THE BROADCASTING SERVICE NEW BRIGHTON AFFAIRS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21939, 13 November 1936, Page 17

THE BROADCASTING SERVICE

NEW BRIGHTON AFFAIRS

TO THE BDITOB Or Al PRESS Sir, —Under the caption “Road through Private Property” in ypur November 11 there appear aeveral very inaccurate statements Ww inferences against the New Brighton Borough Council, The remarks toade at the meeting of the North .Beach organisation show a deplorable «ck of knowledge of the true positon, and a spirit of lamentable Parochialism. Anyone who is cognisant of the tablem of unemployment as it exists tt New Brighton to-day—and has exited for some years owing to the drift ®om the city—will know that there •**, and is, a grave situation. Proftttted periods of unemployment, jtoled with sickness, have been facia b creating untold hardship In the baas of many ratepayers also. |&ooking at the matter from that Ingle alone the borough council is HuOy to be commended for taking the ■pal action it did with a view to ■Plating the position. The relief of ■ness has been a problem of great HUmitude, a problem that has been Mpo one man: to bear for too long HnodL Jt, then, the council should

suddenly look on the unemployment problem through humanitarian eyes, there is need for commendation and not for condemnation by a small, Obscure meeting of disgruntled persons.

Had the council proceeded with the plan devised for the promotion of employment, as originally prepared, ths reaction would immediately have been felt in increased spending power. I believe Messrs Leaver and Kelly both claim to be supporters of the present Government. How can they reconcile their present attitude with the oft-repeated assertion of the Prime Minister that increased spending power in the hands of the people is the only road back to prosperity? Evidently they are not too sure of where they belong or what they believe in this connexion. It is palpably plain that had the work proposed been undertaken, the business people of the borough would have benefited by the increase of at least £6O a week in pending power. One fact both persons reported overlooked is the one of primary importance—the purchase of plant, in other words, the provision of assets that would not vanish into thin air on the. completion of the work contemplated.

Now for the road that caused the heartburning. As a former Mayor, Mr Leaver should know that the road has been dedicated and is the property of the borough council. Had the work been put in train a section of the road to be formed would have been metalled at the expense of the section owners on the frontage. The one feature Messrs Leaver and Kelly should recognise is that the road is now public property. Another point they fail to recognise is that New Brighton does not spell North Beach only. Under the proposed loan the council had, I gather, certain scheduled works in south, central, and north Brighton. Apart from the benefit of having work done now with Government assistance that eventually will have to be done from rates, there would have been the creation ’of happiness in many homes over the coming festive season Owing to increased spending power. The men on sustenance should remember that fact. The business people should also realise that any scheme for the promotion of employment in the borough must of necessity react beneficially to them. It is greatly to be regretted that the loan was not finalised because there is need for co-operation with the Government, and for helping the people, whose need is great. The Mayor has carried the burden too long and the council could, with advantage to itself, to the ratepayers, and to the people generally, reconsider its decision. Other local bodies throughout New Zealand have done it. Why not New Brighton? This is 1936, not 1876! Let us have co-operation.— Yours, etc., CLEAR SIGHT. November 12. 1930.

TO THE EDITOB OT TH* PRESS. Sir, —In listening in the other evening to a t>lay, “The Skin Game,” which was being broadcast from 3YA station, I heard and recognised the voice of Professor Shelley, and then fell to considering some features of broadcasting in New Zealand. It. may be that broadcasting, as it will be reorganised under the new director, will be greatly improved. We all hope so; there is room for it; and we wish the director all success in his new role.

But many of us are mystified about that appointment and our Parliamentary representatives would do us a great service if they enlightened us. One might have thought that in making this appointment, the first of its kind for the Dominion, the Government would have sought for a man of special experience of broadcasting control; but,’ so far as the people know, the new director had not such experience. There may be some merit in keeping our own plums in public service for our own people; but it does not always make for the best service and the greatest efficiency. On the British Broadcasting Corporation’s board there are four directors With salaries of £IOOO each. Such a salary for a director helping to control a public service ministering to between 40 and 50 million people seems very inadequate when compared with our director’s salary for a service ministering to one and a half million people. The people would like to learn more about the reasons which fixed the choice on Professor Shelley. It is not unfair to ask that the reasons which induced the Government to make 1 its choice should be made public. At the same time the total cost in salaries of the broadcasting administration might be given. The people who pay are entitled to such information.—Yours, etc., A LISTENER-IN. October 27, 1936. [The Prime Minister, Mr Savage, to Whom this letter was referred,’said that he made it a rule not to reply to anonymous correspondents.— Ed., “The Press.”]