LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15390, 27 August 1913, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

the WAYS of the health department.

Sir,ln view of the coming Exhibition, would it not be as well to let friends iri England, Canada, and the United States know that they cannot land here unless they undergo vaccination. It seems a mean trick to let -people came here in ignorance, and there are probably millions of people who object to vaccination. The ways of our Health Department are past following by the ordinary mind ; they are so particular to stop gentlemen from coming here, but on the other hand they take no steps to prevent sacks coming into Auckland containing kauri gum irom infected districts, and the aforementioned sacks have been used for months past as beds and bedding by these infected persons. Index.

j THE PRICE OF MILK. | Sir, —As one of the long-suffering public who has had to pay pretty dearly for his milk of late, kindly allow me a short space in which to express the point of view which I, as a worker, take in the matter. For some time past we have been depending upon farmers situated within 12 miles of Auckland for our daily supplies. Now, I contend that to confine dairying operations within such a radius is absolutely ridiculous. Why not go further afield, and so ensure a never-failing supply. In 'this way the milk would be produced on less valuable land at a less cost, and so tho price could be lowered to the town people. This, I understand, is the object of the Auckland vendors in seeking to bring in supplies from Pukekohe and in advocating a Sunday train to cope with the increased supply As this is a matter directly affecting the people, the Government must not allow anybody to block such a reasonable proposal. I shall await Mr. Herries's decision with interest. Tbamwatsun.

A DOMINION ROAD GRIEVANCE. Sir, Will you kindly allow me space to refer to the state of Dominion Road. I have noticed that after heavy showers of rain a portion of the footpath near Ewington Avenue is continually covered with "mud caused by the sewers being blocked up. It is extremely difficult to keep your feet at times, but the worst part of it is that the mud is washed under the doors to the counter. I have noticed that the occupiers have had. to use yard brooms to sweep the mud out of their respective shops. I think it is disgraceful for a borough council like Mount Eden to allow such a state of affairs. It is now nearly a month since the sewer at Ewington Avenue has been blocked up with silt, and nothing has been done to allow the rain to run away. Hoping the council will give this some consideration, for the benefit of the shopkeepers. A Resident.

HARBOUR BOARD POLICY. —My attention has been drawn to a report of an interview between your reporter and the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board. As my name has been freely used in connection with the question, allow me to state the facts. The Mayor of Grey Lynn approached me with a view of urging the Government to vest certain areas, to wit Cox's Creek, in his borough for the purpose of providing public baths and a small boat harbour. As the site was outside the Harbour Board's endowments, it was necessary to get the permission from tho Marine Department. The borough already own the foreshore inside the roadway crossing the creek. My attitude on this question is entirely in the public interest, realising as I do that it is equally advantageous to Ponsonby, and it requires no stretch of the imagination to realise that Grey Lynn will soon become part of Greater .Auckland. With regard to Mr. Gunson's inference that- undue influence was being used with the Department, my reason for saying that the board's objection would have no weight with the Department was because I did not think that they could raise any reasonable objection. I also advised the Mayor of Grey Lynn to confer -with the Mayor of Auckland and the chairman of the board before approaching the Department. I have the greatest respect for Mr. Gunson as a public" man and a capable chairman, but because I may differ from him in policy there is no occasion for him to go off in hysterics and attribute unworthy motives, or to insinuate that the Minister would give undue preference to any local body. I may also state that it was only by courtesy that the Department submitted applications to the Harbour Board for their approval. „_ ■• ... J- H. Bbadney. Wellington, August 23, 1913.

OUR NEW BISHOP AND THE

DIOCESE.

