POINTS OF VIEW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 234, 3 October 1935, Page 27

POINTS OF VIEW.

THE ONLOOKER'S CASE. MOUNT ALBERT AND SUNDAY PICTURES. It was with amusement not unmixed with disgust that I read the varied reasons (as reported) of members of the Mount Albert Borough Council for banning Sunday pictures. The Mayor was against commercialising Sunday; a vague term, indeed. Mr. Ivaye, it seems, is concerned for those who, were pictures shown, would be called 011 to work on the Sabbath. Since both these gentlemen have cars, it would be interesting to know if they are in favour of bowser attendants and breakdown ■ crews being engaged at 1 their jobs on Sundays, also purveyors of light refreshments? Mr. Carr was solicitous of the morals of the young people who might attend there. Since children have access to the pictures six days of the week, his reason was a poor one for banning screenings 011 the holy day. Mr. Anderson was at least frank in his opposition, bowing as he did to old and worn-out prejudice. 111 days gone by it was (in many parts of the Old Country, at any rate) a doubtful practice to go out in one's car on a Sunday, or even to ride in a tram to rest one's weary legs. The reading of newspapers also merited strict censure. We have progressed a little since then, and we may yet see the sons and daughters of our worthy councillors attending the "flicks" 011 the Sabbath day. Here's hoping. J.B.McC. AN OPEN CONFESSION. As an objector to the formation of tho Milk Council, also to the proposed amendments to the Act, and having continually criticised the council through tho medium of tho "Star," I was interested to read tho account in the "Star" of tho 27th instant, relating to tho "bouquets" received in place of the usual "brickbats" at the Milk Council meeting held on tho 27th instant. As this is tho first opportunity I have had of presenting "bouquets" in place of my usual "brickbats," I hasten to add my quota to thoso received by the council from Amburys, Ltd., which firm tlio consumers of tho metropolitan area have considered to bo in a favoured position. Likewise do I olTer my sincere congratulations to the Milk Council for their honesty in reading the congratulatory letter in open council for the benefit of tho consumers, who, along with tho fresh milk suppliers and farmer vendors generally, certainly are not so fortunate as to bo enjoying benefits to warrant tho proffering of "bouquets." However, I can only hope that this act will be a forerunner of further enlightening information from meetings held in open council, for which tho "milk bored" will be greatly thankful. R. L. PRESTON. ORGAN RECITALS.

In reference to the Town Ilall organ and tho suggestion that an official organist should be appointed, may I be allowed to protest against this course on the ground that there is not enough public interest taken in organ music to justify such a step. When Mr. Maunghan Barnet was organist wc had a long series of Saturday night recitals which were very pctorly attended; in

fact, I wrote to your paper at the time proving from figures published that the average attendance was about 250, and asked if it was right to restrict the use of our beautiful Town Hall to such a limited number. The fact is that people, even those of strong musical tastes, are not prepared to listen to high-class organ music for a couple of hours, broken only by a solo or two from a singer, while to the great, majority such an evening would be the very quintessence of boredom, never to be repeated. At the time it was claimed that an organ music loving audience could be built up, and the recitals in Birmingham were quoted as an instance, but the fact is that free recitals were given by Mr. Perkins, the city organist, on Saturday afternoons for many years, over 30, I believe, which may have resulted in increased attendances, but they were quite free nwl held at a time when the hall was seldom required for other purposes. Many of your readers will remember the series of popular Saturday evening concerts given in our Town Hall by Philip Newbury and Madame Spada, assisted by local singers and instrumentalists, and very popular they were, too. Oil each of these evenings the organ was used, about two items being given by different organists, which were well received. This, to my mind, is the true purpose of the organ; an adjunct to tlio Municipal Band and other concerts, and I am sure there is no lack of capable organists in the city who would be pleased to give such a service occasionally, but the items would have to be reasonably light. High-class organ music will never be popular. H.R.G.

NEW ZEALAND EXCHANGE POLICY.

Mr. J. Hislop needs no one's "aid." If Mr. W. Gray knew a quarter of tlie evil the 25 per cent exchange has wrought in the minds of the English towards New Zealand ho would change his tone rapidly. Mr. Gray's reasoning is humorous. He states that he "sees no connection" between parity of prices between New Zealand and England and parity of the English and New Zealand £1. That settles Mr. Gray. The year of the "peak prices" in New Zealand was the first year the depression began to be felt in the English provinces.. I was in England at the time. The factory employers were ordered by the British Government to dismiss men over 00 years of age, many of whom bad 30 or 40 years with their firm, but that was not allowed to count. Many of the employers were deeply moved at the depth of sorrow they were forced to impose, for those men knew they had done their last day's work. The' depression grew and spread. I came back to New Zealand, and when I was told of the peak prices I said, "It is the last time." I was laughed at, but prices gradually dropped. We here in New Zealand did not feel tlie depression until Britain was recovering. Britain has held out a friendly hand to tlie Dominions, but the return she is receiving is slowly but surely hardening the outlook of those who control affairs. I thought that the King's Jubilee would see a return to the old safe methods of trading, but no. New Zealand and Australian Prime Ministers enjoy the prestige of their position and come back determined to continue the "greed" policies. Are the farmers of New Zealand awake to the consequences? British trade will be sought for long after this present Government is forgotten. It may soon be too late to retreat from the utter selfishness of the present trading policies. The British people have borne the Jieavy taxation for the upkeep of the Army and tlie Navy which have been New Zealand's safeguard. Will New Zealand farmers wake up? L. CABRADINE.

