LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18075, 27 April 1922, Page 10

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

HOMEWORK. Sir,—l am very mich in accord with " Father.'' I also have a boy of 16 in his third year at tho Auckland Grammar School, and living some distance from the ciiy find the same condition of over-taxed strength obtaining. We parents are proud of the reputation which the Grammar School has, but in spite of that we must continue to ui\e a betterment in tho school's sole drawback—excessive homework. A boy living near tho school may not find himself overtaxed, but for thoso who 'i»6 any distance away, tho price we pay for education is excessive, the payment beinc; impaired health. I sincerely trust that an improvement will be made before Ion;. A Parent. Sir—Re " Father's " letter. Our Grammar School is the preparatory ground for university degree scholars. For Other branches we have our Technical School. Writing from experience, a boy of sufficient ability to take up successfully university work should be able to complete all homework required b\ the staff of the Grammar School in three half hours —or less if the boy is brilliant If to prepare for university training a boy or girl i eeda to study for the hours of which "Father" complains he or >.io may evenioaliv secure a degree, but that de--M will he of little real value owing to tho brain tag developed in the securing of Parents genera.lv are inclined to be ten ambitious and the world in general suffers. IWblv our Grammar Schools \»vo overgrown themselves, and numbers of tovs now attending would make more ••.Yttstu; men if their parents would be -•?•'• d to start them on the steps of the n-.n-ej-ciai or technical ladder. Ex-Fabest.

BIBLICAL PROPHECIES

■• r.—Mr. S. L. P. Rimmer lias a letter '■ Saturday's HERALD in which he refers •o B.olical' prophecies, and in which he predict failure fur the Genoa Conference, t have read seme of the Bible students' literature and the impression one gains from the same is that the case they make mi is clearlv proved. Upon, however, turning up the Bible references this impression is quickly dissipated and everything appears obscure. In this cunnectiou 1 would like to direct Mr. Rimmer s attention to the following which he wrote -n the Herald. April 24. 1919. viz., " I am satisfied this year will again see such a conflagration in* Europe that will startle the world. This time the British Government will find plenty to keep it busy in Ireland and Egypt. Asia Miner and India. T feel sorrv for France, Ita'y and Ru mania, who will come under German domination. - ' Will your correspondent point "ut the particular " conflagration '• to which tie referred and which was to have occurred in 1919? That the British would have trouble in Ireland, etc.. was a fairlv easv guess, but have France, Italy Rumania come under German domination ? Curious.

NTRSES FOR MENTAL HOSPITALS,

Sir,—l notice id Monday's Herald a remark made by the Minister in charge of Public Heafth that all the patients suffering from typhoid in the mental hospital are being most carefully nursed. This no doubt may sound reassuring, but will the Minister state definitely by whom —presumably mental nurses. Is it not usual for t"Tihoid cases in pubhlThospitals to bo handled by qualified medical sisters and nurses? In the medical ward of the lareest mental hospital in New Zealand there is not one qualified medical nurse, only mental, and this with a ward containing" 80 to 100 beds fully occupied. What chance has a patient under these conditions to recover normal healthy the prelude to a return to a normal mind? What is required to-day is properly qualified mental, also medical, nurses, the latter to take eharre of sick patients, and sive them the skilled attention, and, what i? more necessary, sympathetic treatment while ill. Also the Government should dve a more adequate remuneration and make the conditions more attractive and give shorter hours, so that the very best and suitable nurses, would be encouraged to take up this noble work. This also applies to male attendants.

Rece>t Visitor.

LABOUR PROPAGANDA.

Si:',—l rearl your article on " Labour Propaganda" with great interest. I agree witih every word of it. The average citizen is at last beginning to realise that religion is the foundation on which national stability and rational humaD relationships ultimately rest. This foundation has been weakened by the failure of a largo section of the community to lecognise Tie claim of organised religion to their allegiance. Their indifference to religion not only means lop-sided development of personality, it also means a crippling of national character, which must eventually lead to disaster. A distinguished modern scientists—a scientist, Dot a theologiaD—recently declared that a nation which ignores the survival value of religion muM perish. Religion, he said, is a definite biolog.cal factor in the social economy and it« value is probably supreme. Another eminent authority asserts thai, the religious idea is to the social edifice what cement is to the walls of our houses. Not very long ago the Prime Minister of the British Empire solemnJv declared tha the hope of the world depended upon the application of the principles of Christianity to national and international, as well as to individual affairs. The great majority of intelhgen: men and women know that this is true. But what are they doing to extend the Kingdom of God? Iheir indifference is almost as damaging to religion as the fierce hostility ot its optn enemies. By the rigid exclusion of religious inunction from our national schools the Government of New Zealand practically asserts that religion is not a vital factor in education for citizenship. Thousands of children are growing up in (his Dominion without any religious training. The mitlook is becoming so serious that thoughtful men and women are becoming alarmed. Some are urging that more time and attention must be given in our schools to the teaching of morality, and they seem to think that this can be done quite apart from religion. But the trend of the best modern thought goes to show that those people who hold that religion can be banished and morality retained occunv an untenable intellectual nosition. In his recent Gilford lectures, Mr. Balfour contends that morality is rooted in religion, and states that the mass of mankind has never regarded morality and religion as mutually independent. An acute French thinker holds that when separated from religion morals lose their authority and dignity, and become mere manners. The practical insenarabiiity of religion and morality is strongly insisted on by Professor McDoueall in his well-known book on " Social Psvchology." It is significant that the German philosopher, Nietzsche, admits 'hat they cannot be separated, and condemns them both. New Zealand will havs to face this problem of religious instruction in our State schools. It can be solved—other countries have solved it -without doiri" violence to anyone's con«ience. It is vain to resent the attacks on relieion which are being mad- by a section of labour, unless the community as a whole is prepared to take religion "■or- seriously. Probably 90 ner cent. "1 the people of New Zealand describe themselves , n , he censug aR w to 50019 Christian Church: bu a , o r\ We pwnortion of th«n entirely ignore their, ( hmtiMs are a positive hindrance to the i i nce to anA theyhaV ? Jance. and the:r manliest indifference Bnd mconsistency san encouraS nt ' he enem.es of relieion and of t h fL,I tian coeial and moral order. - Latman.