"My attention has been directed - as newspaper complainants say - to some remarks by 'Magister' in his interesting 'Public Schools Column' on the New Zealand boy when a tramcar passenger. Summed up in a word, the New Zealand boy is ill-bred. The instinct of courtesy has been omitted from his moral make-up. Having paid for a tramcar seat, his instinct is to get to the seat he has paid for, to sit in it, to sit tight, sullen and dogged, though women are left to stand. Incredible, of course; yet I have seen it myself. What is worse I have seen in the newspaper letters signed 'Mother,' 'Indignant Parent,' and the like, justifying this graceless cub and resenting criticism. Perhaps, poor fellow, the boy has been running about all day and is tired - if a seat belongs to him, why shouldn't he sit in it? This is that doctrine of grab, of rights without duties, which is preached from so many noisy platforms today. In fact, it is a phase of Socialism. Succeeding it would reduce us to savages. Some future explorer investigating our manners and customs would be able to report, in the naval formula, 'manners none, customs nasty,' But there is another type of New Zealand boy, which I insist must be the true type. His cap comes off if a lady speaks to him; he answers with a bright-eyed intelligence; he is alert in doing anything he may for her convenience; to give her a seat if a fellow passenger in a public conveyance he would stand till he dropped. This boy it is who will be the gentleman, though I am easy with the word."- Civis.
• Charitable-minded housewives in the northern end of town may be warned not to look with too favourable an eye upon the applicant. should a fairly well-dressed woman present herself to them with a tale of distress involving starving children. At least half a dozen cases from a small circle have been reported to us which suggest that this woman is an imposter. The story generally is to the effect that the husband has but recently secured work up Central Otago and will receive his wages at the end of the month.
Till then she has nothing with which to provide food for her starving children - the number not being specified - having spent her last eighteen pence in procuring a billy-can for her departed spouse.
This tale has done duty for the past two years. Some of those to whom appeal is made give money, food or clothes.
Work has been offered - ironing, in one case - but, unfortunately, "the woman did not know how to iron." - ODT, 29.6.1912.
