IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 221, 18 September 1929, Page 6

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

MUNICIPAL INSURANCE. A WORD FOR THE COMPANIES. (To the Editor.) It was interesting to read the very logical criticism of the above scheme in your subleader on Monday night. For some reason, not apparent to the average Individual, there seems to be a strong feeling of resentment against the successful operations of the companies promoted and so ably conducted in the Dominion— a company like the "New Zealand," which Las carried the Dominion's name practically throughout the world and made it favourably known everywhere by its fair dealing, or the "South British," which, though not so intimately associated with the Dominion's name, has also spread its good service and fair name through the world. One wonders why. These surely are institutions to be proud of, yet the very fa.ct that both these companies have gathered a small percentage of profits from the ends of the earth to this Dominion and with it have erected fine buildings to adorn this fair city seems to rankle in the minds of some peculiar people. I recall a "talk" on the subject of insurance given at the Rotary Club some time ago which was widely published in the local papers. In that talk the speaker set out the principles of insurance as "a small payment by the many to meet the losses of the few." That seems to me to sum up the position very fairly, and when one examines carefully the "profit" made by the companies it will' generally be found to be a very small percentage of the total of the premiums they handle. To pursue the idea embodied in the scheme now proposed, where does it lead to? Supposing every corporate body and trade combination, every community or even every town with a good record decided to do likewise. The result Avould be disastrous for the rest of the community, as they would have to pay exorbitant rates' to meet the ever-present loss cost. In other words, i f the fire waste costs the Dominion £1,250,000 annually and you eliminate all the cksses that show a minimum loss, the full burden of that loss must be borne by the remainder. The moral seems to be that we must continue to one another's burdens and that " + o live and let live" is an excellent precept for us all to follow —especially municipalities. G. R. BUTTLE. GRAFTON BRIDGE. Another unhappy soul has made his exit from this life to another by means of Grafton Bridge. Some time ago, while presiding at an inquest, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., suggested that something should be done to make it more difficult for people to throw themselves over this bridge. He remarked that the bridge appeared to have a psychological effect on some people. lam sure that Mr. Hunt was right in his opinion and that great heights have a sort of fascination for people suffering from depression or nerves and that they feel an impulse to throw themselves over. I know the case of a man who suffered from ill-health and a nervous breakdown, but doctors were unable for a long time to discover the cause. He said that it was only with difficulty that he could cross a. bridge without throwing himself over. It was found at last that there was some trouble with the spine, apparently from an old injury, and since having an opera-; tion he has been a different man. He gives the credit of his cure chiefly to the skill of an honorary doctor who visits the Public Hospital. Is it not possible to have some sort of wire fence or entanglement as was used at the war at the top of the bridge, which would not entirely hide the beautiful view one glimpses from it, and yet would serve the purpose mentioned? . GRAFTON^ ELECTRICAL WIREMEN.

Allow me to inform the employees of the Auckland Power Board, Mr. H. Magee and others, that an electrical apprentice has to serve five years, not three years, in apprenticeship. After he has completed three years of this and he is nineteen years of age, then he is eligible to sit for his examination for regis-, tration as an electrical wireman. Five days ago I was on a new job when the plasterer's labourer came to me and said that he had been going to run a light in his washhouse but he had thought twice of it, as too many people were being killed. This is not an isolated case. We get it on nearly every job we go on. Mr. Magee and company state that they are better qualified to do our job that we are ourselves. I would like to see either one of them walk on. to one of the big contracts going up in town now, say, the Civic Theatre, or the new railway station, and take over-and finish it. G.F.J.

ETHICS OF GAMBLING. Ml'. C. E. Major repeats his hazy definition of chance, but lie makes no attempt to show what that definition has to do with my denial of his wild postulation that the whole of life is a gamble from start to finish. But your correspondent is to he congratulated; his latest letter is quite free from "ifs," "no doubts" and "evidentlies." It may be hoped by your interested readers that this is the first step towards a dropping of the whole of irrational superstition so dogmatically put abroad by Rationalist propagandists. In Thursday's letter Mr: Major says, "Again I contend that history and experience teach life to be one practically continuous gamble as often as not, the victim or laurel-crowned being not responsible for failure or success of the various adventures and experiences of their lives, be they fair or foul." I cannot allow. Mr. Major to wriggle away from his first postulation. Originally he said "the whole of life from start to finish is a gamble," and now he would like to whittle down his wild dogmatism by introducing "practically" and "as often as not." A fifty per cent reduction is surely some effect for "woefully ignorant McHaigh" to secure! But if that hateful doctrine (the non-respon-sibility of men for their experiences "be they fair or foul") is the guiding principle of Rationalism, then give me the more honest principle of the man who has the courage to stand up to his manhood hy accepting responsibility for his actions, good or bad. Under the nauseating principle enunciated by Mr. Major, quoted above, any thief, murderer, or debaucher of children could excuse himself by whining "I couldn't help it; I was the victim of life's gamble." Mr. Major concludes a rather nervous letter by inferring that my reading the report of the Scots Hall debate was merely a chance. Wrong again. The very opposite is true. I deliberately arranged to have the "Star" delivered daily," as every wise man does; and I chose to read the report so well captioned by its writer. Mr. Major deliberately chose to make the wild statement which arrested my attention. Yet these free acts, including his own, Mr. Major describes as a gamble! Surely it is a twisting of words from their proper connotation to apply either "philosophy" or "rational" to a reasoning so unreasonable. HUGH McHAIGH. FISHING IN THE GULF. In his letter in your issue of the 13th inst. Captain R. Nixon stated that three hundred cases, the pick of the trawler-caught fish, were shipped to Sydney each week. This is contrary to fact. Nearly all the fish shipped to Sydney passes through my hands, and during the six months ending August 31 the weekly shipments averaged eighty-three eases, ninetyfive per cent of which comprised varieties unsaleable in Auckland (trevalli, big schnapper, tarakihij etc). WILLIAM JOHN" GIBBONS.