LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32945, 17 June 1972, Page 14

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

<ll Letters to ba considered tor this column must not exceed ISO words. They should be on only one side of the paper; preferably typewrit ten, otherwise clearly writ ten in ink: and ample margins snd space, between lines should be left for con venience in sub-editing. (2) A legible signature and full address —not a P.O. box number — are required whether these are to be printed or not. (3« The correspondent must say whether the letter has been or is to be submitted elsewhere. (4) The editor cannot return or keep any letter not accepted for printing; nor does he undertake to acknowledge oi enter into correspondence concerning letters, although an acknowledgement will be made where this seems to be necessary or helpful .5) As a general rule, corres pondenee on news items in other publications, or carried on radio and television, is not acceptable. T. O. L. Armstrong and H. Dalziel.—Closed. Robyn J. teeming.—No space to discuss national anthems. G. Peterson.—You do not observe the rules set out above. Paul Mallng.—You have made the point previously. Wheelman. —Published for information only; no space for discussion.

Sadie Hayman.—No space to discuss the airport licence again. AU Baba.—The personal references are unnecessary and I offensive, especially over a ' pen-name. Concerned.—They might have stood the test of time without having had to stand the test of a major earthquake. Leave the Rivers Alone.—lf all i our rivers had been left alone, a lot of New Zealand would probably have disappeared—or been moved elsewhere. M. K. Smart.—lf you wiU be more explicit about the “appliances” weTl seek com- , ment from the Minister. The • subdivisions seem to be al matter for legal action by j way of objection. 1 Local government ’ Sir, —Once again plural j voting has been endorsed by , the Counties Association. I , fail to understand how this ' anachronism,, which discnm- ( inates so violently against women voters, and effectively keeps women out of county councils is allowed to con- , tinue. Surely, at least, almost totally urban counties, such 1 as Waimairi, have the right 1 to change to a more equitable system where a woman is entitled to the same voting power as her husband — even though he is designated ; the ratepayer. Many women have contributed financially towards the home, apart from the free (slave?) labour they provide, yet when it comes to choosing someone < to represent them on the i council they have only a third of the voting power of their husbands. What price , Women’s Lib? Anyone care to join me in chains outside the Waimairi Council chambers?—Yours, etc., HAZEL M. TAIT. June 15, 1972. Sir, —“Fiasco” rightly praises the reporting of the Counties’ Association conference this week. It made very interesting reading. Apparently a few spades were called spades for a change: and the Minister of Works cogently drew attention to some of the worst anomalies in local government in this ■ country. Why, indeed, should local bodies ask for a further I increase in petrol tax when i they refuse to accept the amalgamation recommended I by the Local Government , Commission, and all the many . savings and advantages that i would result? In Canada, i there is no nonsense about , these matters. City after city : across the country has ’ amalgamated into sizable and ■ efficient modern units of city i government. The latest is i Winnipeg, which has now ’ amalgamated into a city of j about 300,000. How long • must we wait for common 1 sense to emerge here?— ! Yours, etc., I CHRISTCHURCH, AWAKE! ’ June 16, 1972. r 1 Airline pilots’ strike • Sir, —So the commercial • airline pilots of New Zealand ; are planning a 24-hour pro- -’ test strike next week. Let us hope Mr Allen shows no hesitation in calling in the R.S.A. to deal with this unruly minority group who r threaten to disrupt our way i of life.—Yours, etc,, B. W. GRANT. - June 15, 1972.

} Noise in the Square s

» Sir, —I find it extremely > difficult to concentrate sufficiently to write this letter

because the Christchurch City Council workmen are digging up the road in Cathedral Square, and to do this they have contrived to obtain the noisiest compressor available and to use it and the attendant pneumatic drills as often as possible. If this machine ever had a silencer it must be suffering from complete internal collapse, as it appears to have no effect on the volume of noise emitted. I appreciate the need for the work but as it will be in progress for some time surely the Christchurch City Council could make the effort to suppress the noise to an abso4ute minimum.—Yours, etc., - GOING DEAF. June 8, 1972. [The Town Clerk of Christchurch (Mr M. B. Hayes) replies: “Work is being undertaken by several utility authorities to the Square at the present time and if the correspondent telephones with further details an approach will be made to the appropriate authority to an effort to have the noise reduced.”]

