LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18703, 8 May 1924, Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

TRAMS AND BUSES. • i Sir,—-I see - the". Mayor of Auckland has I again made air appeal to the general, pub*, lic to refrain /fromJ patronising private: bus enterprise in preference to .the trains. May I state that it is not always .•;»? matter of preference that /results iu the . bus service being so freely - patronised, but often a matter of necessity:; v; As ; a : resident of Grey. Lynn my lot is often, to ? get to the tram terminus and after wait - ing a matter of at least ten minuter a tram arrives. Then there 13 another wait- ' in the morning, mostly seven or eight minutes. Is it any wonder that : after waiting fifteen minutes, half the , passengers join the bus which has come alon/c and ' whfch leaves •without delay, taking one to town quicker and for tha sama * are ■ PRESIDENT. FLEET WEEK. ■' . Sir,—Two suggestions I would like to • make are : — (1). That prior to , tho arrival of the fleet the several .misleading . signs that the Soldiers' Club is in AlbertStreet be removed. (2). .That an informa- . tion bureau, . well supplied with literature referring to scenic resorts, local and Dominion industries, tho different kinds of farming and agricultural pursuits carried on here, , and other matters of interest to: our visitors, and staffed with qualified attendants who could deal with th« various matters put. to them in an intelligent manner, bo established in soma central position, say. either on or at tho head .of Prince's * Wharf. . This bureau could be open for certain specified hours, and would, I' feel sure, be a great boon to our visitors. Cms, '- / • ; THE RAILWAYS. _. Sir, —Seeing that railway matters have occupied a prominent position in pubiiu interest lately, it seems opportune to suggest that the matte, of the sale of our railways to private companies is worthy of ' oonsideraion. . There are several benefits- that would accrue: (1) We should greatly reduce the proportion of civii servants to the rest of the community. (2) We should be able to insist on a better • service. (3) The money obtained or -released could be used on a -comprehensive roading policy. If we could effect a' sale under reasonable safeguards to the publio the roading of this Dominion would ensure that the railway companies would , be assured of a payable undertaking. I trust this matter may be taken up by someone who is competent, to deal fully with the proposal and give valid reason and argument either for or against. ; \ . " E. 0. Hqucheh. ;. I'AKAPUNA .TRAMS. —Cannot some effective form - : of protest be organised by the residents of Takapuna ' against the .abominable nuisance caused by the smoke from the steam, trams ? The dense black filth belched out from ; these antiquated engines could scarcely be ..blacker or viler if it had, been specially designed for the - purpose .of a smoke screen or ; for * asphyxiating • the whole of the inhabitants. The old London underground was never worse before the abolition of the smoke trains than a V Takapuna tram when the wind blows the smoke .baok from the ongine ; v into the carriages.' 'Ilia deterioration of numbers of painted houses which ' lie along Mid : adjacent to the route must cost thousands of pounds a year.' for tho vile vapo'ii* rolls in dense .masses • over - acres •of . sections. ' iTho deterioration of heal'ili ; of the passengers need not bo considered. /- . If the members of. the Borough Council, who' are "entrusted with the' good management of the district'V. affairs, * have not. ■ the energy or,the inclination to tackle the question, it is time the electors bestirred ' themselves to , put people in their placb' who - will, for no sijlf-respecting oommunity 4 with ! any civic-intercuts would .-.tolerate . r .such '&i' 'Condition of things; for a week. • i :- '• V " 'v ' Stoferer. ■ ' ■' '• • - .;-y : •- v (>4 . , ' ' _ • .OUR , NATIVE FLORA. J Sir,—Now that the tree-planting season ' is at hand, iI would voice the claim, our native - flora has on our regard. I would suggest that local bodies, . church, .• and school ■■ committees ■ and . private _ citizens, generally take into . consideration the - desirability of reviewing the position of these areas . they control. - Many unsightly exotic trees and shrubs lumber areas that might be made real beauty spots. y Where there are pines, firs, oalcs, i privets, etc., the areas should be ; replanted with ferns; ' kowhai and; flax bushes in ; the . smaller ■ spaces, and., in larger spaces pohutukawa. totara, *puriri, / etc. -: Such plantations in time: would amply repay the labour spent-, and lend a' beauty ; and feature to * tho ■ neighbourhood in keeping with our coun- " try's characteristic -vegetation. Several . articles ; have ft of late appeared in the ; Herald as to the relative values of.'native " - and . exotic trees \ for • planting -in public reserves. . The i balance -of " opinion seemed' to be in favour of 'planting our native V trees, with 'a' discreet -mixture of exotics, . : .and I think this should he. the' rule aimed at in such matters. • The : idea that -.native trees < are harder to gro'V i and - slower of: ■• / growth ; seems . to. be. also;.' disproved bv : actual experience. It is to be hoped "that - the City Council : and suburban %al i bodies : V •will, initiate ii : progressive policy in plant- - i ing our many park areas with native trees. 1 :likewise the • streets and 'all, suitable? a teas ! - • under ; their control. The . Albert v Park, - • Auckland Domain, v and Gray Lynn Park' ; are soma of the places : which will lend : themselves }to still • further improvement *in '' this respect,, and there a*'<s many places in i the suburbs which can be i given attention : with advantage. Rakatx-Maori. , COST OF . SUPERPHOSPHATE. r ® * :am on .- m ■ way" to England I I called in for a day at Melbourne, and the > hoadquarte;;s of ( the Nauru Phosphate' . , Company being there/gained some' informi ation which I think will be very valuable r to; the New Zealand farmers.'s*lt appears : the Victorian farmers ' are supplied ■ with : superphosphate 44-46.per cent, quality/ at " : £5 per ton on ; trucks in bags; ■ over *; 36- ' -38 per cent.., at £4 10s per ton on/ rail. ?: ■ > The New, 4 Zealand farmer pays about! 20m v ' per ton more. The phosphate company jj delivers - the phosphate rock 'at all : r Aus- v '; tralian and ; New Zealand ports; at 46s . per . ' ton,' and f one ; ton of this phosphate rock i makes about two tons of superphosphate, v i so the phosphate rock costs about 23s / per; ton ; for every , ton of . superphosphate > manufactured. About 80,000 tons of rock t will be imported into New Zealand this Hi season,, and as this will be sufficient for ■ I say 160,000 tons of superphosphate it' ap-' - pears the farmers in New Zealand are pay-.; ing something like £150,000 "too much for : ' i their superphosphate. ; The cost of labour is quite 'as . high in Victoria as in Netv • .'• • t Zealand, and 'we" naturally shall be " very r anxious for. a satisfactory explanation of , the difference in prices. I may : say Kl received the /above, information from . •'»* ' most reliable source, and afterwards : called ■ t on the gentleman who represents the New .-i ' Zealand Government in Victoria, and "» he ' promised, after I gave him the figures, to ' > inquire into the matter./ '/- / . - / ' Edward At LEX. Adelaide, April 17. * - - ' ' ' ~1.1!.^."