Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 965, 7 May 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

“A POTATO DRIVE”

Sir,— In reading your paper last week, I noticed that tho commercial travellers arc to have another “clothes drive" Would you please suggest,, through your paper, that the commercial travellers get the help of the school children, by asking them to have a “potato drive”; each child after the holidays to bring one or more potatoes to all schools—private and public, city and suburban. If each child brought an average of one pound, it would mean a big help to the fund. The public if it wished could also help by establish mg a depot in Queen Street for one day. Possibly the students would combine in their week at the theatre some scheme to collect a few bags. I feel sure the picture theatres would help on their screens. Trusting that this suggestion will meet with your approval and support. H.N.C. EDEN PARK Sir, It seems to me that the Rugby Union should make a public statement as to its tenuro and future improvements at Kden Park. Any improvements—if they can be called so—seem to follow a lay-out wholly unsuited for football sight-seeing. Therefore, it is obvious that tho Rugby Union has not a free hand, and although the Rugby patrons pay the piper the union lias not the power or perhaps the courage and initiative to give its supporters a fair deal.

“Grammar Old Boy” puts the case ot the bad lay-out well when he states that the circular contour is wrong from tho spectators' viewpoint, but this is not all.

Season after season we have the same old mud-pie surface on the playing area after half the lixtures are through; a state of affairs that would shame the smallest country club. The whole trouble is that the sward is starved and played out with close cutting and rolling during the summer months and a totally wrong kind of grass is sown, at least for football. Could anything be more futile than to see tarpaulins spread over the worst spots? Has the A.R.U. not seen Heath Robinson's suggestion of a ponderous, special umbrella brigade to shield the sod? Xo? Well, they have time yet to learn a few more quaint notions.

The A.R.U. is the provider of games and as such is called upon to give the players the very best grounds that it can command and also to its patrons who pay for this privilege—good ac-

commodatiun. This the Rugby Union is not doing at Eden Park. No alteration of rules or resting on past or present patronage will keep Rugbj football in its true, proud place as our premier national game, unless the foregoing conditions are observed. Therefore, it is to be hoped that nothing—even a temporary sacrifice —will stand in the way of its fulfilment. Either Eden Park must be controlled by the Rugby Union or it accept one of two alternatives —get out, or buy the cricketers out. Now, the question 1 want solved is whether the arrangement of ownership, if any, at Eden Park, permits either of the above pro posals?

Just another smaller but not unimportant tiling. Spectators expect to bo able to read the score board, a matter impossible at present, at least with any degree of certainty. Neither the names of the club nor the figures are large enough. Perhaps this will be one of the things that can be don*in time. A. O TITIRAXGI THE BIBLE Sir,— Mr. Langley, of Melbourne, presumes to criticise the Bible. He says: “Christ taught the idea of everlasting Hell.” We say: “Christ did nothing of the kind,” and we would be pleased to supply Mr. Langley with a treatise on “Hell” that would enlighten him as to the difference between Bible teaching and orthodox teaching. We have before us a treatise entitled “ hat Think Ye of Christ?” Among the intellectual giants and men of letters testifying to Christ as th‘greatest Being who trod this earth, we find the following names: Renan, Rousseau, Hegel, Jowett, Byron. Carlyle. Goethe, Sehelling. Strauss. Dr. Congreve, Thomas Decker, Martineau Leckey, Spinoza, Matthew Arnold. Herder, Theodore Parker, Napoleon, W R Oregg. Froude. Von Muller skated “Christ is the kej* to the history of the world.” Benjamin Franklin savs, “J think His system of morals and'religion as He left them to us the best the world ever saw or is likelv to see ” Fichte records: “Till the end of time all the sensible will bow low before this Jesus of Nazareth, and all will humbly acknowledge the exceeding glory of this great Phenomenon.'’ Renan says: “After Him. there is

nothing more to develop or fructify.” The master minds acknowledge the Master Mind of all time. The Bible is infallible, but not what passes (Contiriued in next column.)

currently as the teaching of the Bibb* There are plenty of wreckers. Langley, but give us the master buiKlK. R. MACPONALD. WhangareL

ANZAC DAY OBSERVANCES

Sir * . Tlio resolution that was passed recently by the Auckland Manufacturers Association that Anzac Lav should oe observed on the nearest Sunday is that should receive the strongest condemnation by every one of the community who reverences the name ©i Anzac and its memories. To think that Anzac Lay, its observances and all it means should - considered from the commercial point and that of financial loss, W wo consider that aspect when the ** was on? Now that the war is over ana men and women are left sorrowing a- ‘ yet glad, with a day set apart by law' of the land whereby they others can render homage to those so nobly paid the price all over w'orld, an organisation representing in commercial interests of Auckland ex «, -1 _t n i(u< De-

presses the opinfbn that Anzac JW is a most costly anniversary. . Yes, it is a costly anniversary snail the financial interests which m A.M.A. represents could not repay women bereft of their husb&n *» children of their fathers —the P* . they paid. Yes, to them it is a cosuy anniversary. . Why does the A.M.A. camouflage issue by putting forward the excuse for their reasoning that there is tendency to make Anzac Lay a hou- t day? Granted that there is a tendenc. | in that direction and I venture to s* o, j that it is but by a comparative ■ » I then it is for the authorities j to exercise the powers vested in them \ to make an end to it and for the gen- j oral public to so support the observa nee of Anzac Lay that those j of using it as a holiday will, by very j shame, cease from so doing. The rising generation is watching very closely. Plastic minds are bemb moulded and fashioned by loving Pff' ents and teachers to reverence tndead, give honour to our King country and to that end a more beauuful andv impressive lesson could h° have been given them than by to sight of those reverent thousands tr.a , assembled at the Cenotaph last Anza j Lay. I appeal to the general public to OP* pose on every possible occasion a * attempts to alter the present date Anzac Lay for the furtherance of busi* ness interests. Let us show that. Dy yet closer observance that we still r®* member—lest we forget. EDWARD 11. SUTHERLASB’ Grey Lynn.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDED “Facts”—Holding your letter until yjj forward name and address-—Ld.. * • Sun,