“DUNEDIN’S OBSOLETE TRAMS”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23492, 5 May 1938, Page 17

“DUNEDIN’S OBSOLETE TRAMS”

TO THE EDITOR Sir, —Mr J. W. Munro, M.P., is not famous for cautious statements. It seems hardly .necessary for him, however, to disparage his own city and provide other centres with material reflecting unjustifiably upon Dunedin. The following appeared in a northern newspaper, and will tend to give some a very erroneous opinion of the southern city:— “ When the City Council bought the tramcars In our city they were considered obsolete in other parts of the world,” declared Mr J. W. Munro, M.P., during an address to Dunedin electors. " The trams were built in America for some town in Rumania,” he said, " but when they were found to be out of date some 1 mugs ’ in the Antipodes were found to buy them.” As one who has visited the principal cities of New Zealand, I have no hesitation in saying that the Dunedin trams compare more than favourably with those of northern centres. Apart from the probable inccuracy of Mr Munro’s statement regarding the original destination of the Dunedin trams, it is quite unnecessary to deter visitors from travelling south. May I also add that, since leaving Dunedin. I have had ample proof of an allegation made to me years ago, viz., that little or no freedom of speech is permitted in the North Island metropolitan dailies? As one wiho has had much to say in condemnation of Dunedin newspaper bias, I think it only fair to record that the papers there are still infinitely better, as far as expression of unorthodox opinion on all subjects than those up this way. I am not rescinding strictures passed on the Dunedin press, but am simply pointing out that there are places in this same Dominion where the newspapers are a great deal worse when it comes to the expression of radical opinion. Moreover, not satisfied witih the suppression of public opinion, some of them go so far as to state publicly

that any suppression wlilch they decide upon will be done without public notice of that fact, and that no excuse or correspondence will be entertained regarding the matter!—l am, etc., ; Auckland, April 30. E. W. F. j