Sir,-—Tho disturbed state of the Anglican Church in this diocese gave m«. an opportunity recently to' draw attention to some Anglican electoral methods designed to the purpose of. effacing lay influence in the Church. Allow me now to pjead that the present is a good time for all members of the Church heartily to unite, that peace may be restored to that disquieted community. Unanimity is one thing and compromise the result of bargaining is another. I should like to suggest that all the high church ecclesiastical officers, who have been the advisers of the last two bishops, should resign their diocesan _ offices. The sanction of an old custom, justified in experience, has given to every admiral the right to nominate his flag-officers when he hoists his flag. It is due to our new bishop that he should be given freedom in the election of his ecclesiastical consultants, for in this way only can he hope to continue his administration free from the bitterness of the past. Surely an important consideration when a reconciliation seems near between the factions by which we have been rent asunder. True, the danger to the Church in the near future is not from opposition, the danger is from indifference. A few may battle for the faith of their fathers, but the vast majority will shrug their shoulders, draw their cloaks moreclosely _ together, and look another way. Professional p*de and ambition are to be commended when they are adjusted with prudence and common sense. Our ritualistic clergy would elevate their ecclesiastical chief to the throne of a Roman consul in the days of Marcus Cato, but will the laity of the diocese accept the dogmas of the dark ages The coral polyps live in tho dark depths of tropical seas, they are fed by the ocean in which they work, and they multiply because they cannot help themselves, but as they rise near to the surface and their darkness is lightened by the dawn, they prosper less and less, till they perish finally in j the broad noonday of the sun. They have not worked in vain, for they have built the I foundation of higher forms of life, and so j through time there has been an adjustment it; all things. Another Layman.

PRISONERS' AID SOCIETY. As an ex-member of the Prisoners' Aid Society, kindly allow me space in your paper in which to call attention to "this deserving cause, which so sadly needs practical (support. The name of prisoner" so often is associated with hardened criminals, and those who are constant readers of our Supreme Court and Police Court news are apt to form quite a wrong impression of many of the defendants who appear in such cases. I do not by any pretence whatsoever wish to speak lightly of crime, but I do maintain that we too often judge our fellow men and women harshly, where we are so often blind to any possibilities of redeeming features in their lives. As a result of my visits periodically to H.M. prison, whers I have been asked by the hard-worked chaplain (the Rev. E. C. Budd] to relieve him on certain Sunday mornings, I have come across some splendid specimens of men, who have shown by their behaviour in prison that they only require the chance given by a sincere friend, for them to strive to redeem their character, so as to prove that they are not damned quite, although many fail to pierce the veil of firm, honest resolve as the result of bias shown towards our fallen brothers and sisters. I believe the French have a motto which reads something after this style: "It is not the disgrace of falling, but the power of being able to rise again, which is to be taken into consideration.? I have in my possession a large number of letters from

all kinds and conditions of prisoners, and they contain that longing for a sincere interest on their behalf. Many discharged prisoners have been able to find congenial employment through i the agency of oar mission, as well as through the humanity of the Prisoners' Aid Society. "They that be whole need not a physician,, but they that are sick," seems to apply very forcibly to the noble work carried on by the Prisoners' Aid Society, and "[ am sure that the casual visitor to the prisons would have to admit that punishment should be closely allied to practical reform. The prisoners' true friend, Mr. Budd, is the secretary of the Prisoners' Aid Society in Auckland, and his address is Carlton Gore Road. I am writing this unknown to the chaplain, and sincerely hope it will call attention to the need of funds and the promise of work for men when they are liberated. A friend has just sent me £2 for" this deserving cause, and I trust it will encourage others to send something to the Rev. E. C. Budd also.. Arthur P. Cowie, Church of England Missioner to Seamen, Auckland.

GRAFTON ROAD. —It is evident that your correspon dents, "Ratepayer" and "Another Rate payer" are not fully conversant with th*> subject on which they write, otherwise they would *have better understood the many difficulties the city authorities have had "to contend with in, practically, thf re-making of this thoroughfare. Quite a large percentage of the kerbing and channelling and footpath formation has had to be carried over newly-filled ground, which requires considerable time to settle before anything like permanent work can bo done on it. I have carefully watched the work in question from its commencement, and cannot see where one single penny has been wasted; as a matter of fact, a large sum of money has been saved to the city, by utilising the earth spoil and metal, removed from the new road formation work being done on the Karangahape and Khyber Pass Roads. No doubt some unavoidable inconvenience has been experienced by residents during so much wet wintry weather, but this will soon pass, and all alike will enjoy the compensating comforts of the good work when finished. Old Resident.

