majesties' government) than, can bo formed for it." This will show "Presbyterian" the strength of liia party after its work for the space of 130 years. Even so late as 1707 thcro wcro' oiio hundred and sixty-five Episcopal ministers ministering in their, parishes in spito of all efforts to dislodge them. This was after the present Established Church had been established by William 111 in 1G90.—1 am, etc., THOS. M. MILLIGAN. Taitville, August 19.

THE MAORI AND HIS FUTURE. Sir, —I have just read at once with interest and pleasure, in your issuo of August 4, an admirablo articlo from the pen of Pipiwharauroa in reference to a subject of paramount importance to the Maori race. Intrinsically considered it constitutes —reading between the lines—not merely an able and forceful, but a pathetic appeal to his kindred, admonishing them to select as their occupation in life a calling for which they are best suited, and one which presents the freest, healthiest, happiest, and most interesting life known to mankind. The crystallisation of Shakespeare's wisdom teaches us that to make tho most of this lifo men should—so far as it is possiblo to do so — "live in the country in communion with Nature, and live in a cottage." Tho happiest life, in consequence of tho fact that it is the most, healthful; and tho most interesting, because it embraces a study of Nature in relation to plant and animal life, soils, etc., altogether presenting advantages and attractions such as aro not to bo found in any other ■ calling upon the surfaco of tho planet. And still men will crowd into towns and cities; but these movements aro largely of a social character,' as young people find more opportunities of associating with each other tlian in tho comparative isolation of tho country home. So much is this realised in America that thero-jsnow to bo found thoro a great movement having for its object an attempt to render country life more attractive for the young people, who have been of recent years crowding m an alarming manner into centres of population, thus materially assisting in causing that congestion of population ivliicl} thoughtful men regard as one of tlio ' most"'evil features of 'the American' life* But to mo it appears one of tho features of the age in which we live, and it is sad to think that tho genius of and Stevdnsbii havo been' largely responsible for somo of the most disquieting' symptoms.of oui timo. "Tlio Maori who deliberately leaves his own land and • seeks employment in town is mad!" The foregoing sentonco quoted from Pipiwharauroa's articlo contains as. true w'ords 'oyer were written., In the strenuous .'Conditions so. frequently associated with congestion the Maoris would bo amongst tho first to go down. But even at tho nest ho would seem to mo like a caged bird. Farming lifo is everywhere tho best life, but in Now Zealand, with its beautiful climate and magnificent scenery, its attractions in tho direction of frco, happy outdoor, pursuits, thero is probably less,excuse for congestion in centres of population than in any other country in the world. How ' incomparably superior is farm lifo in New Zealand .to that of the mine, th.o factory! and office occupations, in towns. Every legitimate assistance and encouragement £l\o.uld .bo given to the Matins to settle uj)on'their, own..lands, and live' thd he n Jifo. of tho stalwart' race from ■ which l ''tliey havo' sprung.' To raise tho question of their ability to become prosperous farmers, implies, , in my opinion, an' ignorance to tho many fine qualities of. this interesting race.' - , .

Is it conceivable thdt a raco'of intrepid, venturesome, and skilful navigators, of warriors possessed of such "force of heart" should bo wanting in'sufficient calibre to becomo prosperous farmers'in a country whero Nature is absolutely, lavish' in' her gifts. But in the discussion of this question it should be romemberCid that all- races ■■ appear to least advantage when iii a stato of transition from "savagery" to civilisation, as during that poriod they largely lose tho savago virtues of their forefathers and coincidently, in some degree, acquire tho. wiles, and vices of civilisation. This process wasjin bygone days, . ■ noticeable' in young Highlanders settling in London. It is also well to remember that the Maoris aro not yet equipped with all' the weapons from tho armoury : of civilisation, in possession, of their fellowsubjects in 1 New Z'ealand. But all'who havo any influence with the Nativo race, whether Maoris or Europeans, should endeavour in the first place to prevent anything in tho direction of migrations towards either towns or cities, as this can only result in tho destruction of those who aro sufficiently "mad" to leave the beautiful country for tho congested city. 1 Every effort for various reasons should bo mado to preserve their language traditions and legendary lore. Many well-meaning people aro at present suggesting that the Maori girls should bo induced, if possible, to take service in tho houses of their whito sisters, believing that the contact would bo ultimately of value to the Native race. Whilst giving these well-disposed people all credit for the. best of motives, I feel certain from my knowledge of the Nativo race that any such scheme would bo pre-doomed to failure. The Maori girl in her Nativo village is as happy and free as a bird. Sho can get up when she likes, and go to li'er couch- when 'sho feels inclined. Sho. can paddle about in the river or take a gallop with her companions, untrammelled with tho many conventionalities of civilised life, and sho can indulgo in" all the gossip and games of the pa, all of which aro to her as tho breath of her nostrils. But transplant that girl to tho averago settler's homo, and you at once remove her from all that, sho holds dear. She has to- moyo along in stereotyped grooves, cut' off from her kindred lovers and companions. With tho society of. her new home, even if permitted to share in it- she has not a sympathy or aspiration in common, and her evenings would. bo spent in sorrow and gloom. I once saw a Maori girl in. this position, and the situation recalled to memory tho words of the Gypsy Countess:—

"I never saw a captive bird that panted to • be free' But I longed to burst its prison door and share its liberty."

No ono unacquainted with the Maori race can realiso the strength of tho magnetic attraction of the pa. When working for a neighbour of mine, fully twenty miles from their village home, they all, young and old, inakc periodical bolts. for the, pa, and I' should feel more than_ surprise, ijf tho Maori servant girl' did not -heir example, for to her'such a home, ,»d largely present tho features of ni' .n. Huslo.v.tolls ys that he has little ho\je for any Native piat. does not placo before itself lofty ideals, and I would hero givo expression to tho liope, and, indeed, to tho belief, that with such guides as tlio young Maori gentlemen it present heading a national movement the noble Native race will follow in the pathways pointed out by tho great English" scientist, who was universally-regarded as being possessed of one of the greatest intellects of our time. ' In conclusion, metaphorically speaking, I would venture to hopo that the beautiful, tuneful note of PiphVharauroa may long be hoard in tho land, and givq application to iiine of the verses written'-in reference to tho British .cuckoo, linci designated by Lord Bcaconslield as " magical stanzas of beauty": j Sweet bird, thy bower' is ever green; - ! : Thy sky is over clear; Thou liast no borrow in thy song, l | No winter in thy year. i: ,—I am, edc., 11. C. BRUCE.' ' ' NgarurU, August lfi,