THE GOLDEN RULE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1930, Page 16

THE GOLDEN RULE

(To the Editor.)

„ Sir, —Three correspondents have l> en good enough to reply to ray. earlier let er. I have not any wish to waste your sp< cc, but must reply to questions ask«d. Firs ly, I did not signal passing motorists becai se, in the first place, I did not know it hecars were full of passengers or otherwi le; and, secondly, I did not wish to ask a favour. My comment,was not promp fed by disappointment—it was directed !at the general selfishness shown —the disappearance of the old spirit of help one another. I walked because the buses were not running (it was either on Sunday or between the bus hours). Ido not own a car because (1) I realise that far too much money is going out of the countiV for cars, tires, and petrol. New Zealand is losing it and some of our present difficulties arise from this fact. (2) My busk ness needs do not call for a car and ti use one for pleasure mainly would mean waste. (3) lam a taxpayer and rate! payer, so support the trains and trams| when I can. If others were like-minded tlie railways would not run at a loss avid the trams and buses would make profits for all of us. (4) I have a growing family and if I had a car they would forget to use their limbs for walking—would, want to borrow "dad's car." That would mean expense for myself and physical deterioration for them. (5) The streets are congested enough and the parking problem acute enough without adding a pleasure car of mine to the number.. (6) Ido not wish to be a party in a case for compensation for accident. There are other reasons, but these will suffice. The second correspondent takes refuge in some refusals of proffered rides. ' Not all are surly or ungracious, and courtesy and gratitude' from others would compensate for the odd cases of declining. We preach unselfishness to our .children, but do we act in a manner consistent with our admonitions? The third writer supported my views and rebuked an earlier correspondent for his sarcastic rejoinder to my letter. I apologise for the space taken, but think the space well used if it foeusses attention on the growth of selfishness and particularly on the community loss from luxury spending in cars and equipment.—l am, etc., WALKER.

Civil employees of the British Government, including industrial workers, numbered 430,300 in 1929, ad compared with 390,500 in 1013-14. Their wage bill has risen from £36,750,000 to £83,422,800 in the same period. .