'CHILDREN AND LYING.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1927, Page 8

'CHILDREN AND LYING.

It is little wonder that the remarks alleged to have been made by Canon James, of Auckland, that “lying among children is one of the curses of New Zealand to-day,” roused considerable indignation amongst parents, teachers and all who are interested in the training of our young folk. Canon James has now explained that the statement published was incorrect and contrary to the opinions he holds. His exhortation to children to always be truthful, out of which a wrong impression was made public, is teaching that all will approve, nor does it need anything in the nature of sensational statements to impress i'te importance upon boys and girls. In school work, in games, and in the social intercourse which is so important a part of school days, the undependable or deceitful character is soon detected and despised. Speaking broadly, there is no severer critic of personality and real character than the average school boy or girl, and the judgment is rarely at fault. That this is the case reflects credit upon our system of education, and particularly upon the teachers in the primary eehools, who have the first opportunity and the tremendous responsibility of guiding the just awakening minds of their pupils into the ways of truth and to a conception of their duty to each other and to their country. It is so much the habit to take all this excellent work for granted that it needs a statement such as that wrongly attributed to Canon James to awaken the community to a realisatipn of how well it is being done, and the gratitude it owes to its teachers.