AUCKLAND LETTER

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 January 1923, Page 8

AUCKLAND LETTER

TELEPHONE CHARGES. (Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, January 26. When it was announced recently that Mr Coates contemplated making a, reduction in postal rates and telegraph charges the news was hailed everywhere with satisfaction. But now it would appear that what the Government proposes to give with one hand it will take back with the other. We can all do with lower postal and telegraph rates, but if we have to pay enormously increased rates for our telephones the promised “concession” will be more apparent than real. The Government pleads in extenuation that the telephones are not paying. But the railways are not paying either. In fact, the Government doos not seem able to make anything pay, and clearly■ possesses no business aptitude. The telephone service, in its entirety, may be a losing proposition at 'the present time, but the public (street) telephones, at any rate those to be found in Auckland, ought to pay remarkably well. It is no uncommon thing for a person using these street telephones in this city—or rather attempting to use them — to drop two or three pennies one after another into the slot and then have to go disappointed away. In fact, I have heard of a man who dropped no fevter than eight pennies in succession into the slot of a street telephone near Grafton Bridge without result. I have lived in most places in New Zealand, and can unhesitatingly say that the public telephone service of Auckland is the worst in the Dominion. THE OPERATION CRAZE. During 1922 nearly 4000 opera li< ms were performed at Auckland Public Hospital. How many were, performed at Auckland private hospitals and nursing homes, etc., 1 don't know, but if we set them down at 2000, I fancy we shall he inside the mark. And in all these cases, it’is safe to say the majority' of those operated upon were women. With many ladies, as every surgeon could tell, if he cared to, operations have 1 become a. perfect craze. Probably King Edward VII., who was operated upon for appendicitis sonic years before his death, set the fashion for operations, and they have become increasingly fashionable (more especially with ladies) ever since. Ami yet there cal he the shadow of a doubt that many a woman’s health has been hopelessly ruined by an operate a. wholly unnecessary character. OATH Ob' ALLEGIANCE. 'The growing opposition to the. practice <>l reipiiring British subjects to take the oath of allegiance before they are permitted to land in tlie Dominion is bound to end in the relaxation of the regulation or in its being swept away altogether. Almost every time British-born passengers arrive in Auckland and are subjected to the farce of taking the oath on pain of being refused a landing they protest, more or less vehemently against the absurdity as well as the indignity of the proceeding. The object, of course, of the, authorities in administering the oath is to prevent undesirables such as violent political agitators and Bolsheviks or other extremists,

from setting foot in New Zealand. But what is to prevent these persons from affirming their loyalty on oath, and snb.se qiiently carrying out their "nefarious little plans” all the same? A Bolscvik is not troubled with a sense of honour, and will cheerfully swear to anything so long as he advances the cause he has so much at heart. The oath of allegiance is no protection to New Zealand, but is merely a source of annoyance to returning New Zealanders. ... j oima