Readers Write

Northern Advocate, 7 March 1945, Page 2

Readers Write

In connection with the recent loan poll for an auxiliary water supply, why was a meeting of ratepayers not

WATER SUPPLY LOAN

held some time previously to gather information

and various ideas that might lead to a good scheme; they have got to pay for it whether it is wrong or right. The banks like to know where their money is invested. The result of the loan poll shows that the people-of Whangarej are wondering where their fully paid-up rates are wandering. And quite right, too. It is a great idea to nearly complete a scheme and then ask the ratepayers to vote for it. Only a few approved of it. And no wonder, either. If the Hatea stream water was good, it would have been poured into Whangarei’s reservoirs many years ago, and there would have been no need to go so far out for good water. If the council had gone to the famous spring from which the present supply is got, every ratepayer would have voted for a loan to increase the supply. All that is wanted is the necessary pipes and' labour. The Hatea water will be lovely for garden use, but not for our rising generation. Let us have the best; it costs less. —“RATEPAYER FOR QUARTER OF A CENTURY.”

How is it we are always asked to remember the years of study a school teacher has to undergo? Why a school

CONCERNING THE SCHOOL TEACHER

teacher? An architect, surveyor, accountant, lawyer,

doctor, secretary, nurse, musician, shorthand typiste, engineer (either mining, mechanical, electrical or civil), a builder, just to mention a few professions or trades, all have long years of work and study, but, unlike the school teacher the taxpayers neither pay for their training nor are they guaranteed a permanent job, and neither do the taxpayers give them two-thirds of their salary after completing a certain number of years, to retire on for life. The school teacher retires, after 40 years. Remember that 10 of the 40 were holidays on full pay. For over 30 years I have listened to the woes of those members of my family who are either school teachers or public servants (and how many families in New Zealand haven't someone in one or other of the State departments?). Read the Public Service Journal or Katipo, and the story runs like this: ‘‘Cost of living, taxation, shoi’tage of houses etc., press more heavily on public servants than on anyone else.” The same story is told by school teachers. No one else in the family gets a chance to tell their symptoms. All the woes are peculiar to that particular section of the community. Even the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and all our politicians make the same point: “Higher pay for all the lower paid (there is the point)” particularly “Public Servants.” Why particularly? Do low paid workers in any other walk of life require less food, clothing or shelter for themselves and children than public servants. I met a retired railway porter l-ecently who told me his superannuation was £4/10/- weekly. Since then he got a rise of £26 cost of living bonus, making a retiring allowance of £5 per week. Do any other section of the community get that? And this man was not 55 years of age. I was discussing some of the ridiculous prices charged with a wharf worker. He said “Yes, I know, we all know what will happen to us later —no ship, no pay,” “But,” he added, my brother is a Customs- official, and he gets his salary, ship or no ship. Moreover, I went to the last *war and he didn’t; yet he is due to go out on twothirds of his salary next year, and he is-not nearly 60. I have to work on, and will land 32/6 if I live long enough.” That is the difficulty—ship or no ship the weight of over-staffed State departments still goes on and causes the heavy taxation. My last letter was written to draw attention to the fact that our standard of living as a false standard, as it is maintained on borrowed money. I heard a schoolmaster in correspondence broadcast speaking of “Imports and Exports.” He said: “Then there is money—we import,” and his companion said: “Yes, that is where our salaries come from.” And they both laughed. So “they know” you see. If the people safe_ at home continually hold the country up for more and more, our repatriation is dead, and the soldiers overseas -who are doing all the sacrificing, and the dependents of those who have lost their lives, will get the same as the soldiers of last war, i.e., scraps from the table of those they kept safe. We in Ne\y Zealand are made for the world, not the world for us, and although we employ a host of folks running all over bombed old Britain telling them about our war effort and how clever we are—also, someone called Miller edits a newspaper called “Southern Cross” telling some more high stories about us—one .thing they neglect is to tell the people in devastated Britain that they themselves find the cash for our fun and games. When this war is over, with a third of their country smashed up and millions of men and women to be repatriated, Britain won’t be able to nurse us. Yet we are still borrowing. -1 notice Mr George Duncan of the Marketing Department, and Mr Ashwin, Secretary of the Treasury, are chaperoning the wool delegates to England What do farmers need civil servants tacked on to them for? Why, think of the Superannuation Fund. Must keep our eye on farmers, you know. If my letter was not of the ■ utmost importance to soldiers,-I would not trespass on your space. I should need the town hall to educate your two correspondents who took me to task re school teachers. Matthew Hamilton Edgar was supporter of my views re soldiers once, but has, like so many others, changed his views with his job. Nevertheless, as he approves of medals for teachers, he shall have a place reserved on the official platform at my investiture. Indeed, I shall allow him to read out the citation —written, of course, by— MARY SPEDDING.