Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 639, 16 April 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

DISPLACEMENT OF LABOUR Sir. May I venture to suggest that the time has arrived to recognise that the much-abused term unemployment has become out of date. The fact is, sir, that the great majority of those “out'’ are out for good, unless something drastic in the way of change is evolved. They are surplus, and the reasons are not far to seek—increase of machinery, female labour, immigration, extortionate values put on lands and properties, aggregation, etc. One need not go to Moscow to see contrasts. We have them here. Some form of reconstruction must be evolved by civilisation the world over or the position will be intolerable. I am convinced that there is much to admirfe in Signor Mussolini. Mis methods would not be amiss at the moment here. SCOTIA. RELIEF FOR CHINA Sir, — Considering there are probably 100 millions in China needing relief at the present time, and that the number is likely to increase rapidly, it is worse than useless to try to ameliorate the position, more especially while civil war is raging. And, though the Chinese are tortured by war and famine, they are not asking charity from other nations. If ever they do. it will not be thousands of pounds, but hundreds of millions that will be necessary to help them. While we have increasing distress —caused by increasing unemployment—to deal with, we shall need all our spare charity for our own people. W'.F. DO YOU KNOW? Sir, — 1 was reading in a book the other day some reminiscences of the Peace Conference at Versailles, and the author claimed to have seen Mr. Lloyd George and President Wilson eagerly scanning a map of Europe to find a town that should be known to every schoolboy. That made me wonder if the average New Zealander could find, on a map, all the cities of the world that are the same size as Auckland. I think it is a very regrettable thing that geography has fallen into disrepute as a school subject. llow can any young man take an intelligent interest in the news of the world if he cannot visualise the position of the places mentioned and understand their relation, politically and geographically, one to the other. I venture to say that there are many youngsters to-day at our secondary schools who could not mark Timaru on a map of Mew Zealand. And I wonder how many readers of this letter can tell me where the following places are to be found: —Helsingfors, Reykjavik. Philippopolis, Bokhara, Amoy, Irkutsk, Nukualofa, Port Moresby, Valence, Zagazig, Bangkok and Guam? DOMINIE. SCOPE FOR ERROR Sir.— Front the article in Saturday’s issue, “Why the Porter Resigned,” it is quite* clear to me that the writer of this article had no knowledge of his subject, or he would not have made such ridiculous remarks. In the first place, the correct spelling of the name is lairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogerygogogoch. Translated

this means: "The Parish of St. Mary in the hollow of the white hazel, near to a rapid whirlpool and the red cave by the church of St. Lysilio.” The natives call the place Llanfair P.G. The names of Welsh towns and villages derived from the vernacular are in nearly all cases, either descriptive of the locality or bear a close connection with some remarkable feature of the neighbourhood. For this reason one may note that names commencing with “Ulan” apply to a church or parish, e.g., Llandudno, “the Parish of St Ludno”; Llanfairfeclian, “The Little Church of St. Mary the Virgin.” I think in fairness to your Welsh readers you should correct the article referred to. as no one Is more jealous Tal‘fv* S * an £ ua “ e and country than H. W. CARTER. TOO MANY CHANGES Sir,— I was unore than interested in the upff. 1 ’ ?i ri ik en to y° u yesterday by Plain Dad on the subject of schoolbooks. I agree cordially that it is high time a united stand were made by parents to prevent the exploitation that is going on in the issue of schoolbooks. Is it not possible to map out a scheduie which will include a fixed numtheT £ T°£ kS lur , each cj uss, or form, these to be used from year to year? ■ hen methods of teaching 'have SSFP* 10 suc . h an extent that new text-books are imperative there would n? ebjjctum to a. substituted book mnrh 1 methods haven’t changed nu.spl’f /nf n! 1 Slnce 1 was at school myself, and this constant scrapping °5., books which, in many cases. are scarcely opened in the course of a year is too exasperating for words. It is a T y , 1 "f, Sham 6 - that Parents who are a! ? alnEt fhe high cost of living and trying to “do their bit” bv H* elr ' h'klreji Should be penalised this nay. Here is a chance for the United Government to make historv. cannot claim, ns of old. to lead the worid in political innovations. A deputation should wait upon the Minister T- Educati °n w-ithout delay and urge him to take action that the lh JUS i t i C ? which I have mentioned should bo removed. PLAIN MOTHER. MUSIC IN THE HOME Sir,— As one of your ffig’°s” 1Cl le 1 Ue e r h i eftrt 4 ,> ; ’AVarm n? ?, to include instruction. I am’ one the victims of the “plausible gentle man. ” and as I have been unfble to continue payments 'I wished to return the instrument. This the firm refused to accept, and I also have been threatened with a summons and have received a lawyer’s letter on the subaw“?tTng er 'their "acS’ 0 The** price quately compensate for the Terence n the price for which one ni:y- btam an instrument elsewhere. X hope this to warn lay be instrumental in helping °J a ™ som6 other unsuspecting per? son Many might think, as I did that “ event of being unable to keep work oTaiv through ill-health, lack of loseVmf a> l other reason, they would paid hlus the mom with a court cas°e f ,hat are faced ANOTHER VICTIM,