COIN-CADGING CRUSADE

NZ Truth, Issue 578, 15 July 1916, Page 4

COIN-CADGING CRUSADE

A Pertinent Protest

Referenco has frequently boon made In these columns to tho oonsietoncy of, tho coln-cadjrinjj crusaders of Christchurch, and tho matter of collecting war and patriotic funds from children m tho public schools has called for "Truth's" special condemnation. To such an extent indeed Una tho hint* named system of raising money boon put into operation, that tho General LaborerH* Union und tho National Peace Council wrote the North Canterbury Education Hoard last week, asking that the practice should bo stopped. Tho Board discussed tho loitorH at considerable length nnd, althouKh a few of ihe highly -patriotic members metiiphoriciilly "hit Uio roof," it doc\a#d to circularise tho school teachers for information regarding tho extent to which tho youngstora.wero boinu uskpd to subscribe to patriotic funds. Tho collective reports, when they camo to hand, ahould provide noma intcreotlng itatlstlcs, and prove beyond ahadow of doubt that tho General Laborer*' Union and Peace Council were not, merely barking at the moon when they rutoed a protest* But oven if It ahould happen that according to the teachers' report** ihe collection taken up m tho HchoolH have been comparatively few, the practice should, nevertheless, bo condemned, not on account of the patriotic sentiment and other virtue* which the spirit of givirur might tend to fo«ter In tho "kiddles," bui an n means of obvlfitintr a number of ilNeffects which tho «ytitom la calculated to how m the child's mind.

It cannot b« calnaakl that m Christ* church, whom the children appeal to theJr paronra nomeUmea twlco a week, for pennies toward soroo fond or other being Hubscrlbed at the achool, the younfwtora aro often tempted to Invent tfubficrtptlona and spend their pen n lea on tholr own enjoyment Then, affaln, the mother of four or five children CAnnoi ftflfoni the constant drain on the family pune, when every penny needii economical investment m order that the ttltojreiher inad^uate weekly Income ithould be m;ul<> to fulfil iU Ut«k of kerplngr the family from hunger, con«<jquiMstly. the workU»e rnnti'A children cannyl have pennies for donitdon to tho vnrtouH funds at school, nmi, m addition to heltiß forr.»<J 10 fm*| n |»ln«h Of poverty which m rt'nd*r<»d doubly pttin> fu! by O,u.< fact that th«- more forturiat*'

"UM'livi." j»r»? tthht to contribute. Duty m us i n'«'«>y.:iurH,v h«» nuhj^cted to tht> mlmm of 'hvlr tfrhnol f*llcnv;i who»« »rnn»itt»st"« mlmta ijrfljn* poverty a* IHtio abort of a crime. Public school col-