IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 214, 10 September 1934, Page 6

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

SUNDAY ISLAND. DIFFICULTIES OF SETTLEMENT. "• | (To the Editor.) I was 'much interested on reading "J.C.V* account of tlio history and repeated attempta at settlement of Sunday Island. In 18S9 & company was formed in Napier consisting of a few married people and single men to proceed to Sunday Island to grow "semitropical fruit and early vegetables for the New Zealand market. They left Napier in the schooner Dunedin, calling at Auckland en route to Sunday Island. The vessel arrived there safely and managed to land the pag. senders and goods. However, as "J.C." states the glamour of island life soon disappeared' the prospects were not very encouragin" and tlio rats commenced to eat the crops, so the married people soon returned to Napier, leaving a few single men behind, who preferred to stay for a while. In May, 1890, the German warship Condor, while on its way from Samoa to Auckland, noticed a fire the island, possibly a distress signal, °and kindly reported it to the authorities in Auckland. A steamer was sent there and brought the young fellows away, most of them afflicted with eores. I saw one of them in the Napier Hospital soon after returning, and if I remember rightly, the part of the island they occupied was very short of water and the land actually swarming with rats, which ate everything up that was planted. Earth tremors were frequent and parte of the island too hot to stand upon. The Bell family, who had lived there for many years and naturally occupied the best part of the island, were a remarkably healthy and active crowd. But the chicf trouble appeared to be the landing or shipping of goods. The late fcaptain Fairchild, of the Government steamer Hinemoa, a man of treat experience and knowledge of the New "Zealand coast and its outlying islands, paid & yearly visit to the Kermadecs, of which Sunday Island is tlie chief, tried unsuccessfully to ship some bales of wool for Mr. Bell 011 two occasions, but managed to do so on the third visit—that is, three years afterwards. What chance, then, have fruit or early vegetable growers? SETTLER.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH,

, Your correspondent "H.P.8." suggests that ( anyone who can see any merit in the economic i system of Soviet Eussia should pack up and ; go there. Presumably also any farmer who . sees any advantages in the agricultural system of Denmark should abandon the land of his ! birth and leave for Denmark. Apparently . "H.P.8." considers that we have reached the ; millenium in New Zealand and have nothing ; to learn from any other nation. I entirely disagree with him. I can see room for , improvement in many directions in this beautiful land of ours, and I deem it my duty to remain hero and do what I can to assist in bringing it about. In common with many ' other returned soldiers who are striving for the reform of our economic system in the realms of finance, industry, land settlement, and so on—men whose war records will, I think, compare favourably with that of "H.P.8.," if he has one—we maintain that we have as much right here as "H.P.8." or anyone else/who happens to think differently from us. History records that progress has been retarded right through the ages by the diehards and reactionaries. We have the same type in our midst to-day—the type of individual who regards orthodoxy as a sign of respectability and to whom the mere contemplation of a new idea gives a violent headache and causes him or her to "see red" immediately. Mr. H. G. Wells has remarked that the enemies of progress may be divided into two classes—those who stand still and look backward and those who look forward and stand still. There are a good many of each class in our community to-day. But we do not want our University professors to belong to either. It is their job to look forward and instil into the minds of their students a desire to go forward. If we are to emerge successfully from the present paradoxical condition of poverty amidst plenty to a saner social order, it will be largely due to the efforts of men like Professor Sewell who have th© courage to proclaim boldly the reason for the faith that is in them. R. C. SIMMONS. TRANSFER TICKETS ON TRAMS. I was rather pleased to see that someone was interested enough to write about the issue of workers' tickets. Not that I envy those who are, able to use them, but, like Mr. Bell, I would like to know why workers' tickets could not be mado transferable, and people encouraged to use the trams instead of walking. I live in the same district as Mr. Bell. I travel from Kiwi Eoad to Ponsonby Road, then change to a Ponsonby car and travel to Ponsonby, covering not more than three sections. By using concession cards, i.e., 3/6 and 1/9, it costs me 5/3 per week. Why should I have to pay that amount for three sections when people living near the beach can travel live sections for 3/6? Probably our Transport Board would bo kind enough to consider the matter, as I have no doubt there are many more cases like Mr. Bell's and mine. * A. W. SAVAGE. SUPERANNUATION. The "John Citizen" letters speak for themselves. A gentleman congratulates the person who gains something to benefit himself. The former reminds one of the tradesman who, when raided by thieves, complained bitterly that his fellow tradesmen were not also robbed. If tho "John" persons wero not so narrowminded they would endeavour to go one better and gain for themselves a pension scheme that they are also entitled to. If they had all protested against their "cuts" they had the chance of making tho big financier also accept his "cut" instead of exacting his pound of profiteering flesh. For heaven's sake let us be moro like Christians than envy our brother his opportunity of a fairly comfortable old age. A SMALL SUPERANNUITANT. OUR TRAM SERVICE. I have just returned to Auckland after spending a week in Dunedin, and what struck me there most was the manner in which the trams were patronised. But the explanation was easy—they have penny sections all over the city down there. Now if Dunedin, with only about half tho population of Auckland, can run the trams successfully with penny sections—and my friends in tho* South inform me that tho trams' account shows a nice surplus—why cannot it bo done in Auckland, instead of being a burden on the ratepayers to tho tune of thousands of pounds annually? BEN HUR. BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. Your correspondent A. E. Knight may perhaps bo entitled to indignation over certain injustices of tho moment, but as regards tho Bible in Schools Bill there is a provision that nobody can bo forced either to teach or to receive teaching. CHRISTIAN 1 .