INTERFERENCE WITH REST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20022, 12 February 1927, Page 19

INTERFERENCE WITH REST.

TO THB EDITOB. Sjß,—l cannot leave your city without tolling you of the unbounded delight I have found in Dunedin. Your hills, your climate, your harbour, the midsummer greenness of grass and shrub, your trees and gardens, your robust and overwhelmingly cordial people—all combined to make my stay in your city ever memorable. A Scottish highlander, I am going back to Melbourne wii-h the discovery that when I become homesick I need not go 12,000 miles to revive old home visions and memories with New Zealand at my very door. And it is this very love of your city that impels me to add to my deep appreciation, a warning. The nerve-health, no less than the comfort of a community, is bound up to a very large extent with the nightly returning quiet and rest and darkness. In Dunedin there is creeping in an evil that has made pandemonium of Melbourne the motor cycle, or rather the handful of devil-me-care riders who make night hideous with the roar of their machines. Take my advice, stamp it out now. In Melbourne the evil has reached such proportions that it cannot now be coped with, and is borne with moro or less despair. Why should a motor-cyclist be allowed to roar through the town (or country, for that matter) leaving behind him a train of disgruntled and nervy folk. Keep your nights quiet; the days. too. could with a little enterprise, bo made to lose a great deal of their hideous noise —but keep your night quiet, at all cost, and wipe out the flash motor-cyclist.—l am, etc., J. F. MacKedbie,' M.D. February 9. CHRISTIAN DUTY. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l was much interested in the lettor by K.W.F., under the beading "Christian Duty," in your issue of Thursday morning. The writer has evidently had the courage to survey a comparison of (a) The teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, (b) the fundamental attitude of national life. As a plain citizen (who, inter alia was an early volunteer member of theN.Z.E.F.) this comparison raises to me a most important question._ I am sure it also occupies somo portion of every responsible person's thoughts, viz—What is my aim in life as an individual? Where does my responsibility as a member of a community of human beings begin and end? From "E.W.F.'s" conclusions it would appear that the Chinese Nationalist leaders cannot regard as _ otherwise than hypocritical, any description of the British Empire (or the United States for that matter as a commonwealth of "Christian" people. Otherwise our leaders would be consulting their well-thumbed Bibles, and then where would bo the justification for the maintenance of even one soldier or sailor? Are we then hypocrites both individually and in the mass? or do we _ frankly ask ourselves, "Can the teachings of Christ be applied to us as living people to-day both as individuals and as_ a nation?" Is the application of Christ's gospel our aim as parents, workers, neighbours, and citizens? Is our conception of national life and community-responsibility based on His example and teaching? Do wo place beforo us as leaders men who will covern us according to the New Testament? Do our business principles differ at nil from the Apostle's lifo and example? Where are wo to turn_ for help if we are not to bo daily convinced that Christianity can only bo compromised with in daily life, and ignored in government? Tho everyday man and woman vitally needs the answer to these questions. If an endeavour is sincerely made, by those who should be capable of guiding in these matters, to show tho average citizen that his or her conclusions arc wrong, .and if (he example of professing Christians to-day is the answer as to whether the "lively" sense of oivic duty and patriotism (other than empty formality and unmeaning words), can exist with obedience to tile .commandments, "That ye resist not evil." etc.. then I there'will not be many complaints of 1111- ! filled churches. I It. is "up to" the ministers of all co:iI "relations to let the people have at least 1 carefully thought out and bold answers to [these problems 111 at really exercise mens mind'.- I :-"), etc. Truth Skeket-.