Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 667, 20 May 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

LABOUR AND ELECTORAL REFORM Sir, — One of the planks in the platform of the Labour Party is proportional representation, yet the Labour candidate for the Auckland Mayoralty conveniently forgot what an excellent opportunity this city afforded to apply this scientific and fair method of election, and openly advocated a return to the ward system. Another Labour candidate who was elected to the City Council also forgot this excellent plank in his party’s platform, and wrote a letter advocating a return to the system of placing a cross opposite the name of the candidate for whom the elector wished to vote, instead of the striking-out process. Will some Labourite please explain just where the party stands? WORKER. VALUE OF ORE Sir. Parts of the letter signed “Quartz” appearing in your issue of the 16th inst., are misleading. I was present at the lecture given by Mr. Crawford and he definitely stated that if the ore in sight was payable, the cost of the equipment for treating same would be between £IOO,OOO and £.150,000, and that before the scheme could be undertaken exhaustive tests would have to be made. Mr. Crawford also stated that the values given were taken on absolutely the lowest extraction. E. S. KEVEN. OPEN TRAMCARS Sir. — In The Sun this week I noticed an article, “New Trams to be Built. Open Design Not Popular.” I have been in and out of trams for 25 years, and am very much surprised to hear this statement and especially in such a warm climate as Auckland’s. I uphold Mr. Potter and Mr. Entrican in what they had to say on the matter. Surely it is evidence enough to know that of the four centres three have open tramcars and all three a much cooler climate. Again, these open compartments can be closed (and quickly) to all sorts of weather. Above all you get your travelling public out of all trams much more quickly. Both ends are open. We are not concerned with what they have in Adelaide. We do know what they have in Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington. Ask those people if they wish them removed. Mr. Eord comments on the

Sydney cars being dangerous. We in New Zealand avoid such danger by a sliding rail on the blind side. Mr. Coyle is wrong in saying that Wellington’s latest cars are not open at both ends. Mr. L. E. Rhodes in travelling in Wellington cars always comes back with a cold. Everyone. I feel sure, will feel sorry for Mr. Rhodes All these 25 cars should be open in the centre, with two closed ends for women and non-smokers. From an open tramcar one sees one’s city, and enjoys fresh air at all times. It appears to me that the board is very much afraid that, if new open cars were built, the general public would make a strong appeal for the whole service to be on similar lines. COMMERCUL TRAVELLER. AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE Sir, — 1 have no desire to enter into a con- ; troversy as to composition of the delegation that went to Wellington in con- ' neetion with the pioposed bridge, Lul I I wish to correct a statement made by Mr. H. G. R. Mason, M.P., in his protest recorded in Saturday’s Sun. Tie refers to an outside M.P. being there. As 1 believe the Harbour Bridge is of tremendous importance to Auck- ! land City I have, as a candidate before and as a member since the election, been a keen advocate of the erection of the bridge and consequently am as much interested as either of the members who represent Waitemata or Suburbs. Moreover, as this project will mean work for several hundred men for a long period, and as my constituency, Grey Lynn, is largely composed of industrialists, skilled and unskilled, I would have been failing in my duty to them if I had not accepted the Bridge Association’s executive’s invitation to accompany them when they put their views before the Minister of Internal Affairs with a view to getting the bridge started at an early date. JOHN S. KLETCTIERNEW ZEALANDERS Sir.— As an Englishman who has suddenly become a New Zealand native, by the generosity of the New Zealand Natives’ Association, I would like to point out a few items that might help to broaden this organisation’s vision. Mr. Collins says a New Zealander is one who* is born at sea on the way to New Zealand, yet he would bar the same child’s mother and father from earning the means to rear that child because they are Britons not New Zealanders. Then again, lie says after a sojourn of 15 years in New Zealand you may bo termed a New Zealander. What rot! (Continued in next column.)

Does this association think for one moment that among the most able and honourable men in Lie Dominion s history who were born in older lands there is one who desires to change his origin so as to be termed a New Zealander. Certainly not. Their vision is far too wide and their loyalty to both their Homeland and country of adoption too genuine to allow of such a miserable possibility. Can It be that the members of the New Zealand Natives’ Association have so soon forgotten the dark days of 11(14-18 when thousands of New Zealanders and other colonial troops were taken into the very homes of rich and poor alike in Great Britain and treated as sons and brothers? It hardly seems possible. I heard a brother “Digger once express the opinion, that he would never have believed it possible to have been made so welcome outside his own home. God forbid that he too has forgotten. But that couldn t be possible, he was a "Dinkum Digger. _ It seems that tlie vision of the Natives .Association is so small that only people from Great Britain are responsible tor their aches and pains, no mention being made of the number of Australians, Dalmatians. Hindus and Chinese who arrive here week after week, but. oi course, they are not “Homies. JN°. Mr. Collins. . T .l.oii In conclusion, I trust that T -hall live to see my two Mew Zealand-boin children members of a Xew' Zealand Association, whose motto shall be “Service for all, irrespective of creed or cast. BRITON.