TAKEN TO TASK

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 147, 23 June 1928, Page 9

TAKEN TO TASK

PEOPLE OF DOMINION , -ARCHBISHOP HITS OUT '. (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") / AUCKLAND, This Day. -New Zealand ■was taken to task at a \ ineeting of the Council, of ■ Christian ' Congregations •'when AreMbishop Averill delivered an address on civic responsibility. • "Our most insidious snare is the belief thatiwo aro living in the best of all ■worlds, and that its progress is selfpperation," lie said. „'Butter-fat * and possibly, the success of the All Blacks were not sufficient for a country, nor ■were the excesses of exports over inu ports and a good financial standing, " important-as they were,,but those who ruled religion out of' court were wilfully . or criminally misleading. • Science and secular education could never establish a Masting, civilisation. They required spiritual power in man to guide them. Public men and women who ignored' religion and refused to put the moral character of their citizens , '■■■ ."-. .- .■ ■ '* i '■ . ' • ■

, ■ S. P. 'Andrew, Photo.

in the,forefront assisted and contribut-. Ed to the very, causes which underlay tho nation's disintegration and ruin, Not until public mon had moral courage to sweep away vested' interests would we soo a purified civilisation. His Grace said that one of the follies of the New Zealand people was to shut their eyqs to facts and assert that New' Zealand had got on very well for, the past fifty years without God and Christ. If they would look up tho New Zealand statistics they woUld see what a moral place tho Doiriinion was comparatively. It led- tho world in lunacy, suicides, prison population, divorces, and illicit first conceptions. ■ , Jlis only point in quoting the figures was to show and press home .the criminal folly of those who would throw dust iv their eyes and pretend that Now Zealand was a moral paradise. Now Zealand had to be thankful for many a blessing, but they were worse than fools if, they allowed themselves to bo persuaded .that.'everything was all .right. ."I resent .the fact that all political parties in New Zealand adopt secular education.as a plunk in their platforms, and Idoploro the fact that inuiiy of our best men .and. women are not willing to servo their day and generation in serving their country!" Thoßev. J. J. North remarked that he felt as if'his Grace had taken this little country by tho neck and shaken some of the conceit out of it. New Zealand was appallingly conceited. ; Canon James remarked that the country was in the greatest danger from the fault o^ complacency. Tho difficulty was'to get suitable men for Parliament. "Our present men are second-rate," ho asserted, "and; I would not even rato- them as high as that on.the point of vharaefcr.'" '