Teachers’ College Sir, —I suppose that it is impossible to arrange for “Disenchanted” to come out from under his stone and lecture the staff and students of Mr Blampied’s college on “community maturity” and also on “the rigours of taxpaying” to a presumably nontaxpaying audience.—Yours, J. DUGDALE. June 16, 1972. Wool marketing Sir, —Some time ago I suggested that the Wool Board should be asked to resign. I have been waiting for some action from woolgrowers. I am now delighted to see that a meeting of some 500 growers at Waipukurau has given the board’s proposal to set up a marketing scheme with compulsory acquisition a stormy reception. The next step is to demand a vote on the issue. During World War II the Labour Government decided to take over all wool. In my opinion the appraisers then did aS they liked. Once I received a valuation of 3d per lb for well-grown Romney wool carrying some mud. I found out later that it had gone to a scour and somebody made a lot of money on it. I, who owned and grew the wool, received no further payment. I said when last I wrote that if woolgrowers did not act quickly they were heading for the last round-up. Let this ridiculous scheme go through and it will surely hasten this day.—Yours, etc., FRANK H. CHITTOCK. Lincoln, June 16, 1072. Student disorder Sir,—l am "Sick and tired” of all those smug people who are “sick and tired” of protesters. It would be better if they were “sick and tired" of racism, our immoral participation in Vietnam, and world over-population. However, as “One of the 90 Per Cent” points out, these sick (and tired) people need not be worried. Most university students are as dull and conformist as their parents. They will become, as another correspondent puts it, “acceptable to society,” which means they will live only for themselves, get a house in the “right” area, and on Sundays give thanks that they are not as the rest of men. As a university lecturer, I regard these as my failures, for their “education” has not touched them. I would trade a thousand of them for one decent rebel.—Yours, etc., I. A. SNOOK. June 16, 1972. Sir, —On behalf of other . long-haired louts, bludgers or leeches on the economy, or, as we were originally known, students, We would like to thank you for allowing so many of yotir correspondents to brighten up our days. With prospects of examinations I and still more examinations I and some financial difficulty . we need a laugh occasionally, i —Yours, etc., , THE YOUNG REBELS. June 16, 1972. Sir,—ln reply to Mr Gal- , lagher, the Austrian youth, Schickelgruber, was parttime student at the Linz Academy of Arts. He had himself photographed in an O.S. student cap, the equivalent in cerebral status of our , outsize scarves. Students in- , variably, according to S. ■ Cashion, think progressively

in their protests. The “creme-de-la-creme” of student thought, the Oxford Union, protested that in no circumstances would they fight for king and country. That progressive thinking advanced the Nazi confidence to progress to Poland, and, in due course, the decline of Oxford University. Vastly increased numbers mean more pockets of retrogressive thought; invariably protesting students can explain the universe, and that it owes them a living. They know the answers to the questions without knowing the questions.—Yours, etc., A. B. CEDARIAN. June. 16, 1972. [This correspondence is now closed.—Ed., “The Press.’’] Rubbish collection . Sir, —I take it from the reply of the Town Clerk to my earlier query regarding rubbish collection in the Bassett Street area that the compressing vehicle allocated to this area is in a constant state of breakdown. Could he tell us when last a compressing vehicle was used in this area and for how many weeks? My memory says it is many weeks since we have had the pleasure.—Yours, etc., H.R.M. May 23, 1972.

[The Town Clerk of Christchurch (Mr M. B. Hayes), replies: "Owing to the rapid growth of housing in the eastern suburbs, it has been necessary to introduce an additional round on Mondays, and this is done with an ordinary truck. The Bassett Street area is included in this round. However, the rounds are at present being reorganised, and it is hoped that when this is completed open trucks will be required only as replacements.”]

