Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 222, 8 December 1927, Page 10

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

FERRY RISKS Sir, To what kind of Harbour Board are the lives of ferry passengers committed? To turn down the frank suggestion of a seaman like the harbourmaster that the arrival and departure of ferries should be regulated during the rush hours is an extraordinary act. Does the board repose any confidence in the harbourmaster? The shocking disaster in Sydney Harbour just a few weeks ago should have made the need of regulation quite plain and if one of those slips of fate precipitates a similar catastrophe here (which Heaven forfend) there will certainly be some who will turn and rend the board. BAYS WATER. DESPITE THE GREYCLIFFE Sir,All this fuss about the danger of traffic accidents in the harbour is grossly overdone. It scares the public which, had regulations never been suggested, would never have had the slightest qualms. The record of the ferries makes the talk of mishap utterly ridiculous. Has there been the slightest incident on which timid administrators could hang their fears? I fail to recall it. Social life is a mass of more or less regulations from all kinds of more or less authoritative bodies, but in this case the customs of seamanship and the proven capabilities of the ferry captains make these meddling tactic's quite unnecessary—despite the Greycliffe accident. FERRY CLOCK. THE PRESIDENT KNOWS Sir, “C.H.N.” is not blessed with consistency—persistency, maybe, but not consistency. For surely if a system of free intertrading, with a high tariff erected against the rest of the world, as the United States enjoys, and which “C.H.N.”’ admits to be “not the least of her advantages,” the same policy must be good enough for us to adopt. Mr. Amery quoted the example of the United States, and suggested that we had far greater opportunities for the adoption of such a policy. I believe this method of trading presents to us a wonderful opportunity, and the manner in which Mr. Amery’s statement was received by the 300 business men of Auckland leads one to believe they felt as I did. “C.H.X.” will, I trust, pardon me in preferring such opinion. It is pure folly for him to suggest that inter-Empire trading will raise the (as he calls it) “yellow flag of tariff quarantine,” nor yet will it create another war, as he wishes to suggest. On the contrary, such a policy will prevent such a possibility, as I submit the best and most material league of nations is that comprising the British Commonwealth. “C.H.X.” finds pleasure in quoting selected opinions praising free trade, but, sir, it is so simple

a matter to do this, and much more so for one presenting a case for protection, as so many of our leading citizens at Home, in all walks of life, are laying aside the cause of free trade, being forced by conditions to favour and preach something more modern and beneficial to their State. What a lesson the McKenna duties gave the Motherland! And out of this protection see what wonderful progress this protected industry has climbed through. And listen to President Coolidge’s most recent claim: “The present tariff provides £120,000,000 in annual revenue. Any material reduction of protection, either of manufactures or agricultural products, would injure the country.” And no one other than a biassed mind could suggest that President Coolidge does not know. J.H.B. TRAMWAY SERVICE Sir, — The following scene was enacted on a Herne Bay car one afternoon last week. A woman, evidently a visitor from the country, got on the car at the Customs Street stop. This car had the destination sign at one end showing Grey Lynn. As the car started toward Herne Bay. two conductors began to collect fares, one from either end. The lady tended a coin and asked for a ticket for the Point. The conductor evidently had not heard plainly, so sh 9 repeated: “A ticket through to Point Chevalier.” The conductor, quite evidently a stranger, laughed aloud: ‘ Why trams do not go to Point Chevalier. You must get a bus,” he said, walking away. A passenger, judging that the woman was a stranger, rang the bell for her, and at the next stop showed her where to get a Grey Lynn car which would take her to the place from where she could get a bus. Mow why did not the conductor think of this? The passengers in the tram were very indignant. N. ZEDER. ONE-MAN TRAMS Sir, The constant chopping and changing by our tramway officials would seem to indicate a state of affairs almost as bad as painted. Instead of only talking about popularising the trams, why not try it? What of the flat rate system successful in other parts ? Why not give Aucklanders a three-penny fare anywhere? as you enter; board cars at front end, exit by rear. Doors to be controlled by lever operated by motorman, who will also supervise fare collection, but will not handle change or snip concession cards. All passengers boarding cars to have exact fare ready to drop m slot as they file aboard. Concession cards to be made in perforated sections, same to be torn off and dropped into money slot or special receptacle provided. Of course it will be argued people could not be expected always to have correct fares ready. Well then, educate them to it. X 0 correct tare, no tram ride. People somehow manage to get change for slot machines and phone calls, purely they

can do the same for ear fares, and Incidentally help haul their tram system out of the hole? They have howled a lot; now let them help a little. Oneman trams, a flat rate, and the elimination of an army of inspectors should go far toward making the system payable and popular. Experts invariably brand new suggestions as impossible But, as Mr. Henry Ford shrewdly points out, that is the trouble with experts: “They know too many things that can’t be done.” waLKEB. NOT COURTESY Sir,— . „ Quite a number of references na recently been made to the quality oi courtesy extended by Auckland trammen, but even the tram-men the®' selves can barely sustain a claim tna they are 100-per-cent, courteous, was my pleasure (?) last evening have a tram stopped on the run while I was ordered off. tram was crowded; but I was at wayside stop, and the driver slow up while I got on. I found a cnaia across the entrance, and it was question of getting off while the trao gathered speed, or getting inside chain. I adopted the latter I didn’t know the chain was upJ® I was on the tram. Then the c ductor, from inside the tram, 1 • me off” to this effect: “Can’t >' oa the tram is crowded. You’ve norign to get through that chain. a man to do two men’s work. string and stops car). Get off- , I took the path of least resistance « he fastened up the chain behind In all about five times the time * would have occupied in taking my was used up. Seems to me a ductor, knowing he is going to a crowd at that hour of the_ ms should be prepared to be a litti philosophic. One would think • put up with the same strain for n on end, instead of for some ® minutes in several hours. •» PARNELLLEANDER’S LAMENT Sir. of last When the Parnell baths were at concreted swimmers thought tn days of mud and a soupy hqiua . f gone, and that they would lave limbs in waters of pellucid blue c „ ver al disillusionment has come. , ftlire d times lately the turbid, water of the baths has contrasted the water outside though that i y tainly not clear. At full t*de _ :0 bathers find it much more pl ea j*- it swim outside the bath . JTif this* ■ surely cannot be such a difficui ths . !to change the water in the o 0 ! Why should it be left in for d .

end? Tb# There Is another grievance. Sunday hours of the baths are For what ridiculous reason ar j-gj closed at 11 or 11.30 a.m., an fL_ up again early, in the