LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33426, 7 January 1974, Page 10

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

(1) Letters to be considered for this column must not exceed 150 words. They should be on only one side of the paper; preferably typewritten. otherwise clearly writ-, ten in ink; and ample, margins and 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 or enter into correspondence' concerning letters, although an acknowledgement will be made where this seems to be necessary or helpful. (5) As a general rule, correspondence on news items in other publications or carried on radio and television, is not acceptable. "B W. Wow."—Closed. A. J. Gerity.—Passed to reviewer. Cricket Fan.—Write to N.Z.B.C. with proposal. Mother of lour Teenagers.— Thank you; but subject not open now. Pensioner.—Your appeal to the companies seems to be the only course. Sheep and Cropping Farmer.— See -Minister’s latest assurance. Disenchanted —A complaint, giv-. ing full details, to the management seems appropriate. Amin’s rule Sir, —The assessment of General Amin bv his officers

in the King’s African Rifles; as '‘good sergeant-major material nothing more,” quoted in Saturday’s subheader. is implicitly loaded with the snobbish condescension of a quite unjustified ;sense of superiority which officers entertain for lower ranks, especially if black. Despite General Amin’s shortcomings as a head of State—and they are, admittedly, many—the consequences of his rule have been infinitely less objectionable and tragic than those of all the military officers who have usurped State power, from General Franco to the Chilean military junta. And since Amin’s ingratitude for Israel’s gift of tanks has been mentioned, one wonders how your news-’ paper’s partisan support for Israel, whose record in international relations is far more reprehensible, and whose} treatment of the Palestinian} Arabs surpasses in ruthless,} cold-hearted callousness anything that General Amin has} done, can be justified.— Yours, etc.. M.C.H. January 5, 1974. Quinney's Bush, Nelson Sit. —On November 11.' 1973. $5OO was advanced to C.0.R.5.0. for North African famine relief and the donations at Quinney’s Bush pic-

■ Inic area since then have

' been used to repay that sum. From January 1, the dona- ■ tions will be to raise $5OO I each for equipment for the ■ Salvation Army Bethany I Home, Christchurch, and for the Sudan Interior Mission ’ for compassionate work ■ among lepers. I would like to thank the public for apprecia- ■ tion of this amusement parkj : and camp site, and for the; donations which amounted to j ' $3063 for 1973—an increase! : of 40 per cent on 1972—and ’ now totals $12,648. —Yours, ■ etc., RAY QUINNEY Motupiko. January 2, 1974. Lights on Government Building •Sir.—l was dismayed to | see such an insensitive conglomeration of lights facing I the Worcester Street facade of the Government Building. To clutter up the front of this stone building with these lights shows a complete disregard for the building and the street. The placement of these lights, if indeed they are at all needed, leaves so much to be desired that it must surely be only for a temporary period as it is impossible to believe that this ; totally insensitive act is permanent.—Yours, etc.. P. F. HELMORE. December 18, 1973.

[The District Commissioner i of Works (Mr P. F. Reynolds) ; replies: ‘‘The floodlighting of I the Government building referred to by your correspondent has been erected I for the Commonwealth Games, and is one of three departmental buildings which will be so treated as agreed with the city decoration committee. While it is agreed that the lighting has some shortcoming aesthetically, it has been used on numerous occasions previously. Your correspondent can be assured that the lighting will be removed at the conclusion of the Games.’’] Saving fuel Sir, —In the midst of the facts and rumours regarding our national oil shortage, it is disturbing to learn that a Qantas jumbo jet recently (December 24) departed Christchurch for Sydney, carrying a fuel load of approximately 143 tons. Total passengers—l 6! Could not this movement have been planned more economically? Does Air New Zealand have a reciprocal fuelling agreement with Australia?— Yours, etc., 50 M.P.H. December 26. 1973. [The manager for Qantas in Christchurch replies that. the airline does not wish to comment on this letter,—Editor.] i