LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25157, 21 March 1945, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Oldest Windmill Sir, —The oldest windmill in Auckland is situated in St. Andrew's Road, Epsom. This mill, which is well over 100 years old, is built of stone and is more entitled to be preserved than the one in Symonds Street. If the citizens of Auckland wish to preserve historical windmills, why not remove the top and sails from the one in Symonds Street and erect them 011 Auckland's oldest mill in St. Andrew's Road, which is at present minus top and sails, and so preserve both. The cost would be considerably less and a dual purpose would be served H. J. Butchisk. Wheat Shortage Sir, —We are all aware of the necessity of being careful in our homes and bakeries so that 110 waste occurs. The time has arrived when we could all do a lot more economising. One thing 1 suggest is that the amount of cakes and pastries and sandwiches be cut down considerably at luncheons and afternoon teas. Every time 1 see a table laden with many kinds of foods made from precious cereals 1 groan. New Zealanders eat far too much and these feasts at odd times should be strictly prohibited. \Ve would not only save tons of cereals but be grade 1 instead "f CI- Susannah. Grocers and Sugar Sir, —It is ironical to read of the concern of the Master Grocers' Association over the decision of the Government to do away with sugar registration. Mr H. R. Fanselow refers with alarm to the possibilities of trafficking in coupons (which will not be any greater than in the past), but fails to say that the association's real concern is that it. takes away the power of _ the grocer to use his tinned fruit, etc., as bait with which to secure sugar registrations. Onlv too often _ have we been told that w'e only get tinned fruit where we register for our sugar. Now the grocer will not be able to hold that, gun at our heads. A Customer. Children's Hospital Sir, Citizens do not need to "await actual facts" concerning hospital administration. Too many of us know to our bitter sorrow that what Mr Selwyn Morris has said regarding the hospitalisation of children is only too true. The shocking ventilation system, for instance, in the babies' ward condemns itself. How can babies withstand cold winds which blow directly on them when 1 in bed? Last year a young child of mine developed an almost fatal bron- 1 chial pneumonia through just exactly that; it also contracted whooping cough there. Cross-infection is notorious, f : think a special children's hospital is an urgent necessity. It should be staffed mainly by women who are mothers, or nurses who have a, love of children, and who could be specially trained in the handling and care of sick children, with ( thoroughly qualified sister in charge. The young general trainees could serve , in this department in the usual maimer. , •T.B < Party Politics 1 Sir, —Alien t the numerous strikes 1 which have taken place in this most ( fortunate country during the greatest 1 struggle in history, there are doubtless 1 individuals in political parties who are ' upright' and honest, but the institution of a party lends itself to all manner of corruption and will have to be substi- , tuted by something better if this country is to progress. The repeated con- • donation of industrial upheavals and ! the consequen economic disruption that ' follows are positively criminal. All this does not mean that good party men may not be humanitarians and good to their folks. You will no • doubt recall the passage in Macaulay i wherein ho complained that when attcii- . tion was called to the tyrannies and 1 lorts of a pertain monarch the reply was in ade that the king was a good husband and a loving father. But the fact remains that the only intelligent ] basis for any kind of ethics that can ] last is humanity and the welfare of the j human race, and not partisanship. I It must be the effort of all clear j thinkers to rid the councils, of this Dominion of the last shreds of Mncliiavellisrn and to insist that the principles of righteousness and justice are just as binding upon parties ns they are upon individuals. This we cannot do unless we ure \ri!u?(£ to abandon -our party and oppose it when if te clearly wrong. Robert H. Nf.it,. 1