CHILDREN AND MANNERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10651, 26 July 1920, Page 3

CHILDREN AND MANNERS.

Sir, —One item in an issue before me deserves to be reprinted. It is headed : "How Children are Spoiled." While' riding on. a itram the other day, a whitehaired old lady with a child of about five years' entered the car. The child pushed the bowed-down panting old lady aside, and promptly climbed into the only vacant 6cat, when she patted down her dainty <liess, showing her whiteclad feet and looked about with all complacency. The grandmother patiently reached for a strap. A big man behiind har grasped her arm, as she swayed unsteadily, and drew her down in his place. People eyed the brighteyed child with disgust. The old lady smiled apologetically, but the little girl looked nbout as if unconscious of her-, act. As I left the car I heard the big man say: "It's that child's mother 6 fault. She never taught her the meaning of courtesy or common politeness. You could see it was perfectly natural for her to bo considered first. "Mark my word," said this big mam, "the child will suffer for it. One cannot lightly neglect to honour ago in the days of vouth without paying the penality. But ... ." liavo you noj see such instances on our own cars:- I have. I am begimoing to think that the home teaching of our children as regards courtesy, etc.. outside the home, is being 6adly neglected. , . I may sav. sir, that I admire the conduct of our Wellington girls who are attending the different colleges, I have seen nothine but the loveliest courtesy shown by them-to their elders on the tmmS - ' . _ . F.W.B.