LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25344, 27 October 1945, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Full Age Benefit Denied Sir,—Here is a typical case and there are thousands like it. A widow over 65 has retired from a small business with savings of £1345. This sum is invested in Government and other securities with a return of about 3 per cent and brings in about £42. Add to this the universal age benefit of £22 10s and her total income is £64 10s. She applies for old age benefit and is promptly informed that she is entitled to nothing because the £845 over the £SOO allowed disqualifies her for the £B4 10s old age pension and she is left with £64 10s a year to pay rent, food, clothing and warmth. Any Government which allows an injustice like this to operate is not fit to govern. Either Mr Nash does not understand his own Government's laws and is misleading the people, or the omnipotent department is cheating the people. Salo. Centre for Blood Donors

Sir, —How much easier it would be for all concerned if an efficient base was established in the centre of the city where blood donors could give their blood. Married women mostly sutler, having to rush away from the Auckland and Green Lane Hospitals to complete their shopping, etc. What a wonderful opportunity it would be to erect a small building, fitted solely for the above purpose, as a memorial to the gallant Aucklanders who gave up their lives that others may live. ' Hopeful.

[Note. —The establishment of a central building ag a memorial has not been suggested before, but the question of the most suitable location for the blood transfusion service has been fully discussed by the Auckland Hospital Board, and it was decided last year that, with the expert staff and the facilities required, the Auckland Hospital was the only suitable place for handling blood donors. —Editor.]

Standard of Driving Sir, —I read the remarks of "Auto" on the above subject with great interest, and wish to give a few observations of my own. I have been a commercial vehicle driver, including passenger buses for the last 15 years, and would certainly trust myself with a truck driver rather than a car. driver at any time. When "Auto" leaves his car parked against a sign_ which reads "Keep Clear, No Parking," and skips away for an hour or two to do his business, he apparently does not realise that one of the truck drivers may have to double park and carry heavy cases and sacks around "Auto's" car, instead of backing straight into a loading dock. A commercial vehicle may park in a no parking area to pick up some goods, but definitely does not park there all day, as is the case with cars in Higli Street and nearly all streets round the business part of Auckland. T suggest to "Auto" that he keep a check on the newspapers and see how many commercial vehicles are involved in accidents, compared with the number of cars. Jj. W. Andrew. An Unfortunate Mistake Sir, —The case of tho boy receiving the shoes meant by their giver for the shoeless feet of somo child in devastated Europe calls for strict investigation. However deserving the Now Zealand case may bo, the donor of the shoes has a right to feel defrauded. It is just such incidents as these which stir up the deeply-rooted doubt as to whether the many subscriptions and donations which the public have willingly poured forth in response to wartime appeals really reach their specified objectives, or are diverted to other channels at the discretion of the authorities. It can readily be seen that such doubts, when justified, as in tho present case, will have the effect of checking the tide of willing giving. As one lady said to me: "I, too, gave •) pair of shoes —perfectly good ones which cost me some pangs to part with. And though it gives me quite a glow of self-sacrifice to think of some poor destitute creature in Europe getting the good of them, I admit I'm not quite so philanthropic as to feel pleased at the thought of Mrs Brown's daughter in the next street going to work in my good Selbjr'a."- Isabel M. Cltjett,