TEACHING LOYALTY.

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1921, Page 2

TEACHING LOYALTY.

The Minister of Education lias done the right thing in making provision for the fondling of loyalty in tlic schools. His plan is to have history and civics taught in such a way as to instil in the children love of their country and pride in the achievements of their race throughout the Empire, and lie proposes that a ceremony at

which tho New Zealand flag or the Union jack shall be saluted shall be held in each school once a week. A ceremony of 4 liis kind always makes an impression on the children, at an age when their minds are open to impres-

sions and they are inclined to form habits. The formula already employed in many schools is a simple and effective oi\6. "The children are drawn up* the flag is hoisted, nnd they salute it. reciting these words: "1 salute my

—the f.ym.bol of Empire, the emblem of Liberty and Justice." An exercise of this kind once a week should be exceedingly useful as a cor- ; rective of certain influences that arc j being felt in sonic measure just now. i As the Minister has said, there are disruptive influences at work, and some effort is necessary to counteract the gospel of class warfare, "internationalism" and revolution. Xew Zealand does not want to experience -ueh incidents as have recently caused trouble in Sydney, which has the misfortune to j possess a Labour Lord Mayor. Mr W. H. Lambert, who is president -of the Australian Labour Party, was elected Lord Mayor by the Labour majority in the City Council. He has done some very serious things, and lie seems to have a particular dislike for the exhibition of the Union Jack. There was comment at its absence from the Town Hall flagstaff on Anzac Day, and the Millions Club was refused permission to have it hoisted on the occasion of- a recent Town Hall luncliecn, at which the Governor-General was present. The demonstrations following the burning of a Union Jack in the Domain also brought the Lord Mayor's attitude prominently "before tho public. To the criticism he received, Mr Lambert has ; replied in a series of remarkable statements. Some are contained in official tetters which lie caused to be sent out over the signature of the Town Cleric, and the-e are about as undignified epistles as have ever been dispatched by the head of any city in the Empire. The rceent loyalty demonstration in the Sydney Town Hall and Domain Mr Lambert described as the work of "certain bounders and boodlers, and sycophants and hirelings of capitalism." The Millions Club were "tinpot nonentities," and the flag "could not be honoured by beitig hoisted over such a turnout." Mr Lambert apparently prefers the Red flag, as a few people in this country do. New Zealand municipalities have recently displayed n great deal .more cominonsense than Sydney has shown at the polls, but there is still need of steps to counteract the propaganda of revolutionaries, and tho best way to prewnt its spread is to inculcate i>atriotic sentiment in tho minds of the new generation.