LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2111, 31 March 1914, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE HECIftA OFTHEPftOFESSORS,

J»ir,~-Mr. Leary is quite right. The , Mate referendum argainont is not tho ■"main issue": but. if it is not, it" is ono of the main supports, ■ warranted gewl and seund by Professars Ma.ckcjiisio ami Hunter. Tl'lioso boasted Supports am being fast knocked away, one by ono, and now nftor tho destruction of the l'ilato argument what remains »:o. tho anti-Bible League, resembles most same eastlo in tire air, threatening every moment to "drag rain,'* as hoys say hi translating Virgil. 'The Profcth sors seiim pms-«!r|ass. All th&y c'puld do was to bring forward bogus "anstegios, and oil these being challenged they ran away. I'njfessar Maolceliisic, however;* in his flight niaaagßtl to turn round, and favour me with a parting shot, but it hit, ittstexd, the barricade* ,mi up t>.y Professor Hiiutcr in tho statetiMuit, "Ono of tho elcaientary rulea of fair controversy jg to quote year." oppoiieni accurately, ajd-j nat misrepreswiii hifii.' , ' Tfco exigency of his analogy drwve- Mα, to state tliat Piiate-'s referendum was "luiconstittttioMnl." Challenged tp the proof, lie cannot produce a tittle of evidence, iitdeecl, as I showed him the evnloiWc is the other way. Kkte folioffed the custom of the place, of Rome, his headqttartera, and of Atlictis. He laughs at any coiiHection between custom and law, but our own Magistrates and Judges are over and over again guided ijy custom to a determbiiiion ftf the law. Besides, tho Homan toijstitutiiSit allowed Pilate great liberty in the -matter, for, as Hiistings's Dictionary states, "For all practical purposes his rtfje over ail ill ttio province, CKfiopt Eaman eitizsits, was absolute." Most Itfoba-bly. the iVofessor finds it tujpossi'bie to prove Iris statenwnt, and what be says, ihereforo, is to he taken af; jt appears to be. merely genial banter, d'i>> signed to attoct attention from hh difficnlty.

But rtidfe trouble still is fa store For him. Of coarse, his Pilate referendum .argument depends upon the accurttey of the BMical account, and, therefore, lie Wfls tharouiAly eenjsistent' in admitting its historicity. But, to our astonishnieiii, in his l,ist lettoi; hn -makes a riciifiiilotis attack apau this historicity, and thus himsplf undermines owe'of tlie last. Supports of liis falling castlo. If he is' running; amok, what will liis leyal students say? What new tlivetstiflis-ir'iH they propose for those who already are oh the very hods of tlie rctreatiiijr Profossoi's? "Quo res sttmnia "loco, Pswtlui ?"-*I aw. e\v.,,:- ■ ' ' .NISI SQJji^US. PftOFESSOR HUfiTfc¥fljip sgGf AR* lANISM. Sir,—Professor Hmtte'e mote reasonme tone encourages tlio liopo thaijio is ceasing to regard anyone ivljo differs rrom Inm on the, Bilik-in-Sehools question as « publio enemy. In his rece-ifc letter he attempts to escape from his prevusus approval of. Mr. 'addon's iffl. grantHig trio, referendum, lani lUiafcie to ssc tfaifiio succeeds. To toll". Mr. Jsaddon s action "statesmanlike" is liiifli cmnrnmnlation m& although his bo® was w> elMw that tJuj spetilie Andum iimv askwl for J>y tI W league dSiefs Mm ;Vit. fecddoii's inclusive rciefenduffl., his gi-aerai btesing ou the latter, Tifiquest:ia'ira% gi,. 011 toy vauf t _ ■spmulMt toget-that 3|r. geirfau pm.itcdly Miftludcd the .qwosWcrti of BiWo'ui

