Letters to the Editor

Press, 26 August 1978, Page 12

Letters to the Editor

<l> Letters submitted for print, ing tn this '■olumn must not exceed 150 words. They should be written in ink or preferably typed on one side of the paper. Ample space must be left in the margins and between lines for subediting marks. (21 Letters written over pen names or initials will not ordinarily be considered for publication. A legible signature and a full postal address — not a P.O. Box number — are 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. Air searches Sir, — I have just heard on radio news that the plane missing on a flight from Big Bay, in Fiordland, took off iii “atrocious conditions.” I am appalled that, if this was the case, the pilot was allowed to take his aircraft up. It could be that he was the sole arbiter of what was safe at the time. Would it be possible for “The Press” to let its readers know if any other person on the ground at Big Bay had some sort of jurisdiction over who, or what, took off from there at any given time? Apart from the misery suffered by the other men’s families, the cost to the community must be tremendous. Again I ask, who gave the “go-ahead”? — Yours, etc., A. ROBERTSON. August 20, 1978. [Mr F. A. Cox, regional director, Civil Aviation Division, Ministry of Transport, replies: “The Civil Aviation regulations require the holder of a student pilot licence to have his flight authorised by a qualified instructor. Private pilots flying aero club aircraft also have their flights authorised as a safety measure introduced by the R.N.Z.A.C. However, there is no legal requirement for the holder of a private pilot’s licence flying a privately owned aircraft to have his flight authorised by an instructor, and the flight concerned falls into this category. Also no flight plan was submitted to air traffic control for this particular flight and it is not mandatory to do so for this type of operation.”] Shared political platforms Sir, — Although disappointed with the National Party’s attitude towards joint meetings, I can understand its reluctance. I have attended several joint meetings in the past. Some which have been organised by the Jaycees have been excellent; the chairmen have been scrupulously fair and have kept both candidates and audience under firm control. But most of them, including those organised by well-meaning church groups, have degenerated into an attack on the sitting member because questions have been loaded and a group of planted spokesmen have dominated proceedings. Invariably the chairman has been the local minister because the organisers believe automatically that their spiritual leader will be impartial and fair. He undoubtedly is, but it does not make him a good chairman. As a result, the meetings prove nothing. Unfortunately, we suffer from a paucity of people skilled in the art of chairmanship as our TV current affairs programmes will readily testify. — Yours, etc., D. P. DUNCAN. August 25, 1978. Sir, — I agree with your editorial (August 22) criticising the National Party’s ruling that its candidates

should not share election meeting platforms with candidates representing other parties. At the local body level, the Environmental Vanguard Organisation has held forums at which City Council candidates representing different political groups have spoken. These meetings would have been less interesting if candidates from only one group had participated. In any case, as a non-political organisation, ENVO would not hold such a meeting. It is much to be hoped that the National Party will revise its ruling so that community groups can run forums at which the various policies on the issues discussed can be compared. As you suggest, people who most welcome such opportunities are not those wishing simply to boost a particular party or hear unchallenged views, but less politicallycommitted voters who wish carefully to assess different policies and attitudes — Yours, etc., HELEN HERVEY, Chairman, Environmental Vanguard Organisation August 25, 1978 J Film times Sir, — I would like to inquire if the management of the Odeon Theatre, for some obscure reason, enjoys seeing children being turned away daily from the film now being shown. It seems strange to advertise frequently on television a film likely to be popular during the school holidays, and then to show it only at the 2 pm. session and then at 8 pm. when most selfrespecting children are in bed. To add insult to injury, it is impossible to book for the 2 p.m. session so that one may queue from 1 p.m. only to be told at 1.45 p.m., “sorry, full house.” This happens every holidays. —- Yours, etc., ANDREA SMITH. August 23, 1978. [The manager of the Odeon Thea Ye (Mr O. L. Beckett) replies: "The film, ‘The Sea Gypsies’ was shown during the last Telethon as a moneyraising effort, during which Christchurch had the lowest attendance figures of any of the major centres. Accordingly, instructions from the head office of the Kerridge Odeon group \ ere to have only two showings a day for the first week of the school holidays. Because of public demand, however, the number of showings has been increased from Friday, August 25, when four screenings were scheduled. From then on there will be three screenings a day.”] Abortion as an election issue Sir, — With her abortion statistics Mrs Wilkinson defeats her own arguments. Since Values, the only party with a clear-cut, pro-abor-tion policy, can attract a mere 4 per cent of voters, abortion cannot be an election issue of any significance. — Yours, etc., SHIRLEY M. WELLS. August 23, 1978. Action against stray dogs Sir, — There are no facts to substantiate the farmer’s claim (August 19) that “red setters” are responsible for much of the sheep worrying. Presumably he refers to the Irish Setter. None of the instances given identify the Irish Setter as being responsible, nor is the breed so identified in any recent reports, the last instance being August 1977 — again no facts given. No-one can condone sheep worrying, but to so uniustifiably brand the Irish Setter as a “sheep killer”

