CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23276, 20 February 1939, Page 12

CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL

Sir, —Various suggestions _ have been put forward for the marking of our centennial celebrations by the provision of facilities for the physical and mental development of the people of our land. Among the proposals placed before the Centennial Committee is a suggestion by the Physical and' Mental Welfare Society that a board of scientists (doctors, biologists, chemists, physiologists psychologists, etc.), be appointed tor the purpose of constantly issuing authoritative scientific truths bearing on vital current problems, in a ph rase t ology suitable to the understanding 01 the ordinary man and woman. . One has only to refer to the fact that, our scientists have known for man, ~ •- years past that our health and prosperity, our fertility and sanity a f r ® slowly being destroyed by wastetu deforestation, soil erosion, soil exhaustion, waste of natural manuring ignorance of sensible nutrition, ptc.» that these men of science have bee willing and anxioiis to convey tue warnings and their constructive a ' vice to the mass of the people, b ' have been able to do so in ISo '£*, units only; and that had there bee an organisation of the nature propos by the P.M.W. Society, the strong public opinion engendered would n forced the authorities to take both p ventive and remedial action. • The P.M.W. scheme for marking onr centennial celebration would be . most lasting and the most far-reac that it is in the power of mani to ceive in the interests of health. - tilitv, sanity, prosperity and pea - After all, the real force of evolut and of progress lies in the co man's common development, an •. in the forcible leading by som . standing group of individuals or of physically fit morons. E. Tibbell.