RATES AND WORKS-

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 152, 29 June 1935, Page 8

RATES AND WORKS-

(To the Editor.) Sir,—lii a recent issue of "The Post" a Brooklyn resident wrote regarding the rates and the council doing nothing to the roads, arid footpaths. Well, Sir. he is not the only one. I am in the same box. I have been in my place nearly 12 years and the only work done is a track made down to our gates. When it rains all the silt, etc.. is washed down through our gates, across ttfe lawns, and banks, up at the front doors. The council men come along about once in six months, cut the gorse. fennell, etc., and fill in the holes made by storm-water with rotten rock from the sides. The next rain washes it all ouf again. We have written the council several times, but nothing is done. We pay rates for'the upkeep of roads and footpaths, but we in our street (Wadestown) have neither roads nor footpaths formed. The engineer's department wrote to say they had sent the inspector to investigate things, but found they could not do anything. When they did come, nobody in the street knows, but I say this, there can be something done to alter things and make better access, also take the stormwater away.—l am, etc., WHY PAY RATES? MUSIC FOR THE MANY (To the Editor.l Sir,—ln last Saturday's "Post," under the heading of "Music for the Many" is published in full an article from "Focus," a magazine of the v Local Bodies Officers' Guild. In that article the cbntributor to "Focus" states that "band music may be popular, but that is only because it is easily understood." This is absurd and from the outset proves that the writer of that article has very little knowledge of music. . ■ . • ' The truth is bands play all classes of music and bring it to the people in the open air, as well as the concert hall. They have brought .to the people the, works of the great masters and in, many cases have contributed largely to the success and recognition of notable musical compositions, so it is /natural that band performances are greatly appreciated. "Focus" states; "The'limits'-set both by lack of tone, colour, and range of instruments confine in most cases all its activities to arrangements which are not true to the original score of the composers, etc." In that statement is shown "Focus's" lack of knowledge of musical instruments, also lack of musical sense. The truth is, because of its wealth and beauty of tone that .noted modern composers have written and are writing music for brass, and military bands and one need only mention Sir Edward Elgar's work in this connection to prove how inaccurate it is to state that band instruments lack tone and colour. And to be correct, the range of brass instruments cover all that part of the musical scale wherein lies that which is richest and most useful for harmony and melodies. "Focus" states: "People' ask for plain fare, such as-Adolph Sax intended his family of instruments for." As .M. Sax invented the saxophone nearly one hundred years ago (1840) "Focus's" Claim to knowledge is not supported, and as Massariet, Meyerbeer, Ambroise Thomas, and other composers wrote for it, it is certain the instrument was not invented for playing jazz; also M. Sax invented four families of instruments, and again "Focus's" article is at fault in stating: "Thirdly, the untried municipal orchestra." The truth ,is that Wellington had a municipal orchestra for about two years; the conductor was Mr. Maughan Barnett. The orchestra,! numbered about sixty members. In conclusion, "Focus's" contribution is well out of, focus and unfair to bands, and totlrass instrument players who take such an important place in orchestras.—l am, etc., • ARTHUR JOHNSTON. AN ALTERNATIVE SCHEME (To the~editor.) Sir,—As an alternative has been suggested by the Wellington City Council or other critics of the ..No. 5 ischeme, may I suggest the following:— No. 6 la Scheme.—From recent *utJerances and year book figures we can expect the present lOd in £1 tax with levy, etc., to produce £5,000,000; an increase to Is would yield a further £1,000,000; the tax on additional earnings (see under) would produce £373,700, making a total of £6,373,700. j Again from year book figures it

would appear that we have to provide for 50,000 unemployed. I contend that all present schemes should be scrapped, and all fit men under 55 years of age be given employment as "temporary employees," all men over j55 to be placed on sustenances as well as medically unfits under 55. As at present, no tax would be payable on I sustenance, and these men would only | pay tax on additional employment obtained with a limit to earnings of £2 per week per man. The fit men would be employed as temporary employees (50 weeks a year) by local bodies and Government Departments, married men to have preference of work in cities. The estimated expenditure would be: — , £ 10,000 married men, sustenance at £1 10s (over 55 and unfits) 780,000 5000 single men, sustenance at £1 260,000 10,000 temporary employees of local bodies at £2 (the . local body to find £1 per week per man) V. 1,000,000 25,000 Government temporary employees at £2 (Government to; find £1 per man out of Consolidated Funds, Department funds, etc.) 3,750,000 Incidental administration and carry over 583,700 V Total £G,373,?;Q0 The earnings of the 35,000 temporary employees, £7,125,000, would produce a tax of £356,200 ...:.. 356,200 Tax on estimated average earnings of men on sustenance about 10s per week, £350^000, would yield- , 17,500 Total ....' £373,700 The work of the Unemployment Board" and administration would be considerably reduced. All such items as the boot and blanket issues would finish, and the men would be "employed" at any work the local body or Government Department should think fit on a five-day week basis, at £3 weekly. Naturally there will be plenty to say they should get £4 per week, etc. This scheme makes employment possible.—l am, etc., D. E. DUSTIN. Wanganui, June 27. RETURNED SOLDIERS' PARADES (To the Editor.) Sir, —As a returned soldier I would like to endorse "Thirteen Bar's" remarks regarding the proposed returned soldiers' parade on August 4 next. Like my "Digger" comrade I had long active service (unbroken), extending over a period of four years. Exactly what is this parade for? The returned men, as a whole, I am sure, have no desire to be reminded of the date when the war broke out. We know too well when the war broke out. We want to try (if that is possible) to forget all about it; so why bring it all back again to those poor souls who lost their husbands, fathers, brothers, and sweethearts? Like the returned men, they are doing their best to forget those tragic days and with the great consolation of knowing that their loved ones are now peacefully sleeping in foreign lands. I, have only paraded on three occasions on Anzac Day, and each time disheartened at not meeting more of. my comrades who "sat the programme out." As "Thirteen Bar" , states, the Anzac Parade is becoming a spectacle, nothing less than "a parade of forgotten men." Our dead comrades, would not desire it of us, because they were men, died like men, and above all were not "parade-ground soldiers." As the years roll on we returned men remember our comrades who fell at our side in our own silent and respectful way, and have no desire to broadcast our silent thoughts to the multitudes. It is those who "stayed at home" who should parade on August 4, and pay homage to the dead and living. If, as Bar" suggests, our parades could .be held at zero hour, hundreds of returned men who do not turn out would, I am sure, parade and pay homage to our gallant comrades, who "went west." Perhaps the executive of the R.S.A. could arrange such parades?-! am, etc,