_ With regard to the Jfelutfn system, i Irfltessw Htniter : q( W stio H .s f| IW ■ its werlcwg. Having fed id Meisca, out had Motives receiving instruction ■ wider tlie system, nird aijotii w jn-. 1 stractipn, I am. well acguateted" wiffi 'its O'perafroh; 'flip ihstrotstfeu is givott after the- school las assembled at the ordinary tour .hi tjio ißoilißig, By a leßtf£<> tm ? this tjm-e toay [>'e said to bo o : tit ■ of. eohool Isours, ah'l the scliool dav shorteM to that extent, hub if not 1 bteaolj m tlie aarroiVer souse, this is ier. «% tie p,mi«li.ii SehoDl -Coramittee janrtjettethft.v&its of JU imst W teachers a .»d.sdllftlars are tiijdef no mate «.mpukioji to attend than tiiev are it Ndwii. If. the in.structoi.s 4j ec t tothejf ).gno.nvft)ous posit-jou in liav«2: to B* cap an hand to. » SC f me ti.i M . s hostile lward or CGfiurtitteei mid in apparently breatot.the l»w, who mx Waffle «Sta for seeEmg a _ mo :re satisfgfltory position.r 1 It , B a.n interesting fact.that ac . CMdnw to j*Uablo evidence, in the I'?! . out of- thelß flistaietors, ii o f e ,v er tiia.i feenriicstly swprt the Biblcjn-ScliQolli prog F: animel TW fatts show the ostif». «> w rich thp sys .t em is Mm. place of its origin, J '' ~ In rfeferttiiee to Siyiteerland, I Si as well aware as Professor gmifer «)at that couaitfy had foemi b..roijßht'mto the diswsision long before Jrif iettei-appeai-oa. Your . porifesivonaeiti ftiisuh*' daretood my jip-pl.ication ef tiie wdkl . "nitroduoe:," as i> shown By W coirintents' _on ■Mβ original -fetter iii. the "IVveJimg Posi," jt'Jiferel used, tk ,ei', pression "dn-eM upon." As to t,lm Detenee'Leagues qnestioniiig the a.pplie.atiqh of the referendum to religious .'questions., my tophcitl* do sa in the Miewnic extract from a. pttnip'hlot headed "OitfeW, Ecwnd Year SoTiools,*'' jitid pwWislied: ths iiaitiqs of « ;e .!a : te Mr, GammeH, Pretqssor Mackenzie, ami m. Joosteh. "The call, for a refcc.en- . ttito. ... i t m a religious ■question n niisohiid. . . , 3foj&'r% rule in matters of reltgiotis belief, u-Wlicr. «*■ b.y refereniilAiiii or othewvise, iias left it broad oriitiso.n trail over tjie pages of history. r. As. SwitwriiiJcl Is f]» lioiiie'of the rcfcrtijt-' dtmi % a.iKltho place wjiew it is 0y tinquestioned siicct-ss, tlie'fafi-srence is iWfc tircrc it is not appliod to religjnus questic«s. It Avas to settle this $t>M tlutt . Oaiijon Garlwd Set, forth the state of nffrth-8 in Sinxorlaiid. Professor th'Mex UioM proeWmcd , that reKgimis jitstnrc-' : tfen t'hero is sesharian, aa if that attr'rtmlii-bfe to tlio reFereadum- l)r, Coeßdpe says (Biioji?. Brit,, Art. Sivit^ zsyrfijinl) '. "It is law! cloiV-il, li.V the f-toAr oral Conrfhution <1574), that jiifihlbers of alt re-ligieius must b© jiMe to the 'stltook tfititout offence to tljeiV Jβ&f or eeuscicilCes (Miis is iii'tnrpffiied to Bicau that the genoral wistroctioii' ir.iist be Mir.lew<)ininatian.al r while if any (Jenomittatioiiai iiistnieiiou is crivxtti, at--tendance at it .ntust not be i)i'adc coinrulsGT.v." The sckools an?, mattaffed enI tirely '«' t'lto Slate, a-nd t%o only rolipdj ous restriction is tjiat of tests for tea.cb«rs. This latter, is pntelv due to the , goosra-ptuoal, r,icjftl, q.»d sivisioiis casting ih_ Stviixertad, rojnpfel;eci with tito desire for cantonal a«4 d.e- ■ neminatienal indopendeuce. This iA tiio systow tvhicii PfolßssoK Hunter labels "absolutely sectarian," ate! then sug-. gests as ikn counterpart <jf ihe Bible-. ifrSehofils progtammo. I'ovir qotre* i sptwdent appears to think lie lias scerwl in ffnotin<» tlje. Bishop ef Cferistchiireh as to iitidanomHiatiGftl tentfekig iiofc %f----ing Christian teaching. It is, iiistaii. a welcome rotijiiifler iiat New Zert.laiict teachers will not bo asked to teablt dogma in their absoliitely unclenoniir.fttiwial supervision ef HiWo retiding, Wliatflwr dflSfmatvß Christian siistnietiois i? given will be left to those visittug mstriidtors to whom the. patents hja,V wish to entrust tlsis Work,—l am, etc., 0. W. WHjLTA?*S. THE MANftCeMENt &P THE WATEfifRONT. Sir,—l wish : tp draw tlie rri.itfe att.entifjn to a lot of flattering statement's matte by tho Harboui' Board aiitl the . sliipiMiiß noKUMnies about bow the Mark h bains, djvfucd up— or thosu m<?n that

fume in to work during tlm strife , . Frts on EettiuK fair play. No Ao\M. w-» nil remNrtbev vtlm-t was said in the Press-, tlmii tbey wonM pet the prefer* p.tiKe of'the wqA; but that does nistseptn to lie. tlic ease. Thny s-cem to ho Riving the old hands all the Work.

