Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 143, 7 September 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

MOUNT ALBERT’S PROBLEMS Sir, . I wish to join in the protests against the Mount Albert Borough Council’s methods. It is time there was an inquiry into the council's system, not only of dismissing its men, but also of taking them on. I am a ratepayer of Mount Albert, but like many others I am kept in ignorance of what the council is doing. It seems to be a "oneman” show, with nearly all the councillors the puppets of the Mayor. RATEPAYER. “RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES” Sir.TJnder the above heading you publish certain statements made by Bishop Cherrington concerning “Native Rates.” It is a pity that his Lordship did not more fully investigate the problem before giving publicity to his opinions. To state “that the Maori enjoys practically equal privileges with the pakeha is absurd. Is he aware that the Maori does not enjoy the privileges of the pakeha as regards finance? Is he aware that the title deed to a “sole ownership” block of land is useless as a security? The roads and railways constructed by the pakeha may confer some personal benefits, but none on our lands; we have never been assisted in the development of these lands. Why? Because the pakeha realises that the surest way to obtain them for his use is to “starve us out.” May I remind his Lordship that our lands carry associations, as sacred to us as the emblems of his Faith are to him, and confiscation of any part of them will mean a “parting of the ways” for pakeha and Maori. His Lordship’s investigations are reminiscent of Nelson, at Copenhagen! SUUM CUIQUE. WHY NEW ZEALANDERS LEAVE HOME Sir.— Possibly Dr. Hunter was too polite to stress the real reason why graduates of New Zealand universities have to go abroad for jobs. It Is mainly because university professors of economics, importers, farmers, union advocates, single-tax cranks, and others are eternally insisting that New Zealanders are only fit to milk cows, tail lambs, slaughter sheep, and do the jobs incidental to swelling the volume of exports of agricultural produce. If anyone suggests industrial development on a large scale to employ skilled labour to apply scientific methods in the conversion of raw products into manufactured goods, there is combined bleating from all these worthies that makes the welkin ring. We are asked how can this country possibly hope to manufacture in competition with oldestablished industries in other parts of the world? And then some self-satis-fied Commission-snatcher, who lives on the indent business, wants to know how we can hope to live by taking In each other’s washing? For years this country has been spending vast sums on training bright young men for high professional positions that tliev can never hope to obtain in New Zealand until our attitude toward industrial development is revised. Graduates from the Otago School of Mines are helping to win wealth from the bowels of the earth in Africa, South America, Ala ska, India and anywhere, except in-New Zealand, where mining is languishing. We were first in the world with the bucket-dredge and yet the Americans to-day are cleaning up the rich river flats of the West Coast of the South Island. The graduates of the Canterbury College Engineering School cannot get away from New Zealand quick enough, and their ser-

vices seem to be greatly in demand in j countries that are going eyes out for industrial development. Even in Christchurch recently, when the city council wanted an engineer, they imported one from Perth —1,000 miles away. Industrial chemists of worldwide fame like Mellor, formerly of Dunedin, and great administrators like Marris, Governor of the United Provinces (he graduated at Canterbury College) are but two shining examples of outstanding men who could fir.d no scope for their abilities in New Zealand. Exports of butter and meat and wool are all very well to a point, but our professors of economics don’t seem to be able to understand that the necessity to export food and raw material is the real weakness of our economic position. The steady export of securities which puts us further into bondage to the foreign money lender, and the export of the brains that might help us to solve our political and industrial problems in New Zealand, seem to me to be carrying the export business too far altogether. Still, what can you expect where our own university authorities will not trust New Zealanders to build show cases to hold a few stuffed kiwis and Maori curios? FERGUS. THE INCOME TAX Sir, — There is a good deal of dissatisfaction about the increased income tax and one naturally asks by what code of reasoning the old rate can be justified any more than the new one. Surely anyone is entitled to what lie earns? A tax on unearned incomes ma.y be justifiable, but to take away that which is given in exchange for useful service is daylight robbery. The highway robber takes it from the fellow who has it—because he wants it. It is almost the same in politics. Regardless of how a person have burned the midnight oil for the best years of his life, money is simply taken from him because he has it and the Sta.te is hard up. The money may be needed to extend the business and employ more labour. Tlmre is only one just tax, and that is a tax on the unimproved value of the land. In other words, by taking comm unity-cre-ated values for community purposes. E. STEVENSON. HARBOUR BRIDGE AND IMPORTED MATERIAL Sir,. There is no need to follow Mr. Carter through his half column reply to my letter, as he shows in a sentence wherein lies the false premise on which he bases his argument. Thus, “will the fact that we build it (the bridge) of imported steel produce any more butter?” Your correspondent assumes that the reply to this must be in the negative, but as a matter of fact the correct answer is “yes.” Every addition we make to our imports must increase our exports “as any schoolboy knows,” and contrariwise, if we stopped importing altogether we would, ultimately, produce nothing at all to sell abroad. The production of butter, and other exportable products, is not. a fixed quantity, but will be increased by favourable circumstances, one of which is additional imports. Mr. Carter admits that international trad-- is a matter of exchange (though he qualifies this by the word “largely”), but in b#th his letters he impliedly denies this fact; that is where he goes astray. Prominent men in the business world may refer to international exchange of goods as “sending the money out of the country,” but you will never find an economist committing sue a an “economic howler.” Mr. Carter refers to bringing in foreign Utboureis. Tnere

is (obviously) an essential di between importing nien J®* no When a foreigner comes in there obligation to send out a se lander, but imports necessitate He also rnisre presents me tli istake hit. (C.K.N.’s> advice aid steel . . .” 1 gave no advl: ® t “J*connection. Imports are TO y -y, sarily to be favoured any 11 -hatlocal products. We should irre . ever material is cheapest and . w*"* spective of where it is nianuiic^^ MALLARD DUCKS Sir, — tmE SU# Referri is to an article in 'J) te I affl of the 30th inst., I wish . the now breeding malls rd v a d p 1 third season running, and na ■ i adverse report from distnc have liberated. crated Last year 25 bra. e were U ■ r this district, but they d 2rh-os bein* to have remained; or, P e * y* cti& 5 hand-reared, have fallen to stoats and weasels. _ lUr d« * ith The interbreeding ot inau* kclyUf native grey ducks is no m ‘ rfcr eed •£* become pronounced than.in of spoonbill or teal with n ge& ducks, and I find mallards g peci* s foreign mates where their can be found. . ~1, can P ve Perhaps Mr. C. K. I>r> pjci ar^^ further data to support. - In support of Mr. L- N hec time is fast approaching * lards must be introduced stocks of greys are to oe ” D f This argument is m fa' rco ii lards, which are easily A vide down to decoys and do pp' sport. I .have frighted t *ao in preference to shootln.. ! p * T liberated when they ha 1 - to my decoys. ... jiberW 01 If luck favours me I ir „ a larger