Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 93, 11 July 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

FROM “MISS AUCKLAND” Sir, — I would like to express, through the columns of THE SUN, my heartythanks to the public of Auckland for its kind support in- the recent “Miss New Zealand 1927” competition. I can assure my friends that I will do my' best to uphold the honour they have bestowed upon me. I would also like to thank the management of the Majestic and Regent Theatres for their courtesy and kindness toward me and my friends for presents and floral tributes. BILLIE ANDREASSON. TRAM FARES Sir,—The proposal to do away with concession cards is a retrograde one. It is also a gross violation of the promise that fares would not be raised if the buses were put off the roads. The tram conductors are greatly assisted in their duties by concession cards. It is much easier to snip a card than to collect a fare and give change. With a full car (and some of the passengers only going one section) it is almost impossible for the conductor to collect all the fares before some of the passengers are getting off. This is where the concession card saves both time and money. Again every effort should be made to help people to get well out into the suburbs by reducing fares on long distance rides. Yet the council is forcing congestion by increasing the fares on the outer areas and leaving the first three sections unaltered. What is wanted is bus competition and if the Government thinks it can eliminate the law of competition by Act of Parliament then it is very seriously mistaken. You might as well try to destroy the law of gravity by legislation. It would have been just as ridiculous for the Government to have passed a law (by Order-in-Council) that there was to be no SUN newspaper in Auckland because we already had one evening paper. E. STEVENSON.

MR. LEE’S BILL THE SUN may rest assured that every member and supporter of the Labour Party will consider that Mr. Lee is particularly well in step in introducing a Bill to repeal the “Compulsory Military Service Act.” You mention in the course, of your leader, “Labour Out of Step”: “Assess the national value of compulsory military service as an aid to peace, as an admirable means of strengthening the physique and character of the youth of the Dominion,” and later, “A system which at its worst in practice does nothing but good.” I went to the 1926 camp at Ngaruawahia, and on the train from Auckland to the camp I was in charge of a party, and this is how the subsequent proceedings struck one who has had three years’ pre-war campaign solemnly warns Australian consumers that increased protection will make living dearer for them. It doesn’t seem to occur to this journal that protection gives local industries a chance to expand and, by enabling them vastly to increase their output (in response to the protectioncreated demand), lessens the cost of production and gives the consumer a cheaper article. Of several instances, boots may be mentioned. Protection has so built up the boot industry in Australia that it produces as good an article, and as cheap an article, as can be made in England. Therefore it is that Australia imports no footwear, or almost none, and that the industry gives employment at good wages to many thousands of workers.

over four years active service, and this post-war experience—by far the worst ordeal I ever went through. From the time of leaving Auckland to detraining at Hopa Hopa, all semblance of discipline was lost, and the route of the troop train from start to finish might have been traced by empty bottles. The scene on detraining beggared description. The brawling mass in the mess-room at tea and every subsequent meal had to be seen to be believed. It would have been an eye-opener for one of our padres to have taken a walk through the lines, as I did one hour before “lights out.” and an hour after. I thought I knew, and on occasion could use some soldiers’ language, but the filth and obscenity that came from those tents was an education. The Act is loved only by the “Brass Hats” and the pople who are making a good and easy living out of its working, and lrentham in the early days of the war demonstrated its utility. As for physical training, a game of Rugby will do infinitely more in that direction than a month of camp as I saw it. The strengthening of character,” which is brought about by a camp may be estimated by my experiences, which were I may say, confined to an infantry battalion. I am sorry I cannot follow J’ ractice and si &n my name to , J- hls letter, but you may make my address available to any inquirer. “VETERAN.”

A BRIDE FOR THE PRINCE Sir,— . n topic, the matrimonial intentions ot the Prince of Wales has cropped up again, this time in no less a place than the Legislative Council Ihe remarks furnished a section of the Press with an excuse for some acrimonious sniffling over the United States of America-. It is a pity that the members of our “House of Lords” cannot find something more important to worry about than royal marriages' and, where in the name of common sense, did Sir Thomas Mackenzie get his notions? What could possibly constitute “closer relationships” than those existing between the chief European royalties in 1914? Much as we would have it otherwise, w*e know the Prince is not free to choose whom he will for a partner, and that his range of choice is strictly circumscribed. But anyway it is extremely doubtful if, in these days, Royalty could long survive an experiment which aims to make crowned heads out of commoners. “T.N.T.” IN SUPPORT OF MR. TIARKS Sir, — Reading the letter in THE SUN signed “Avondale” I was surprised to read the criticism of Mr. Tiarks, the Mayor, who has only taken up the reins of the borough a few weeks back. What does he expect to be done without money. When the new council took over the affairs of the borough every intelligent ratepayer knew full well that the borough had come to the end of its resources as regards finance, and the ratepayers elected the present Mayor by a large majority, which showed the confidence they put in him and his fellow councillors. “Avondale” remarks about the £4,000 lying in the bank. That is a godsend to the ratepayers of Avondale South and they no doubt are thankful that it was not squandered. “Avondale” says the Mayor and councillors are going shortly to put more loan proposals before the ratepayers, but “Avondale” says he can assure the Mayor and councillors that they will not get it passed (what presumption and rot). How can any Mayor and council improve the borough, give u§ concrete roads, footpaths, drainage, etc., without money to do the work with? I should like to say that I have never spoken to Mr. Tiarks nor would I know him if I met him in the street, but I feel confident that the present Mayor and councillors will give us value for

our money and also that ' „I nditurewill know every item of <?xi Tlark , The large majority by "j hl „ ‘ r i u si«'f topped the poll showed northat electors in all wards of a „ a ough have every confidence his councillors. c KE y N OLD S ' Avondale.