POINTS FROM LETTERS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1930, Page 15

POINTS FROM LETTERS

A. 0. Dickson writes.-—-"It would be of interest, to many of your, readers Jf...y.our_ correspondent, Mr. .Lathan \R. Scddon, would: substdn^fa"te\the .charges of wastefulness and inefficiency:* which he has levelled at our Defence Forces in his letter published on 20th August. What is the experience which enables him tp ■ pronounce upon the efficiency or otherwise? of'the! forces in New Zealand? Similaily his charge of wastefulness is of eou<illy little value unless > substantiated by evidence rather than by mere assertion. It1 is significant that those who have asserted that our Defence Force is neither wasteful nor inefficient have backed their statements by. reasoned proofs in support of their contention." -

"Old Resident" . writes.—"Nearly fifty years ago I came to the home in which I am living at present, and, having ..be-' come attached to it, I have submitted .to the imposition of increasingly heavy .rates rather than part with it^l naturally supposed .that, when, a sale should eventuate, at least a portion of the money expended i.on; rates would be recovered. Jt the Betterment Bill should become law it appears that I and others in a similar position can no longer feel secure on this point. Not only must I pay increased rates owing to tli3 enhanced value caused by the proximity, of the new tunnel through Mt. Victoria, but should street! widening, operations be undertaken, as i$ extremely-probable, I may also become liable to pay over to the municipality i sum ofc money representing a hypothetietfl increase in value, which I have no meaijs of raising except by selling my propertr. It seems a poor look out for those wlio establish » home that they should be compelled to pay twice over, first through tpe rates, then through a capital levy, and (in the end be forced to seek a dwelling place elsewhere." Mr. J. G.-! Sinclair expresses the opinion that the buses would pay were' the fares made: .more . reasonable, that they mijfht run. with, full loads instead of two-thirds empty; thirty passengers at. fourpepce would pay better than ten at sixpeoco. As a result \ of the policy followed by the general manager, many people had chosen to live much further out on tram lipes, and many more again had chosen tq live in other boroughs. Was the general manager' afraid that if the fares word re* d ed the buses would run the tranii off the lines; .asks the writer, and ho ' suggests that it was time that the ■ council - should give consideration to the apndint; ment of a separate bus manager. • If that was.not done and the buses contimsed to run only a3 feeders at the proposed fares the public would go above the council and make an opening for private 'enterprise. ■ - . V ■•