IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 85, 11 April 1931, Page 8

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED. BETTER ROADS NEEDED * , s , . _•*; f (To the Editor.) It is gratifying to the writer that his letter has found support in at least one and the reply by ''Vox'' is very much to" the"Tpoint. At the present rate within the next six months, the city and suburban councils have spent something like £MO,UOO on relief * work, consisting chiefly of grass cutting and rooting up gorse. This, I am bound to sav is nothing short of scandalous waste of money' because the money could be expended in far' I more useful channels. In particular, the East Coast 1-toad and the West OJoast roads have > always been in a disgraceful condition,' chiefly due to the low rating values of the districts By the various authorities pooling their funds' including Government subsidies, and coordinating "fcnerally, practical and permanent benefit would result. These roads would «ivc 5 better access to vacant lands close to the" city , to the West Coast beaches, and improve com- 'V munications all round. The Automobile Asso-' % ciation could further add to its already exeelli lent record by taking the initiative and invit-£ ing the local authorities to meet and discuss i : the matter at a round-table conference. It "I would appear to be a simple matter to estab- - lish, say, three or four camps, provide sleep- ' ing and cooking accommodation in order to"* avoid waste of time in travelling backward* and forwards at frequent intervals. Would* it not give greater satisfaction to the couu-' ; »] cils of Mount Albert, Mount Eden, the Citv Takapuna and others to have their portion of A the money spent 011 permanent works like good roads outside their areas than on cutting grass and gorse within their own 'boundaries J or is parochialism to triumph over common • sense? Anyway, the residents of those same boroughs benefit ultimately when motoring over those roads. C. MACKLEY. *

NEW LYNN RATES.'

A correspondent in last evening's issuer makes reference to two recent rises of 4d in , the £ in the New Lynn rating, with no ne#! works to show for it. There has' bseii jsf| increase in the New Lynn rating during the past two years, the rate being an amalgamated' • one of 1/ in the £ on the nr. improved • value. - Of this rate 9 11-lGd i» required for special rating purposes. A general rate of 2 5-l(>d was struck last year, being the lowest since ' the unimproved value ha* 'been operating.":-! The last general rate struck by the old Town Board was 3 9-16 d of an amalgamated rate of Bd. At that time ratepayers were rated for the sewerage scheme only to the extent of Id '■ in the £. The scheme was completed that year, and, consequently, the full weight of the loan became a charge during the following year, and is now an annual charge of s|d •; in the £ on the present assessment. Your '• correspondent infers that an increase of ,4d ' was made with no new works to shbw for it', • completely forgetting the sewerage scheme. ; GEO. LAWSotf, . Acting-Mayor....

REGISTRATION.

Reading /'Sense's" letter in Thursday's "Star," I can quite imagine he is one of thW' men who think that the poor post'office clerk" is the one who is responsible for the .passing of the Unemployment. Act and making hiuu pay his 7/6 each quarter-year. He thus goes-; 1 along to the post office filled with the intend tion of taking it out of the clerk. His letter, savours of -this when he writes that he has 1 " sent a copy of his application form along tO; the Unemployment Board and that it can sue' him as a test case. I would like to inform "Sense" that the post office clerks are in no way responsible for the Employment Act. The official is a man like every other m4n\ who is employed. He has to do his work and do it properly. The form has to he filled!,:; in correctly; anything will not do, otherwise., there is endless waste of time on the officials' part and on the part of the applicant himself when later lie has to be chased for the correct particulars. It takes no longer to do the jot): properly at first, so why not fill in th» form correctly? With the collection of the levy, and now with the registration of the unemployed at the various post offices, the postal officials are pressed heavily for time all day and have no time to deal with anyone who wants to be cantankerous. A little consideration for the officials will work wonders. Help them and they will help you. -No, I cannot believe that the six officials at Wellesley' Street can all be in the wrong a-iid all have subjected "Sense" to so much humbug. COMMON SENSE.

MURRAY'S BAY.

Mr. Craig's comment upon the "Star's" report of the meeting called re the proposal to change the name of the above is obviously an ex-parte Statement and as such calls for little comment. The question as to whether the residents wish for the name to be changed is" for the council to decide. We wish to say that in our opinion the "Star's" report, was a fair, unbiased one and sums up the tone of the meeting accurately. The actual result of the meeting was that forty-four ratepayers expressed themselves against the change either by vote or by letter, and twenty-five voted for the change. We trust that the sundry legal points raided by those who wish for thename to be changed will be dealt with in as practical a manner by the Waitemata Council as was done 'by the chairman of the meeting and by the writer of the "Star" report. On "behalf of those opposed to any change of name, A.' A. POND. g

CANTEEN FUNDS,

May I offer a suggestion as to the disposal of these funds? In the first place these are the property of the "Diggers" and should be applied for their benefit alone. Although we are anxious to help every branch of tlic serr vice, I think it would be only right that this money collected from New Zealanders for New Zealanders. should not be used for any other branch of the service, and if it could take the form of annuities of a sensible amount it would fill a definite need and it would be more patriotic to make use of it in this way than in handing out small amounts to h e P unemployment and sickness, as they are doing at present. MAIN BODY, 12/1133 A.

MILFORD BEACH,

I am sorry to see a disgruntled '•Visitor' "knocking" the extremely popular Milfo r Beach, "but who can help the seaweed being cast upon it? True there are stones, but tWare practically all at the creek end, and ! visitors walk among the stones they shou watch where they tread. There are acres 0 sand with no stones 011 ililford Beach, why not keep away from the stoney P ar "Visitor's" opinion of Auckland's most pop" lar w beach is a joke. He must have had t* "pip" the dav he called. The suggested over" by the council might well be atten to, for the great popularity of this beac brings thousands of visitors through the mer*with consequent litter that should removed regularly. [ FOLLOW THE CEOW&