I'or weeks past somo ef tbo qM hands have not lest an hoitr. If the committee Wants to provq this. Jet tliftni compare the- pay-sheets with- Mm inim that caffio in when tho strfkc ittis <jii and those that came .in 'svhen the strike was balled, off, and .that will convrueo wie public and business ijfieu and farmers at targe throughout Mew Zealand, I. qjiiio understand that thepo way bo 'soiije wasters among the new and oM hand.';.; .but thai can bo Wry easily managed and gst fiver. - Why do ]«»t i>w Harbour Board officials and shipping companies' officiate call a mecfiifg, aad pick out those m«h thai <fa not suit them, and fell them they do net. reflulfo them, and then they can easily Piftt those men wilJing to W'k that wft-u't to set an honest living., and with gm& character, and give tjiem permnlielit employment, as God-fearing men do not want to be tanging around tlio wharf from T.SD ij.m,. to 4,30 in the WctoiHjr among tiro roughs, also,, wo ncsftr a lot of oti.F secretary imt doing life work, and getting a big .pay for it". Weft, lie may fade in some , things, kit what is. to be ttono if ho calls a meeting? Jho old hands add Socialists gather til, ami cause an isprGar, and strk-o to Use'violence, as fras done, before. _ The presence of n dozen poliuclnoii is required at a meting, or 4 man's iifo is not saifo in it.

I am also told that there is a mope going rottiid striving te get a .new tinian iotnwd., but for myself' I. believe, mis union is qiiite enough, and more than some are willing to pay to;''' Ghb thing I liflpo that atir fellow' w«.kers .have learned far themselves—that they were wejl sold by tho last strikes that should never iavo oceurwd, '

One other ijnostkai; Will at lias become of \<mt meney for tl» pist years, slot taking into consideration what was col' lei-ted. during the strike? They never tirfed calling that hgrjnloss rurate "scab" to special constables, .yet they could bsg to.-*them for money. Where i$ ail this Money geijß to? Well, I am Ttteo fttfd seme of tlio eomintttee members were drawing £H to £4 a week during thai tipe. It was net woftder a .good; deal «f their comrades went back to work aitor the treatment tiliey got ; '.even some of tteni threatened, by law Opurts- ami by solicitors' letters,, i am told. How, I hopp that soiiicthliig will he dpiio ag the winter is ceJijmg an. 'Nα doWbt the , - hare, got nil t'he Men's, names that came in to \vo:rk before December 3 and joined ■fcn© wiion, so there i$ no exftuse for tlie.ni. If liey all acted loyalty lilvo the SlrawiSavill' • Conipany, there would ,■ be 110 giievaiice So.ine, officials saj , they *ailnot ge'fc their .etoerp at iHg'lit thinking of t ; h'<i wharf ■mansg.ft' ment, Tliere aro c%lit hoAjrs in. fto day ■to rtttthage this.. Some men. say that ybijr frliaf'-ifeter is no gopd to you -ill J^eiw , Zeftlairtl, If a.ina.it.'is'living w.itli-pros-tifcutes'sini is a roliber., }\b seoitss to; get .Inor« work t'han a. man Avitli a- ; ?feii ciiaraotcr. If eoßieftlfig 5s Wi dbney then let iilve toko an<J. manage tiro waterfront, Inhere ar.o many men \vho liavo jos.t' ; goad jobs during thq cursed etf'ike, so ; iis men. # not want to be fooled again by Ee4 Fed.s* I. ntptliold that tho nveii. *liiit earae. in and i worked fluriftg the' strike- shpuld get a bfetter eljow tlaii tTifly havti heiti -seitiiig in tji.o. past. No*, 'let our blishiess nien ! of Wcjfingten and J&# Zealand at large ■re.fflenjbef ho« r they were haDipered,'hs well iis the farmers iji' tlio and : then tlvitik <)f thosft nteii that ljelped- to : Odcn aM keep the pert opc.n. Thty $]i6Ultl get a iietfef': of Work thaji they Jiftvs l)een getting. Ixi tlie public V «°t tlierc is notMnp: Tiijit bitterness iii the. air <>ii the ■w.aterfr.q.nt. Wtflse : goiiig rottntl have not ; thffl Mpnd in ttatl to a'ttack a ni.au. BMigle-tialidefl, but wheft ■ tlttty -get iii a , eiiistef oi 50 ".or. 60 theit they will take : .ofF at a itfaii, I, B's a fliii'ii tlv.-it 'Wants to. ;gfei an. Ijojiesit, go<Hy living, Jil«? a good' uiaiiy oflrers, wiyujct very sfeoiifily aprreq witli Mr. 3.f- .Cshen's proposal's of a. . for iiieii'wiffli character and .■sabi-iSty, aifd; I lidire tliat it will Vβ idone scry sfiaii, Qne tinje tlie foromen Wre cSmplStMnßi'-'iiliflfr'tJ-ifiy'obtj'lS'liisA.cget tlie names of- the preference rn.en frttiii oWr limv scorotery- I heifeyo this sras plctedj bub yet tl)f! work teas not jjivxsn to tlieiii. neode .to lie- (J0.H.0! to avoid trouble again..:—I e t c>j