LABOUR AND PRICE CUTTING. Writing in the "Labour Notes" column j of the "Star" on. Saturday 'laStj "Co.-operation" infers that master;! bakers who pay more than 23/ per week j to their carters do not get any more for their delivered bread owing to lack of Labour co-operation. Maybe he is right about the price received, as some master 1 bakers who are charging the official price as fixed by the Master- Bakers' Association arc notorious for low wages, and pay very little, if any, more than 25/ per week, and I do not mean a 48-liour week either. Then he says that bakers' carters are trying to break away from the General Carters' Union. He is wrong. The bakers' carters certainly want and need. an award to govern their wages and working conditions, but according to "Co-operation's" statement the master bakers do not. "Co-operation" says the greatest monopoly to-day is union labour. Wrong again. It is the Employers' Association. Will he tell us how many times union assessors have been met in conciliation (?) councils during tho past/ three years by the employers' offer of low wages and a curt intimation of "Take it or leave it"? I have lost count, but it has happened often enough to prove that there is no justification for the statement that union labour forces the employers to do anything. Further 011 "Co-operation" says that Labour will support the nonunion price cutter. Wrong once more, "Co-operation." Workers generally, and organised labour in particular, will not support non-union price cutters provided there is something to distinguish the non-union from the union employer. Jf "Co-operation" is a master baker I suggest to him that he should use his influence in his own association to have decent wages and working conditions fixed for all employees in his industry, and then let the public know, by posters displayed in shops and 011 carts, where union conditions are observed. A method similar to that was employed in Wellington over two years ago, and now bakers and carters have awards and there is 110 cutting prices as far as bread is concerned in Wellington. It seems rather absurd for "Co-operation" to weep so much about a Labour Council's action, or lack of action, in view of the fact that the present conditions were mainly brought about by a Tory Government that has followed the dictation of the Employers' Federation in respect to Labour legislation. In conclusion, if "Co-operation" desires to live up to his pen-name in reality I can assure him of the support of tiie Operative Bakers' Union in letting the public know the names of employers who observe agreed--011 conditions. I have no authority to speak for tho Drivers' Union, but feel sure that any overtures made to Mrj G. Davis, the secretary of that organisation, will bo met in a friendly spirit. E. ,T. WATSON, Secretary Auckland Bakers and Pastrycooks' Union of Workers.

WORLD DAY FOR ANIMALS. Once more World Day "or Animals is very near —October 4, the day dedicated to the memory of St. Francis of Assisi on account of his great love and sympathy for all creation. He knew 'and understood that all were the children\of the One Father and were drawing their life from the one life source; that men, animals, birds, fishes, insects, trees and flowers were all imbibing from this life ■stream, living, breathing and moving in it. The animals and birds were amen-able-to his kindness and sympathy. We treat them as something inferior to ourselves, and are continually waging war on them. Thousands are slaughtered daily for food; if we must partake of their flesh, we should insist that humane kindness is used in every way possible towards them, in transport, etc. It seems that man is not the perfect creature, because lie has to go to the animals and perform cruel operations on them to try to find cures for his ailments and diseases; so the animals must be perfect, after all. Do people pause to think before wearing the furs the awful agonies entailed on these animals to procure these skins, a great many of them mothers? I always feel sad when I sec people decked in fur coats; they look to me like animals standing oil their hind legs asking for protection. We rear birds, then liberate them. What for? Only to shoot at them. The cry is often heard that certain animals are increasing; we must shoot them, we want their skins, etc. When we go to war we expect these eieaturcs to tsike their part with us; wo also experiment oil their bodies to obtain the poisonous gas used in the wars. We demand all from them, but gne very little in return. Can we expect any other than wars, murders, violent deeds, etc., while we are thus waging war continually on these creatures? We reap what we sow. Wo are creating the cause—effect follows. AVc say they are dumb; they are not. If we go to a country where we do not understand the language spoken we do not say the people are dumb. These animals and birds have their own language. When man realises he is not the only unit of consideration on this planet, but gives these creatures their rights, he will be creating better conditions for himself. I. NOBLE '

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS,

SUBSCRIBER.—Mr. Coulter contested lauranga as a National candidate in 192.), Mr. Macmillan, sitting Government member, retaining the seat with a majority of 2220.