LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23829, 3 December 1940, Page 11

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PROTECTING SHIPPING Sir, —I nm grateful to Mr. F. A. Mneindoe, general secretary of the Merchant Service Guild, for taking up the subject ol protecting shipping. ] sincerely hope the members of the Guild ] and other shipmasters will be given the opportunity of assisting the JS'avv in sol \ ing this problem. Surely it is time to wjike up and see what can be done to protect our ships and those aboard. Shaman's Mother MILK ZONING Sir, —Milk zoning is another form of State interference, governed by the City Council. 1 suggest that the clean competition of two milkmen be allowed on each round. In our district two milkmen live very close to each other, and there should lie little extra petrol needed to serve two rounds. The competition would improve the milk and. more important, the health of growing children and old people. Health, St. H. j ROYAL NAVY Sir, —It is t-o be hoped that the Minister for Defence will find time to investigate the complaint made by Captain Macindoe, secretary to the Mercantile Marine Officers' Guild, in vour Saturday issue. We are justifiably proud of the Royal Navy and it is to be regretted that its escutcheon should be blurred by any suggestion of ultra conservatism. It is difficult, to understand why the Navy engages young men whose sole qualification consists of a yacht-master's "ticket," while men of military age, holding the highest qualifications obtainable in the Mercantile Marine and who, in addition, have served their time as officers of the Royal Navy Reserve, are passed over. C. E. Ahchihald, Late Lieut.-(Vimmander Naval Volunteers. RIGHT AND WRONG Sir,—lt seems to me that our material rearmament, and defence of freedom and righteousness, should be aided by moral means also. In this connection the following selected quotations from Alexis Carrel's "Man The Unknown" (1!W), seem very appropriate. "The advent of scientific civilisation necessitates a fresh discussion on all fundamental subjects. We are witnessing our own moral, intellectual and social failure. We have been living under the delusion that democracies would survive through the weak and short-sighted efforts of the ignorant. "Moral sense is almost completely ignored by modern society. Moral activity is equivalent to the aptitude possessed by man to impose upon himself a rule of conduct- to from several acts those which he considers to be good. It (moral activity) creates in him the feeling of obligation of duty. "No one can learn to distinguish right from wrong and beauty from vulgarity by taking a course of lectures. The definition of good and evil is based on reason, and on the immemorial experiences of humanity. It is related to basic necessities of individual and social life. Intelligence, will-power and moral sense are very closely related. But moral sense is more important than intelligence. When it disappears from a nation the social structure commences to crumble away. Like muscles and " organs, intelligence and moral sense become atrophied for want of exercise. The State can thrust legality upon people by force. But not morality. Everyone should realise the necessity of selecting the right and avoiding the wrong, of submitting himself to such necessity by an effort of his own will." Reservist 419493. OPEN MARKETS Sir, —Most of the correspondents who are opposing the establishment of an open market arc entirely ignorant of these markets in England, Scotland, France, Italy, in fact, nearly every country in Europe. One says the expense of erecting one at this time is not warranted but he is not concerned about the wastage of fruit and produce that is going on. An open market is erected and taken down in a day, at very small expense, and it firings the producer and consumer together. it brings second grade fruit, which is not up to standard of boxing but perfectly good and wholesome, to the public. What does Mr. Bond think of the wastage of 20 tons of apples from one orchard, which could have been sold to housewives at an open market ? Another man writes:—"We don't want the housewives to have to haggle with the dealers." What about the carts for fruit and produce that we have had iji Auckland, and of which we still have a few? We should likcvto know of any instance of haggling with the housewives at those stalls or carts, and they are selling in just the same way as would be done in an open market. Wait till we get an epidemic, and then what are we going to do for lemons? i know ol one place near Auckland where they have cut down 400 trees. Can't make it pay, too many restrictions keep the public from buying cheap fruit. ft is quite time the women banded together and insisted on the market. After all, they are the housewives and have to run the homes. They are the ones who have to look after the health of the family, and consequently the health of the nation. Rrnv E. Watson. ROOM LETTING Sir.—l read with interest the letter by "Landlady" in Monday's Herald and 1 am sure that many landladies could write pages of woes in room letting. The tenants think we make a fortune out of them, quite regardless of wear and tear and ill-usage of furniture, etc. The fair Rents Act, and the law are all one-sided, and encourage a certain type of room dwellers. The landlady has all sorts to put up with and no matter how undesirable tenants may lie, cannot put them out. Yet tenants can just up with their few possessions and walk out any time it suits them. I have supplied linen, crockery pots, blankets and light for I'l and had things removed so much that I hardly have any left. One constantly has to stop parties and beer being brought to the rooms. As for the children, I never refuse one child, but, like "Landlady," 1 had it put over me twice, once with four children. Not so long ago a poor.looking woman with one child, came. So, being sorry (I had vowed I would hare no more children), I let her a room at 15s. imagine my horror when I found that while I was out, she had put another double bed up and smuggled in at night eight children, ranging from 16 years to two years. I gave the rent back and let the father and three boys stay the week-end free, pointing out til at I would bo liable for allowing so many in a room. 1 have had an occasional good tenant, who are few and far between, but mv experiences for five years have left me with a. very poor estimation of room dwellers. It is astonishing the number of couples who have not a spoon or a sheet or towel. Yet they are working, but just seem to live for selfish pleasure, with no thought of getting a home together. One cannot blame the house shortage as many would be too lazy to keep a house clean and pay their rent, etc. It has never been my luck to get big rents, and I don't think I have I ever overcharged. I AISO A LANDIiAXMT. |