LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33454, 8 February 1974, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

(l) Letters to be considered lor I this column must not exI ceed 150 words. They should be on only one side of the paper; preferably typewritten. otherwise clearly written in ink; and ample margins and space between lines should be left for convenience in sub-editing. ,1(2) A legible signature and full uj address — not a P.O. Box number — are required . I whether these are to be printed or not. PI (3) The correspondent must u| say whether the letter has ; been or is to be submitted [J I elsewhere. (4) The editor cannot return or ' keep any letter not accepted i for printing; nor does he 3 undertake to acknowledge or e enter into correspondence „ concerning letters, although e an acknowledgement will be - made where this seems to be I. necessary or helpful. e (5) As a general rule, correspondence on news items in other publications or carried I on radio and television, is e not acceptable. „ Nessie Vial.—Obscure. a P. E. Granite.—Too late. 5 T. Morris.—Sorry, space for only one critic. / 11. M. Stevens.—Too long. See s rules above. jlp.M. and Richard Bilclough. — ; Write to the N.Z.B.C. ;C. G. Marshall. —There are 56,000 ratepayers. Many would not agree with you. jWell Satisfied, No White Elei pliant. — Correspondence I I closed. i - IA Jesus Person and Christian.— ' : Sentiments appreciated, but 51 they are not a complete ex- ; ■ planation. >IC. H. Yeadon—On your tirst 3 : visit, can you be sure there ’; has been an “improvement” 5; in conditions here? 3 ; A.G.S.—We have printed leading ?1 articles, signed articles and letters on the subject in pre- [ vious years. We see little j | point in reviving the issue -1 now. 1; Ticket refund refused r I Sir.—l recently attended ■ithe International Conference ■ lon Health and Physical Edu- ■| cation, held at Lincoln Colllege. For myself, and also

unfortunately for several of our overseas visitors, the conference ended on a rather sour note. During the conference, delegates were able to obtain drinks from the Student Union bar by buying books of tickets from the ticket office. At the conclusion of the conference, when delegates with books of unused tickets applied to the ticket office for a refund, they were told that no refunds were allowed, because of a directive from the union manager. Is it legal for the Lincoln College Union to refuse a refund? If it is legal, should not the Lincoln authorities make this clear as a condition of sale of tickets? How much money did Lincoln College make last year by selling tickets which were not redeemed? In what account in the Linments would this information be listed? — Yours, etc., SOUR TASTE. January 24, 1974. [Mr H. G. Hunt, registrar of Lincoln College, replies: “The basis of supply of liquor consumed within the union at Lincoln College is clearly notified by the union manager before any function. If the correspondent seeks further clarification, contact should be made with the union manager or myself.”]

■ “Imperialism” Sir, —For the enlightenment which “Student of English” seeks, the word “imperialism” has a meaning no different for communist countries. Before the Russian Revolution of November, 1917, world politics were dominated by the empires of Britain, France, Germany, iAustro-Hungary, Russia. Turkey, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United States and Japan. World War I was fought to redivide the colonies among the imperialist powers. The vanquished empires, Germany, Austroi Hungary and Turkey, were stripped of their colonies. The fourth, Russia, suffered a cataclysmic, revolutionary social upheaval in which the Russian proletariat and peasantry in alliance with the subject colonial peoples overthrew their imperialist overlords and established a fraternity of equal Socilaist States which today constitute the Soviet Unton. Poland. Czechoslovakia and East Germany are independent socialist countries in a defensive alliance, the Warsaw Pact, [with the Soviet Union against I counter - revolutionary attempts, internal or external, jto overthrow their Socialist systems.—Yours, etc., M.C.H. | February 6, 1974. Potatoes Sir, —Please ask a spokesman for the Potato Board to explain the continued use of plastic bags for packaging. In many bags about half are green. In many shops there is no other way to buy potatoes. Dr Turbott suggested boycotting potatoes sold in this way, but this is difficult when there is no other way of buying.—Yours, etc., FUDDY SPUDDY. January 6, 1974. [A Potato Board spokesman replied that this was outside the board’s order of reference. Mr K. A. Fuller,! president of the Canterbury Retail Fruiterers’ Association, : replies: “Personally I have never favoured new potato distribution in clear plastic bags. This subject was fully discussed at a New Zealand

Retail Fruiterers’ Federation meeting last week; and it was resolved that retailers, who have to bear the brunt of public criticism, will be advised to exercise greater care in the purchase and handling of potatoes. To the best of my knowledge no retail trader packs in clear plastic bags.”]

Cathedral Square Sir, —Last week showed that the problem of the use of Cathedral Square, for which a council sub-commit-tee has resolved guidelines, needs further consideration. With additional land owned by the Cathedral at the front, — to compensate for land yielded for road-widening — the authorities control the sizeable area between the Cathedral and the wail opposite. During the Games religious campaigners were established there, with caravan equipped with amplifiers. Speakers could be heard clearly from the far side of the Square. Amplified beat music from the same source I reverberated everywhere. The sub-committee has ruled against speakers or religious groups (the Salvation Army excepted) on council-con-trolled land, but has no jurisdiction over Cathedral properly. Possible noise nuisance apart (controllable by prohibiting amplifiers) the divided control of the Square means that permitted religious groups have a monopoly, other speakers being debarred. Perhaps in fairness the church authorities would allow a speakers’ corner on Cathedra) land!—Yours, etc., HELEN HERVEY. February 5. 1974.

Saving fuel Sir,—-Does R. L. Clarke suggest that anyone who does not ride as one of six in a car is twisted? If he can fill cars with six persons, on every trip he would achieve something so far visibly u..accomplished, and lin filling two or four-seat cars would require midgetsized twisters. The fact remains that motor-cyclists have been discriminated against and an anomaly created by the petrol regulation restrictions.—Yours, R. CLARKE February 5,1974.

City development Sir, —Should we not now be planning the development of other necessary facilities for Christchurch? We desperately need a new library and council offices and surely these buildings should take precedence over any further spending at Queen Elizabeth II Park, where the demand is not proven. With the projected development of Rolleston it is open to conjecture as to whether there will be a sufficient growth in this area to warrant so much more expenditure.—Yours, etc., RATEPAYER February' 6, 1974. Old post office Sir,—As a visitor to Christchurch from Britain after a gap of seven years I would like to say how impressed I am with ail the improvements in the city. It is indeed a city to be proud of, and it has' earned fresh laurels during the period of the “happy” Commonwealth Games. There is one thing which disturbs me greatly, for' have heard that the lovely old Post Office in the

Square may possibly be' demolished. This is a! uniquely beautiful building with its intricate carved stone work and the lovely Kauri eaves brackets, and! superb clock tower. New Zealand has not got an over-i abundance of lovely old! buildings, so I do appeal to all to ensure that this fine old building, which so enhances the new Square, is preserved for post-I erity.—Yours, etc., HILDA W. THORPE ■ February 7, 1974.

Games song Sir,—-Surely “Senex” and) “Olympus” realize that imitation is one of the finest; compliments that can bei paid to any composer or! singer. This is equally true ! whether the imitated be) John Rowles, the Beatles, or “The Poorest American Per-; formers.” The Games Song! was beautiful in any language.—Yours, etc.. B. FAIR I February 7,1974.