LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25053, 17 November 1944, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Women Delegates at Peace Conference Sir, —It is heartening to learn that New Zealand women are endeavouring to secure a woman representative at the Peace Conference. Influential women's organisations are all interested in this question, for they feel that unless women delegates do take their rightful place at the peace negotiations, there can be no hope of a lasting peace. The Versailles* Treaty contained tho seeds of this war, and every peace treaty in the past has suffered from the same weakness. Enthusiast. Secondary School Curriculum Sir, —Mr Salt rightly draws atten-

tion to my oversight of the regulation that permits a candidate, for a university scholarship to "nominate an additional subject," the marks for which shall be reduced to bring his possible total down to 2200 (or under the new regulations 2400). While this absolves the candidate under discussion from my original charge, it reveals a state of affairs at the Auckland Grammar School, (and certain other schools, too), that is even more deplorable than I had realised. It is true that in the case of two of last year's scholars, the subject nominated was extra mathematics, but in several cases during the past three years, the additional subject was English. Quite apart from any question of history or foreign languages, it is deplorable that a subject like English should thus be so frequentlv a mere make-weight to five mathematical and scientific subjects. Even if the letter of university _ regulations permits this anomaly, it is clearly not in accord with the spirit of a well-balanced sixthform education, even the much-frowned-upon academic education.

Your correspondent C.F.H. points out the Grammar School policy of encouraging scholarship candidates only in mathematics and science. The result appears to be that these are taught very efficiently. But in speaking of the decline, or, rather, the complete disappearance, of other major subjects, it II P r i > . bab, y nearer the truth to say that the teachers of these despised subjects rarely, if ever, get a chance to show their mettle. A. C. Keys. Auckland University College. The Origin of Debts

Sir,—-Though banks are constantly blamed for the creation of debt, the origin of debts is in fact quite distinct trorn banking. When we buy our groceries, our meat, almost anything that must be purchased frequently, the payment of cash would rarely be convenient. Thus every day a great body or debt is created. The purchaser of a house, a shop, a farm or any other property must, to make the transaction an honest one, part with wealth that will represent equivalent human labour. As this is rarely practicable at the tune tho purchase is made a substantial portion of the value must, in the great majority of cases, be owed in place of being paid. Thus again a great aggro-' gate of debt is daily brought into existence.

In every community there are parties with resources they are unable to employ, and parties able to employ resources they do not possess. To avoid shameful waste the one class must lend and_ the other must_ borrow. As with individuals, so with communities. Britain, with her vast manufacturing capacity, can turn out the means of production far beyond her own requirements. New Zealand, in its partial development, can usefully employ resources far beyond its own output. Again, to avoid waste, the one must lend and the other must borrow. Credit merely means delayed payment for value received. Banks never create the property or service that forms the substance of all loams. They merely make transfers convenient. The belief that a change in banking policy would enable all parties to obtain all the property they require without incurring obligations is a childish delusion. Johnstons*