Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 841, 9 December 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say—

AUCKLAND’S MUNICIPAL BAND Sir,— After hearing: for the first time on Saturday evening the Auckland Municipal Band, I wish to ask for a few lines of your space to record my appreciation of it. I feel sure that those who have not attended any of the evening concerts, or listened-in to their broadcast, do not fully appreciate the great asset which the City possesses in this combination of musicians. The conductor, Mr. Christopher Smith, has made a wonderful job of the material under his baton. To close the eyes and imagine organ music is the most realistic —and the most pleasant—impression that can be derived from this band. I congratulate Auckland upon its asset. VISITOR. NEW RAILWAY STATION Sir ‘"Auckland’s new station will be a show place.” That is the description given our £500,000 railway station, but perhaps if flowers were put on it the description would be more appropriate. As a matter of fact, Auckland’s new railway station will be the cemetery of railway passenger transport. Persons who want to reach the City will not travel by rail when it means that they are dumped out on a spot half way between Newmarket and Auckland. Most of them desire to get to the wharves or Queen Street, and on that account will patronise the road motor service cars, so that they do not require to change transport when coining into town. H.S. HARBOUR BRIDGE PROBLEM Sir, — Will you allow me to comment briefly on one or two points raised in the evidence given before the Harbour Bridge Commission? I refer to the contention of Mr. W. E. L. Napier, who opposed the evidence of Mr. Aldridge, Mayor of Devonport, and as a resident claimed that 98 per cent, of the Devonport people wanted a bridge. I would be delighted to learn Mr. Napier’s method of computation, for it seems to me, also a resident of Devonport. that something approaching the opposite is the case. I consider that Mr. Napier has no grounds whatever for making before the commissioners—strangers to Auckland—statements of that sweeping variety. No Devonport ferry user who gives

(To the Editor.)

any thought to the problem as it affects himself, can be expected to give support to a scheme that clearly must ultimately increase his cost of transport to Auckland. Personally, I agree fully with the evidence of Mr. Aldridge. This gave a much truer perspective of Devonport opinion. UNBIASSED. TRAFFIC SENSE Sir, — The city’s chief traffic officer, Mr. G. Hogan, is to be congratulated on his farseeing policy of giving traffic instruction to school children, and it is to be hoped that, to keep the lessons learned well in the minds of the children, the lectures are repeated yearly. There are two sides to every question, and it is gratifying to note that the pedestrian public is at last realising that it also shares in traffic responsibility. It is just as important that pedestrians should observe the rules of crossing the road as that the motorist should observe his. In the past there have been many serious accidents caused by the almost criminal negligence of jaywalkers. Although. I have not been given any award by the Royal Humane Society, I can truthfully say that, as a motorist, I have in my time saved many lives. STRAIGHT EIGHT. THE KITTEN AND THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD Sir, — I have had a great admiration for Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., for some time, because of the “shrewd common sense" he shows in dealing with cases. When reading the papers I look for his name. I know then that that particular case is worth noting with interest. I also approve of the splendid action of Mr. Archibald Larkin over the child and the kitten. The child was very young and probably did not realise what his actions meant to the kitten So much needless suffering is caused through want of thought that the only way to make people thoughtful for the feelings of others—animals or human beings—is to put them into the position of the unfortunate victim of their unkindness, and when this is done in childhood it prevents future similar deeds. The magistrate, sailor and “Wholesome Birch,” who showed the same degree of good sense In his letter to The Sun, certainly do deserve, to use the latter’s words, "the commend-

ation of all who boast a grain of humanity in tlieir make-up.” APPROVER. BIRCH FOR CHILDREN Sir, — The controversy w’hich has been caused through a magistrate’s commendation of a man who took stern measures with a child for ill-treating a kitten has raised again t*ie old question of the treatment of children themselves. One of the reasons for the present trouble with fractious children —I am not now referring to the case mentioned—is the fact that they are given too much freedom by indulgent parents, and grow' up without any sense of responsibility as to what h* right or wrong. I think the birch should bo brought more into play u® dealing with youngsters who do not know how to behave themselves. Parents, then, are responsible for the protection of their offspring from the consequences of their bad ways. *■ think the Children’s Courts, too, should use the birch more freely. _ SPAKE-TII E-ROD-