LIFE ON WEST COAST

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1929, Page 12

LIFE ON WEST COAST

. CRITICISM BY MINISTER C'GMMENT' IN' GREY MOUTH. “A MODICUM’OF TRUTH.’’ The remarks regarding social conditions on west;''coast^-6fi : ',th& South '*>’ Island , which were made at Hamilton . ' last week by the Rev? H. Gi Gilbert: 1 form the subject ; of-a leading; article in the Greymouth- Evening. Star. It says:— •, “It is, of'course; the duty of all West Coasters to be i-eady to defend the goodname of the district should occasion require, but. it would- be folly for them to adopt the attitude toward visitors that ■ all adverse impressions must ■be abandoned when they enter here. The West ■, Coast - has often had nice ’ things said-- of the district’s attributes, its hospitality and goodwill, and Coasters must not become ultra-sensitive if a stray contrary opinion is ventilated. - “Recently, a Presbyterian minister, Rev. 11, G. Gilbert, visited the Coast and was apparently grieved to find that some of the conventions to which he is accustomed, and which appeal .to 'his personal convictions, were- less honoured by some in these parts, especially in the mining districts. When he reached his homo town, Hamilton, he told, his own congregation of his misgivings, and. expressed regret that his own standards were- not maintained elsewhere. All- very natural; similar things happen every week, in all parts of the-world?’/ ‘WMMUNISTS” AND '‘PATRIOTS^’-7 ’ In regard, to the criticism of Mr. -GiL< ' bert's remarks the newspaper ..says:—. “We must, confess that we fail, to ..see -’C that the pulpit utterance was ‘so widely separated from fact? Occasional coast ‘rationalist’funerals cannot. be; denied, the Communist doctrines, especially ’ia . the Buller constituency; liave-. been frequently condemned in this column and to. pretend there arc no district Reds, bitterly opposed to - Church, Bible and Monarchy,would, be absurd. “Mr. Gilbert appears to have emphasised at the outset that he .was referring to only a few localities and none should know more than .Coasters themselves that he had some justification /for his comments. Coast Communists should . be" the ' last .to be defended by Coast' patriots. .The Reds have consistently striven to bring the West Coast, into disrepute.and Mr. Gilbert’s ‘discoveries* supply another instance of the harm these , malcontents effect.” As to the alleged happenings on Sunday, the writer remarks':—“To ' give ' a fair deal to Mr. Gilbert—and no Wesc Coaster should, begrudge that—it is not necessary to agree with him in his attitude toward Sunday observance. He belongs to a school of thought the members of which take somewhat narrow .. views of how the day should be spent. Mr. Gilbert was not too flattering to the ministers now working, on the. West Coast, but -the zeal of a missioner haa ’ to bo taken into consideration. Much ado has been made about a comparative nothing, but meanwhile everything will continue as usual?' COMMENT BY PRIEST. ; The -Rev. Father Long, of Greymduth, has made the following comment: — “There is a modicum of truth in the charges, but the general impression gained by reading a report of Mr. Gilbert’s statement is decidedly unfair to the people of the Coast as a whole and particularly to those residents in or -about the Greymouth district. “I have an intimate experience of them for over eight years and during . that period. so ■ large, have our ■ congregations grown that we have found it necessary to supply an extra ■ Sunday mass in St. Patrick’s Church. In addition to the three-morning and one evening services held regularly in Greyiriouth Church) we have also in the country districts six other morning services and one evening service, to supply for our people, and these are invariably well attended. If in the interim oup'" young pepple engage in sport and healthy, athletic exercise, I do not object, /i‘ “Regarding the dead, I do- not knowhow the funerals of those who do nbt profess Christianity/arc observed. Refer tring to our own fold? I am sure West .- Coasters pay more respect and reverence ; to their departed than do any other residents of New Zealand with whom. I am acquainted?.’