PRESENT-DAY EVILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21233, 13 July 1932, Page 11

PRESENT-DAY EVILS.

HOME INFLUENCE LACKING.

RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S PLEA. Reference to the efforts being made by the Bible in Schools League to obtain the passing of the Religious Instruction in Public Schools Enabling Bill was made by the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloo, when addressing a largo gathering at the annual meeting of the Mothers' Union of (he Diocese of .Auckland yesterday afternoon.

"In my judgment the surest way to obtain Bible instruction in the Stale schools is to bring about, at the earliest, possible moment, a reunion of the Christian Churches, or at any rate, such an intimate collaboration and harmony among them as to put a more effective stop to the criticism of those who fear that, by the introduction of Bible teaching, dogmatic instruction might be introduced, which might be regarded as militating against the secular interest of some of the Christian community," Ilis Excellency said. "We are all working toward the same goal and I am at one with you in desiring to see at the earliest possible moment some measure of intimate harmony, if not absolute union, botween all those who are endeavouring to pursue the same Christian ideals. Moral Laxity Revealed. "If for a time the Bible is banished from your State schools it becomes all the more important that it be not banished from your homes. Therefore, the first and the most earnest appeal I make is not only to have the Bible the most prominent volume in your bouse, but to take care that it is not there merely as an ornament, but that, its invaluable treatment will be recognised by every one of your family as well as yourselves."

Lord Bledisloe said one serious blot was revealed in the official figures for the Dominion relating to children born outside wedlock. "The Mothers' Union can never be perfectly happy with regard to the first rule of its organisation—to uphold the sanctity of marriage—until this blot is removed effectively from the official figures of the Dominion, and the mothers have it in their power to a great extent to remove it," His Excellency said. Cinemas and Literature. The power of influence -was an important thing. His Excellency said, and there were two influences which he considered might be made better in New Zealand. These were the cinema pictures and literature. "If we want to make a really sound advance in promoting moral and spiritual progress we have to develop a wide public demand for wholesome entertainment and wholesome books," said Lord Bledisloe. "Since the war we have had rather an excess of the undesirable type of pictures and books—frothy, unsatisfying, unedifying and sometimes unsavoury. Against these tendencies let the Mothers' Union resolutely wage war and the children of the country will be all the better if the mothers achieve the victory which lies in their hands."

The responsibility which lies with the parents in the training of their children was stressed by His Excellency, who said there appeared to be a growing tendency on the part of parents to throw this responsibility on to the State. Although the State could do a lot in the matter of education and training, a great deal more could be done by parents and domestic environment. Case of the Young Men. His Excellency said he had noticed a helplessness and hopelessness, particularly among young men, which probably would not exist but for the lack of wise direction on the part of parents as to the training of their children when they were young. There was a hopelessness because they appeared to lack faith in God and a helplessness because their training had been directed too much in one narrow groove without a sufficient realisation on the part of the parents that that narrow groove might lead into a blind alley and not enable them in after life to obtain profitable and congenial occupation. "Many men I have met in relief camps and elsewhere handling a pick and shovel and gradually becoming used to that life, are men who have been brought up to follow some more or less intellectual occupation," said Lord Bledisloe. "They have confessed how much easier their present occupation would be if they had been taught when they were young to use intelligently their hands their eyes as well.as their minds."