FORESTRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18545, 4 May 1922, Page 10

FORESTRY.

Tho fortnightly meeting of Court Pride of Dunedin was held in the Oddfellows’ Hall, ’ Stuarfi street, on Monday evening, C.R. Bro. W. H. Baxter being in the chair. There was a good attendance of members. A committee was appointed to make arrangements for the celebration of the sixtieth ’ anniversary of the opening of the court. One candidate was initiatel and two proposed for membership. The meeting was closed early, and ’a few hours’ dancing .was indulged jn by Ihe .members and their friends. , THE SHORTER CATECHISM. ’ TO THE EDITOR. Sir. —Your report of the discussion at the Presbytery regarding the catechism is headed: “Presbyterian Theology: Shorter Catechism Attacked.’” May I point out that such a headline misrepresents the position of those of us who advocate the use of a simpler catechism? The • matter at issue is not one hf theology, but of pedagogy. There - was no attack upon the Catechism in itself. But we hold tligt. Ihat venerable and redly w’ondorfnl document is not suited for the child mind. Neither the ideas nor the words in which .the ideas are clothed arc suitable for a child’s catechism. I have no doubt it jvqu.ld ho an excellent thing for mahtrer minds to weigh its propositions. The fact that; mv motion was seconded bv one of the venerable fathers of the church, the Rev. A M. Finlayson. M.A.. is surely proof (enough bf the truth of what T have written above.y-I am, etc., Waifati. John C. Jamieson. [Adyt] FOLLOW THE “CROWD.” [Ag the Editor has declined the following letter 1 insert it as an advertisement.] , TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —At this week’s meeting of the Otago Jlngby Union it was intimated by a letter from Brother Bowler that* the Christian boys had withdrawn from the newly-formed secondary , schools competition, the writer explaining that primary boys interested him ag well as the secondary hoys. In that Brother Bowleg is not offside. The Rugby Union decided to* hold over the matter and to forward Brother Bowler’s fetter to the newly-formed Secondary Schools’ Association. Just a simple way of getting out through the back door! To show your readers that a higher and fairer authority than the Otago Union is taking a stand in the matter under review, the following remarks from'the chairman bf tho New Zealand Rugby Union may be aptly quoted; “Referring to the fact that sectarianism was apparently creeping into the code in the school games, the speaker said he noticed from newspaper reports that certain schools were being debarred from playing Rugby. Ho thought they should take a hand in the matter and penalise any union that allowed its schools to he debarred front taking part in school competitions. He hoped tho unions would insist on all primary schools being ‘denominationalised,’ and that they should take full pari in all competitions.” Now, Sir, in view of the fact that Messrs Cavanagh. Harris, and While attended the meeting of the New Zealand Union, one would itaUiraily exncct seme comment upon the chairman’s remarks on sectarianism, for these wore directed to the Otago Union. But no! not a word was uttered at the meeting on Monday evening last. It makes one wonder did a creeny feeling come over Messrs Cavanagh and' Harris .when the words quoted above came from the chairman 1 desire .to remind your readers that .1 .am writing from an interested standpoint. My boy attends the Christian Brothers’ School. lam an active follower of the Rugby code and naturally I want my boy'to play Rugby. Is he, then along.with his schoolmates, to be debarred by bigotry from entering into open competition with other boys? Apparently £ r Evans, Messrs Harris, Cavanagh, Nelson iind those other outed thev Christian Brothers acknowledged their incompetence tb control primary football whefi they permitted themselves to be dictated to by Messrs M‘K, Millar and G, C. Macdonald. Truly, the Otago Rugby Union has placed itself -upon the horns of a dilemma.” Mr Dunne admitted Tho union was debarring his boy from plaving Kugbv whilst Mr 'Nelson has a nephew similariv placed; yet, the latter gentleman voted hi« netihew out of the game. Never in the history of sport, has such callous conduct been demonstrated as that put forward by the Otago Rugbv Union; and despite such a slate of affairs, neither of the local daily papers has thought fit to voice its sentiments on > (he subject. Itmay well be said that “man’s inhumanity to man makes countless It cannot he denied that sectarianism ts rampant amongst delegates of the Otago Rugby Union, and were those gentlemen to examine their consciences I am certain there would be many resignations amongst them Mv pen will always he available for the “cause that lacks assistance,” and I invite any of the delegates whose names I have mentioned to justify their claims for a seat on a sporting body at the expense of a few Catholic boys. I would suggest in all seriousness, that those delegates resign their positions in favour of the organiser of an association whose motto is “Equal rights for all, special privilege for none.” The boys from the Christian School in Dunedin may then have a remote chance of entering into Rugby competition with their ohums from State schools.—l am) etc., T. 11. Cahill. Address; Oriental glutei, 102 Frederick street, punedm.