NATION OF VANDALS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19199, 16 December 1936, Page 5

NATION OF VANDALS

DOMINION INDICTED HEADMASTER’S COMM ENT NEED FOR EDUCATION (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The prevalence of vandalism in New Zealand was commented on by Mr. J. R. Sutcliffe, principal of Scots College, at the prize-giving ceremony. Mr. Sutcliffe said that wherever there was a New Zealand crowd vandalism would be found. “If this is not so,” lie said, “Why are tlie stalactites in Waitomo Caves wire-netted? Why does every town display a notice ‘Citizens protect.your own property’?’ ” Wellington headmasters had received letters from the National Art Gallery informing them that 011 .account of the damage to statuary and the general unruliness: of conduct children would be refused admission unless accompanied by an adult. A new passenger ship recently was thrown open to the public. Movable ornaments and bedding were stolen, and pieces cut from curtains. Surf clubs had to guard their life-lines, and at. Lyall Bay the club’s lines had been cut and stolen four times in the last three months. ;i When Mr. Ernie Clark landed at Christchurch after his Tasman flight lie compared the behaviour of the natives at places en route, who stood in a ring round his machine but never touched anything, with that of the civilised crowd at Wigram who did considerable damage to his machine. Mr. Sutcliffe questioned whether this sorb of vandalism was confined only to people who had never passed the proficiency or taken a university degree. It was the tone of the school that was more important than the passing of examinations—the attitude of the pupils towards decent living, truth, honesty, unselfishness, and thoughtfulness for others. Less stress should he placed in education on self and material advancement, and more time devoted to inculcating the right attitude towards those around us.