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. Sir, — a recent issue of the Herald, T. L. T. states as actual fact, "that the Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodfete, and Salvation Army comprise 75 per cent, of tho population of New Zealand, the Roman Catholic 14 per cent., and the balance by the smaller sects," thus affirming that the entire population are under religions instruction. Why then is a change desirable? It would be well for the Dominion if your correspondent's assertions were correct, for wrong as sectarianism is, it is better than entire alienation from godliness. Evidently your correspondent has not put all the census returns on religion in the balance. I have not the figures by me, but can remember that the census showed that the accommodation of all the places in New Zealand used for public worship was a very long way insufficient to seat the adults. Taking this and the deplorable sparse attendance at worship into consideration greatly reduces the percentage claimed, and gives a better estimate of influence. If the league desires to impart its ideas of Biblical instruction in the State schools, why not use at once the facilities the State affords, thus "showing their faith by their works," instead of putting a yoke on an unwilling or an unbelieving teacher. Were this done much lost influence and power would be regained, for faith and works would be conjoined. It is by this conjunction that the unity of action by the Catholic Church is maintained. They teach their children what they believe, and resist State control over things divine. Hence they strenuously oppose the league's action, and with them, is every man and woman who believes that the Christian system is Divine, and should be tee from State interference. The plain utterances of Mr. Massey and Mr. Myers on this subject will, when needed, be endorsed by many thousands. Edwin Cabr.

Sir,—Having heard of the controversy in. your city concerning the introduction of Scripture-teaching into public schools, I venture to give my own experience ; and observation, in the hope that it may help someone to decide this question oh its its merits, unbiassed by. influence of sect or party. I am a Congregational minister and, until six years ago, was a resident of Queensland. At that time the great northern State was much in the same position as New Zealand, the teaching in public scliools being entirely secular, but an agitation was in progress which has since, as you know, resulted in, the introduction of Scripture-teaching. I was then adverse to this idea, for it seemed to me likely to ; provoke sectarian strife and, in common with many others, I regarded it as prac- ! tically State-aid to religion. On coming to the rJewcastle district of New South Wales I found that ministers of all Protestant churches were regularly visiting the schools and giving religious instruction. When asked to take my share of this work, I was inclined at first to refuse, but, on second thoughts, it seemed to me, wiser and better to personally test the matter and, accordingly, I arranged to visit the nearest school I found that all my fears of sectarian strife were groundless; that, on the contrary, ministers were in many cases ready to co-operate and assist one another by arranging for combined classes, thus making it possible to grade the scholars according to age. After two years' experience here I travelled. for 18 months through the north and north-west, lecturing in almost every town. Wherever possible I visited the public schools and gave an address to the children, sometimes accompanied by the local minister and sometimes, where there was no resident clergyman, alone. Invariably, I found the teachers, a large percentage of whom are Roman Catholics, most agreeable and courteous, and it was evident that the children thoroughly enjoyed this variation of the secular curriculum. For the last two years I have been minister of Congregational Church, Waterloo, a large industrial centre within a mile of the city of Sydney. My experience here has been equally satisfactory. For m?vny years tho Nonconformist ministers have carried on this work according to a plan by which the children were grouped into classes, according to age and irrespective of denomination. Six large schools were thus visited by each of tho ministers in turn, giving weekly instruction. Early this year a change was made, by which each minister takes one school for the period of three months, and he is responsible for the teaching of one or two classes each week. At the end of the quar-/ ter a rearrangement will be made. This plan is working admirably, and it serves to show the repeated statement, that religious instruction engenders sectarian strife, is nothing but a bogey. But I would also remind you that this instruction by visiting clergy is not the only religious instruction our children receive in the public school. "The Irish National School-book of Scripture Lessons" is to be found in every school. These four books contain most suitable extracts from the Old and New Testaments, and are regularly used for reading exercises, the teachers explaining the meaning just as they would an ordinary school reader. During my six years' residence in this State, I have had abundant opportunities of seeing the advantages, which accrue from the operation of this Act, and I have never heard of any friction or unpleasantness being caused, either among the ministers and clergy or the public school teachers and scholars. My only regret is that pressure of other duties prevents me from spending more than one morning per week in this great work. Much more might be said, but I trust this bit of actual, experience may help to convince some of your readers that the Scriptures may be introduced and religious instruction given in public schools with benefit to the children and an entire absence of the objectionable features which it« opponents portray. A. Fjsher-Webster. Waterloo- Congregational Church, Sydney.