POINTS FROM LETTERS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 98, 28 April 1931, Page 15

POINTS FROM LETTERS

"Dum Spiro Spero" holds that the time is opportune & make the suggestion that the bi^est cut of all should be within the walls of the House. "Inasmuch as we hear so much to-day of. the necessity of economy, I would suggest that the number of constituencies be reduced, and that the newly-constituted House contain fourteen members^ —two each for the larger provinces o£ Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago (the respective capitals each taking one member)—and one each for the smaller provinces; (if South Canterbury and North Auckland be considered separate provincial districts, the membership be increased to sixteen); that the salaries of Cabinet Ministers be reduced by £230 per annum, or, as an alternative, eliminate the present aud much too generous house-allowance system; curtail the (also much too generous) railway free pass system to members and their wives and families to one return trip per session. If members (and their wives and families) wish to pay week-end visits to their homes, let them pay their fares as other- people are compelled to \o; prohibit the use of official cars by persons other than officials; sharpen the pruning knife for iise on Ministers travelling allowances; either abolish the out of date and unnecessary Legislative Council, or reduce the same to a committee of a select few, such committee to consist of younger men." The writer condemns severely the methods of Parliament, and addsl: "In a House of fourteen or sixteen members it would be a' case of 'get down to business' for the obvious reason that, when the Parliamentary fruit tree had fewer plums (in the way of seats) to offer, only the best would get them, and the joke and personality mongers would be among the missing. The present harassing and wasteful party system would, moreover, be done away with. I make bold to say, Sir, that I think the majority of your readers would agree with me that two representatives for the larger and one each for the smaller provinces affords ample representation, especially when Cabinet Ministers! are ever and anon flitting over the country, and drawing their generous tally of daily expenses. There are enough local bodies throughout the Dominion to govern their immediate districts, and there is nothing to stop these bodies communicating their needs and grievances to their local provincial repreI sentative. The saving to the public would, If this suggestion were adopted, ho enor- ! mous. By dispensing with the services jof sixty members at £400 per annum, a saving of £24,000 yearly would be effected, and how nice that would be—particularly to lower-salaried Civil servants, or, say, to single relief workers who are expected to live on eighteen shillings per week."

In lengthy comment on an address by Commissioner Cunningham, of the Salvation Army, "Anti-Bunk" writes:—Commissioner Cunningham is reported to hare said at a meeting .on Sunday that the problem of unemployment should bf> faced "ivitli courage, "and even in this gen-

eration we should be brave enough to say with St. Paul, 'The man who. will not work shall not eat.' " In addition to this allegedly Scriptural guidance in dealing with our present serious unemployment problem the Salvationist leader for New Zealand is also reported to have said in advocating the establishment of certain accommodation iive miles outside, each of the four centres, that, when men appealed to the Mayors for relief stating that they had no money nor friends, the Mayors could say, "I am delighted to be ablo to tell you that just a few miles outside the city there is a place for just such men as you." "Let us be courageous and find something to do for the man who really wants to work," the Commissioner is further reported to have said. As reported, the Commissioner's outlook and intentions are not very clear, but it appears that he placed special significance on the will of the men to work as a most important factor in dealing with the present widespread unemployment. This reflection on some 40,000 New Zealanders who at the moment are victims of a national depression seems to me an unwarranted insult. If the Commissioner had in mind the special brand of unhappy dere Jict that has been physically wrecked by some means or another and abandoned^ by a callous world, and in which the Salvationists traditionally specialise, he should have made this clear. He might still do so. His remarks, however, as published, unmistakably convey the suggestion that an aversion to work is one of the greatest problems in the present unemployment situation. The great army of people in this country who have been forced into unemployment will abhor and detest any suggestion that it is necessary to search their souls for some canker that has been their undoing. Personally I believe a proper provision by the Government ior those who, through the temporary dislocation of our economic system, have been deprived of the chance to earn their livin^ would be much less demoralising than running the gauntlet of the various charity concerns. If our economic system tails to afford opportunity to earn a livelihood then we owe it to those who are squeezed out to provide them with at least the means to live-call it a "dole " or what you' will-but do not^P6o*^ 1?, *,° grovel and beg for it. It should he, their right. . "\ Sport" writes:—"As Rugby is considered to be New Zealand's national game, would it not be better if the unions placed a ban upon the use of cotton, jerseys, and thus helped to keep money in the country, instead of sending it abroad for cotton, which cannot be raised here.' It is held by Alex. Bell that it is an "appalling injustice" that suburban residents should have both necessities and luxuries provided at the expense o! city ratepayers. The correspondent condemns Particularly the bus service, which last year showed a loss of £13,000, and sub mite that it should be stopped entirely. He further urges that, as additional ex pense is entailed in providing light and water services to remote suburbs which pay little rates, a minimum rate ot */ *»* a year should be imposed. _ > Commenting upon Dr. Campbell Begg s criticitu of the hospital system, J. btew Siffl that the hospital could b^made self-supporting, thus relieving ratepayers of the expense if arrangements were made appeals sider this most important Question ma Are we or are we not »<hfterent as to. ■saaasssrd^saa.«g1 millions were maimed or injured for me. Unfortunately economic area* present engaging so much of our atten tion that full consideration of the ques-, [ton of reduction of armaments may be shelved To enable us to come to a wise dec Sou on this matter we need to know 'approximately at any rate, what are the armaments, naval, military, and aerial of the leading nations of the world, and we also need to know what our statesmen consider would be suitable and reasonable reductions of those forces The League of Nations Union should be in a position to supply, the necessary data but although recent issues of its monthly periodical 'Headway' have contained many articles on 'Disarmament' we are still without the figures essential to the formation of a well-informed public opinion. * "Firebar" claims that New Zealanders should awake to the fact that their politicians on the ache for votes are causing them to pay from 6d to 9d more than they need to for every 41b loaf that goes on their table. "This imposition saves many an incompetent farmer and many an owner of an antiquated mill from the Bankruptcy Court. Let them take a lesson from the Corn Laws of England, and their effect on the population at the time. The farmer will say that the tax saves him from being swamped by Australian wheat. My answer is that they lived before the tax, and will survive its repeal. The agricultural worker is in no danger, as the wheat grower as an employer ot labour is no Henry Ford." Many footsore ratepayers of Wellington (states "Sentinel") would welcome, Mr. Hislop's statement that if he was elected as Mayor, the dilapidated footpaths would be repaired. This work is certainly long overdue. Time and again the ratepayers of Hawker street have sent deputations and written letters about I the awful condition of Upper Hawker street, but nothing has been done for a very long time save sanding and tarring, which made the broken footpaths more treacherous, than ever. The pedestrian skidded on the sand, until the kindly wind swept it wholesale into the houses. Majonbanks street is also in a disgraceful condition. So we are looking ahead and hoping. , . . A warning is given by "Centralised Aid against indiscriminate giving of cash to persons who solicit alms from house to house. It is suggested that a better, way of giving help where it is needed is to give sparu shillings to institutions dealing with such cases or to give orders for a bed or a meal.

"Reduction" thinks tho Wellington Rugby Union has made a mistake in deciding to charge a shilling admission to Athletic Park and Newtown Park wHen times are so hard. If Canterbury can fix the charge at 9d, Wellington should be able to do the same. The union has spent much money on the stand, but it made a fair amount last season.