Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 970, 13 May 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

PARNELL ELECTION Sir, The Right Han. J. G. Coates and Sir Joseph Ward must be easily pleased if they let off any fireworks over the result of the Parnell byelection. Despite Mr. Endean’s victory the Reform and United parties will both fail to be top dog in the next Parliament if at the next General Election Labour increases its votes in all contested seats to the same extent as it did in 'Parnell, despite the superhuman efforts of the leading lights of the Reform and United parties. Let’s hope when the Cabinet meets at Rotorua it will decide to get right down to business in the forthcoming session and prove itself to contain statesmen by redeeming long-overdue promises. H. B. CLARK. CONSCIOUS CREATIVE POWER Sir.—Mr. C. P. W. Longdill will not perhaps mind a few questions. Ha says that “if there was no conscious creative power behind all things nothing whatever could have evolved or indeed come into existence at all.” Well, if “all things” need some greater conscious power to produce them, then logically on the same analogy the conscious power needs a still more wonderful and greater power to have, brought it into existence, and so on ad infinitum. So why go beyond where knowledge ceases? And where is the rational proof for the “spiritual power” that “must” effect the slightest change? Does Mr. Longdill know the meaning and associations of “consciousness” ? Does he rationally know of consciousness apart from animal (or human) organisms? If he means consciousness different therefrom, then things that are different cannot be the name, and it cannot be consciousness “as we know it” that he means. Then it is not “consciousness” at all. Is it. then, rational to call it so? Is it not rather

an irrational abuse of the clear meaning of words, leading to confused thinking ? And where does Darwin finally give his opinion that there is a “conscious creative power” as is insinuated? The statement attributed to Spencer may be true, but whether science ever ir ill realise a conscious creative power is quite another matter. PKOFAXCM VULGUS. BOWLING PROBLEMS Sir,— Relative to your paragraph in Friday’s issue with the headlines, Bowlers' Dissatisfied New Association Mooted Manukau Bowling Association, * it is hardly correct to say that the howlers resident in the Manukau County are dissatisfied, neither does it convey a fair impression. These bowlers could not help but appreciate the very fine efforts, and the management of tho Auckland Centre. The centre has for years catered for all parts of vide domain. The results accruing from this able management have, I consider, made bowling so popular that the increase in members and territory will make for unwieldy management, in that to ask clubs so far afield as Manurewa and Helensville to interchange friendly visits on a brief afternoon will be inconvenient to all but a select few. The writer was particularly struck with the county' system of the English Bowling Association, in that the counties affiliated to the Central Board find their champion singles, pairs, and rinks, and send them on to* compete in E.B.A. competitions. So successfully do the counties manage their affairs that each one publishes an annual book and a record of the season s play. On a basis of population, bowling is far more popular in this Dominion than in the United Kingdom, and I believe the time h is (Continued in next column.)