Letters to the Editor

Press, 17 November 1976, Page 24

Letters to the Editor

11; Letter, (übmitted tor printing tn this column most not evceed IjO words. They should be written tn tnk or preferably typed on one side of the paper. Ample space must be left tn the marpns and between lines for subediting marks C> Letters written over pen names or Initials will not ordinarily be considered for publication, a legible signature and full postal address —not a PO. Bos numberare essential. (3/ The correspondent must say whether the letter has been or is to be submitted elsewhere. The editor does not undertake to acknowledge hold, return or enter into correspondence on any letter not accepted for publication. J M—Sot acceptable when published elsewhere. J B-—lmmoderate. S.W.—Would reinforce your view of the affair. VP- Repetitious. M.M.—The S.P.C.A. will maintain a full staff. Five full-time staff resigned and all have or will be replaced. One parttime ambulance driver also resigned, but two other parttime driver* will work alternate week-ends to maintain a full service. Power boating on Estuary Sir, — I wish to thank Mr Inglis “The Press” (November 12) for directing your readers’ attention to a questionnaire hidden away on one of the boating pages in “The Press” of November 11. Relegating a crucial “survey” to those columns will, of course, ensure a minimum response from those objecting to power boating. The article accompanying the questionnaire shows complete disregard for the environmental values as emphasised in petitions and private letters submitted bv local residents. environmentalists. and the Combined Estuary Committee. We are now waiting for the pressure group’s lawyers to find legal loopholes, so that our estuarine tranquillity can again be destroyed by individuals who couldn't care a damn about noise, wildlife, irreplaceable fossil fuel, or ethics, so long as they can pursue their selfish pleasures. Residents, beware.' — Yours, eta, E. J. BEUZENBERG. November 15. 1976. “Blind eyes and Angola*" Sir.—The imaginary situation hypothecated in Friday's sub-leader. of "a New Zealand army. 20.000 strong, armed and paid by the United States, fighting in

Africa to keep in power an unpopular new regime which has resorted to mass murder to preserve itself,” has little relation to historical events in Angola, but is pertinently applicable to New Zealand’s participation in the United States’s Vietnam war. The sense of outraged justice permeating the article over the lack of censure of the Soviet-Cuban aid to the M.P.L.A., in the United Nations and round the world is quite unwarranted, and the article significantly omits to mention the invasion of Angola by South African troops which brought the Cubans in. The overwhelming majority of United Nations members clearly differentiate between imperialist aggression, and the fraternal Soviet-Cuban aid to the Angolan people’s fight for freedom and independence from Portuguese colonialism.—Yours, etc., N. CREEL. November 15, 1976. A’arses’ dispute Sir, — In your report of the Sunnyside nurses taking •’strong industrial action” to achieve their object of psychiatric nurses working in general hospitals being given the higher wage rate over general nurses, you quote the chairman of the Sunnyside sub-group, a Mr Nimmo as saying they would begin rolling stoppages on Thursday which would get longer each day until .the Health Department withdrew its directive, and that a “skeleton staff would be on duty to ensure patient care would not suffer.” That being so, why not dispense with these highly paid nurses and leave the “skeleton staff” to function, at a great saving in cost to the health sendee? — Yours, etc., JAMES J. DUNCAN. November 16, 1976. Immigration Sir, — Now we see our elected council representatives, setting themselves up as moral judge and jury, on central government immigration policies. Of course, the whole affair was started by Labour councillors, and obviously supported by one or two Citizens members or the motion could not have been passed. It should be seen for what it is. a Labour Partv tactic to discredit the National Government to gain a cheap political point. Labour introduced dawn raids.

against Pacific Islands overstayers, two years ago, so they were doing the same. One Labour member said Islanders were afraid to answer their door. Why? Because they had a guilty conscience and knew they were breaking the immigration laws. Many New Zealanders, who break the law, do not get such sympathy when the police call to arrest them, and this council motion seems to support those who break the law. — Yours, etc., C. G. MARSHALL. November 16, 1976. N.Z. dialect Sir, — I may be able to answer in part the letter of your correspondent J. M. Murrow (“The Press,” November 8) about where one has to go to hear certain expressions. I encountered the expression, “Send her down, Hughie,” when working on a construction site in Western Australia during the rainy season. Ever looking for an opportunity to take a break from the extremely exhausting task of leaning on a shovel whenever a likely looking rain cloud floated in our direction, the cry would go up, “Send her down, Hughie.” Invariably the torrents of rain would pour down and we, the workers, would rush to the shelter of. the adjoining hotel to pay grateful homage to “Hughie.” — Yours, etc., HUGH COTTRELL. November 11, 1976. New superannuation scheme Sir, — M. Hannan does not agree that the Labour superannuation scheme was a blatant attempt to nationalise the economy. He talks of protective legislation but conveniently overlooks the fact that the stated objective of the scheme was to compel wage and salary earners to make provision for their retirement. Being financed by the trade unions, Labour was committed to a policy of substantial wage increases which automatically increased the superannuation of unionists. In true Labour fashion the self-employed were to be left in the lurch, but employers were required to match employees’ contributions as a straight gift. Labour did not expect defeat at the polls and Mr Rowling’s pre-election bleat. “We care for people.” fell on deaf ears. — Yours, etc., L. J, STEVENS. November 16,1976, 4