breed will cause distress to many people owning one of these gentle dogs as a family companion. Perhaps if fanners spent more time collecting carcases from paddocks — more than 27 carcases were counted ?n an hour and a half from the Southerner train on Friday, August 4 — dogs would not be encouraged to come on to their properties. It would also help eradicate sheep measles and hydatids. — Yours, etc., (Mrs) PATRICIA ALDRIDGE. Secretary, Southern Irish Setter Club. August 22, 1978. [Sadly for the breed of dog involved, we feel obliged to accept the evidence of the farm manager quoted in the article, he having both identified and destroyed such dogs. The article clearly showed that dogs left to roam at will get into bad habits, and it also showed that in Christchurch there are many quite irresponsible dog owners.— Editor] Investment returns Sir, — The Government’s cash loan is being advertised both on TV and in the Press, and it would appear appropriate to warn investors and savers of the confidence trick being practised on all who, in inflationary conditions, invest in fixed securities or entrust their savings to financial institutions. Those who made such investments 10 years ago are being repaid now with dollars with only 41 per cent of the purchasing power of the dollars they invested. Our present inflation rate is over 10 per cent per annum, and, if this average rate is maintained, those who invest now will lose in 10 years not less than 65 per cent of the purchasing power of their investment. , Houses and cars left unlocked may be robbed, but those who invest in fixed securities enjoy the absolute certainty of being robbed, and this will continue until either inflation is reduced to zero or all such investments are indexed like the Government’s inflation-proofed bonds. — Yours, etc., A. C. BEGG, August 24, 1978. Children’s choice Sir, — Sir Leonard Thornton’s address (“The Press,” August 22), in particular the last paragraph regarding children having the right of free choice, has prompted me to quote from Dr Wayne W. Dyer’s book, “Your Erroneous Zones:” “It is important to emphasise that young children truly do need acceptance from significant adults (parents) in their formative years. But approval should not be contingent upon being proper, nor should a child have to get a parent’s sanction for everything he says, thinks, feels or does. Self-reliance can be taught in the crib ... In most cases our culture teaches a child to rely on others rather than trusting his own judgment.” Freedom of choice for the majority of children, from the crib to leaving high school, is a significant failure in our society. Children are taught to be obedient at home and in school not selfreliant or independent. They have no freedom of choice.— Yours, etc., A. T. EDWARDS. August 23, 1978. Labour promises to women Sir, — 1 suggest that your correspondent, B. Henry, (August 24) checks facts. In 1974 the income tax allowance for a wife was $275 “exemption on income,” and in 1975 it was $125 “rebate on tax.” There is quite a difference in these two terms.

As an example, on an Income of $3OOO in the 1974 year the actual tax allowance at the 1975 rates would have been $78.37, instead of the $125 actually received. Which would your correspondent prefer? Let’s be fair. — Yours, etc., MRS T. MacDONALD. August 25, 1978. Labour’s lax policy Sir, — L. J. Stevens (Aug* ust 24) condemns Labour’s proposed surcharge, the purpose of which is, I believe, to reduce the wholesale importing of luxury items, but to allow essential imports at normal prices. This is a more desirable form of import control than the run-ning-down of the economy to such an extent that many people can hardly live, let alone buy luxury goods, which is what is happening at present. The purpose of exports should be to pay for imports, which should be used to give our own people the benefit of our production and services to each other. If the Japanese attempted to do this they would be living in Utopia. As far as protective policies are concerned, there are very few countries which do not practise this, while giving lip service to free trade. What they mean is free trade for their own exports and not other countries. — Yours, etc., J. SHARP. August 24, 1978. Sir, — Do people not be* lieve that Labour will get the economy going again? Labour has had that experience before. Its economic programme will assist in lifting New Zealand from the depths of National despair out of an economic crisis, paying less tax, ensuring protection for people, work opportunities. This well-researched, sound tax policy will tax spending, not earning. Money will go into pockets, boost production and help New Zealand cut back on luxury imports. Each person shall achieve human dignity again as a productive part of a caring, sharing New Zealand. The Labour 1978 team has the flair, the high managerial ability, the professional approach, where the flagging National machine has divided us, polarised us and has coveted above all else executive power like some eccentric hoarder. — Yours G. D. STANLEY. August 24, 1978.

South Africa anti sport Sir, —' When the South African consul tries to refute charges against his country’s regime, one can. conclude that the argument is getting close to the bone. He uses quotation marks around the word, “sacrifices,” when referring to the penalties inflicted on the people of the true nonracial sports bodies of South Africa (such as the South African Council of Sport) when they try to buck the apartheid system. This reflects his Government’s attitude. The implications are that the retribution is really not too severe, and that it is of the victims’ own doing, anyway. His branding of these sports groups as “extremists” for simply seeking non-racial sport as we know it here underlines this hidebound attitude. Mr Lindhorst switches attention to the Moscow Olympics, claiming Russian violations of human rights are “far grosser.” The inference is, of course,

that there are violations In South Africa, too. — Yours, A. J. CAMPBELL. August 24, 1978. N.Z., Ireland and the E-E.C, Sir, — It is true that New Zealanders’ kith and kin in Ireland have been subject to murder, torture and sundry acts of 'terrorism. But contrary to what Messrs Anderson and Minish imply, virtually all the perpetrators of those outrages are British citizens, acting with or without official sanction (several international tribunals have confirmed the Governmentoperated violence). None of the criminals are shielded by the official uniforms, laws or state powers of the Re» public of Ireland, notwithstanding the barrage of propaganda implying otherwise. British “justice” is the cause, not the solution, of the problem. —■ Yours, etc., S. O. MAHONY. August 24, 1978.