MR HELMANN’S CONCERT

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25934, 14 October 1949, Page 10

MR HELMANN’S CONCERT

Sir,—Judging by the enthusiastic recalls of Mr Heimann at the conclusion of his concert last evening, the large audience obviously appeared richly rewarded—more especially so when he generously acceded to four encore requests. Any artist is open to criticism and must certainly expect it, but surely there are canons of good taste to be observed in criticising an artist who brings to us in our isolation the opportunity of hearing good music. Certainly your critic could not have been expressing the opinion of the majority of the musiclovers who went to the Civic Theatre, not expressly to be educated, but to enjoy. “H.S.K.K.’s” sarcastic critique strikes the reader as an effort on his part to be smart at the expense of a ?J ea -J'T a , rtist - 1 enjoyed every minute of Mr Heimann’s concert and regret this discourtesy.—Yours, etc., 4 CELIA CLARK. October 13, 1949.

.«T?i r vJ" Does your musical reporter H.S.K.K.” suffer from some gross type of nausea, that he furnishes your readers with such a contemptuous critique of a programme containing some of the great pianistic compositions, which are considered as classics both in the old world and the new. I refer to those by Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann? Does he play the piano? I think one would have to search in vain in the annals of “The Press” to find an equally superlatively contemptuous castigation of any visiting artist.—Yours, etc., ALMA CAREY. October 13, 1949.

Sir, —As one who attended the concert by Aleksandr Heimann last evening, I should like to congratulate him on his choice of programme. Too many visiting artists cater only for the “musical intelligentsia,” yvho are, happily. a minority, and thus deny the musically-minded public the chance to hear music they can understand played by experts. Your critics both last night and Saturday night have apparently allowed the maxim, “a little knowledge,” to cloud their judgment. I suggest that a little more overseas experience might improve their insular criticisms. Indeed, last night’s criticism was merely an attack on the pianist’s choice of items —a fact which was clearly advertised beforehand and therefore could have been avoided by those who do not appreciate “the people’s” tastes.—Yours, etc., VOX POPULI October 13, 1949.

Sir,—As one of the many hundreds of people who attended and enjoyed Mr Heimann’s recital last evening, and in view of the adverse criticism in your paper this morning, I would sug-

*gest that your critic have a quiet evening at home on Saturday, when perhaps he could get full measure of enjoyment playing the piano to his ov/n satisfaction.—Yours, etc., CONCERT GOER. October 13, 1949.

NASSELLA TUSSOCK Sir,—ls the member for Hurunui aware of the tremendous alarm and dissatisfaction existing among the farmers of North Canterbury at the actions of the Nassella Tussock Board? Docs he know the tremendous cost of this afforestation scheme of doubtful success? Much of this cost will be recurring, as trees will certainly not grow on the hot, dry faces which is the habitat of nassella. He certainly will be asked many questions on the subject when he starts electioneering. We cannot understand why Mr Earl says that “cattle nibble nassella if pressed." Plain observation proves otherwise. Why does Mr Earl not tell the public that nassella only thrives on hot, dry faces, and that where the nassella is thickest the farmers concerned state that they are still carrying as much stock and carrying them as well as they ever did.—Yours, etc.. SHORTHORN. October 4, 1949.

The member of Parliament for Hurunui (Mi W. H. Gillespie) says: “I

will be pleased to answer any questions when I start electioneering.” The chairman of the North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Board (Mr J. W. Earl) said that it was not his policy to answer anonymous correspondence. He had indicated that on previous occasions when similar letters had been referred to him. TAXATION ON SUPERANNUITANTS

Sir, —It is probably not generally known that the Government extracts both social security and income tax from allowances paid to public servants. This is most inequitable. Public servants contribute to the fund during the whole of their service, usually not less than 40 years. Now under the Social Security Act the payments to a man and wife are £5

a week, free of all taxes. Their payments to their fund are 7J per cent. 1 ; public servants pay the same tax and not less than 5 per cent, as well. Why should not thrifty superannuitants—either in State departments or private undertakings—enjoy the same rights? It is clearly another case of double taxation. Paradoxically enough, it has been left to a Socialist Government to consider removing double taxation between the Australian States and New Zealand. Will our Government come a little nearer home and put right this injustice to superannuitants?—Yours, etc., SUPERANNUITANT. September 19, 1949.

[“The correspondent is evidently referring to the relatively few higher retiring allowances only, because the existing exemptions and rebate in respect of income tax remove the great majority of superannuitants from the income tax paying field.” says the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash). “As regards social security, however, all informed persons will know that every enlightened and civilised nation is making provision within its capacity along the lines of that operative in New Zealand, whereunder a reasonable minimum income is assqred to those whose earning capacity is adversely affected by age, illness or unemployment. This provision can only be made from taxation of the national income; and to exempt any section, whose income is above the minimum, would be unjust. Where taxation takes the net income below the minimum, the Social Security Act provides for a special benefit to meet the deficiency. Possibly the correspondent has overlooked th’s, and has also overlqoked the probable fact that if he assesses how much he has paid into the social security fund in respect of the universal superannuation benefit, he will discover that under that heading he will receive oi is receiving an excellent dividend. J