Sir,—lf the latest excuse for shoddy rubbish collection by the Town Clerk of Christchurch (Mr M. B. Hayes) is valid, then the compressing vehicle allotted to the Spreydon area is permanently broken down, for seldom do we see anything but the overloaded open trucks. Making every possible allowance, there is still too much filth spread on our streets, not by wind and animals, but by careless council workers. There is absolutely no excuse for a collector leaving filthy food scraps or dangerous broken glass spilt by him on the road, and still less excuse for responsible officers to condone such flagrant offences, which would bring severe penalties to guilty private citizens. Courteous response from the Town Clerk or City Engineer is a vain hope, and repeated hostile replies to consistent complaints in your columns are an insult to readers.—Yours, etc., “JIM ABELSON.” May 22, 1972. [The Town Clerk of Christchurch (Mr M. B. Hayes), replies: “There are three com-pressor-type vehicles allocated to the Spreydon area, but one is at present undergoing an extensive overhaul. It 'is not denied that the collectors do spill some rubbish, and this is not in any way condoned, but all the rubbish on the road cannot be attributed to , their carelessness. If food scraps and broken glass are properly wrapped before being placed in a rubbish tin there is much less likelihood ; of spillage when tins are beIng emptied into the vehicle. 1 1 regret that replies which the City Engineer and I have given to earlier letters are ’ considered hostile, as we always intend them to be courteous.”] Elderly ratepayers Sir, —Regarding your disquieting report on problematical relief for elderly ratepayers, Mr Macintosh has drawn welcome attention to the fact that people who, ' over a lifetime, have paid Off their purchase mortgages, are now threatened with the ' prospect of compulsory mortgages by the City Council, posthumously collected, for exorbitant rate demands, mainly for high wages and salaries for council employees. In such an event the backlash will result in sharply decreasing house sales as it would be extremely foolish buying under such a condi- ; tion of virtual partial confis- . cation on death—apart from ■ high wages for amenities and development of absolutely no . interest or concern to retired ■people who.have well done . their share. —Yours, etc., NEVER FREE, June 14, 1972.

Graves in Crete Sir, —I shall be visiting Crete for a few weeks and will be staying near Suda Bay. If some of your readers who have relatives buried there would like me to take photographs of any individual grave I would be only too pleased to do so if they forwarded the names to you. —Yours, etc., M.B. June 13, 1972. Service to public Sir, —Yesterday morning I learned of a drama outside my Clarendon Terrace home, when my wife telephoned me to say that Woolston fire brigadesmen turned out promptly to rescue our family cat from a riverbank tree outside our gate. This was a wonderful thing to do. Many of us sometimes take all these services, fire brigadesmen, police, ambulance folk, and others for granted, and we are deeply grateful.— Yours, etc., J.W.L. June 16, 1972. Ruapuna Park Sir, —As a* visitor to Ruapuna Park, I am concerned over the considerable quantity of nassella tussock growing in the park, and no apparent effort being made to remove it. With the large number of cars visiting the area, I wonder how much farther afield the seed has been spread.—Yours, etc., PUBLIC INTEREST. June 12, 1972. [A spokesman for the Christchurch Speedway said the organisation was not preCared to comment publicly, ut would discuss any complaint with the correspondent personally. Nasella tussock is a noxious weed and a matter for the noxious weeds inspector rather than the speedway.) Darfield schools Sir, —The Board of Governors of Darfield High School is prepared, as part of an anniversary project, to trace and record the development and history of secondary education in the Malvern district. The early history is closely associated with the Darfield School, where a district high school was established about the beginning of this century. The board would welcome any photographs, class lists, names of teachers, and anecdotes, particularly of this early period, which would assist us in compiling a complete history up to the present day. Any of your readers who may be able to help could post to the school or Box 8, Darfield.—Yours, etc., D. L. WAGHORN. Darfield, June 16, 1972.