Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1077, 15 September 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.) “GOVERNMENT WITHOUT PARTIES IS IMPOSSIBLE IN NEW ZEALAND”—DO WE SPEND TOO MUCH ON MUNICIPAL MUSIC? —ADVENTURES OF THE LAUNCH VIRGINIA MEASUREMENTS FOR YACHTS IN INTERNATIONAL EVENTS.

MUNICIPAL MUSIC Sir.—There is no question about the times being very hard., and it is a real nightmare when the City Council's rate notice arrives. Would it not be desirable for the City Fathers to dispenso with municipal music? Aw there are several very deserving ba.nds in the City, also many deserving young organists, it would be an act of grace for the council to employ them occasionally. ‘ ' ECONOMY. LAUNCH-OWNER’S STATEMENT Sir,— As owner of the launch Virginia I wish to refute the statements made by Mr. J. V. White in Saturday’s Sun Mr. White was a member of our party, though I am not well acquainted with him. When I found lie was coming as the guest of our engineer I made it a condition that he should do his share of the work. The statement that we consider ourselves lucky to be back alive is absurd. We were never in danger. We were never seriously short of food. Mr. White says we arrived in Auckland with only a small quantity of pepper left. Yes, that was at 4 p.m. At 3 p.m. we had eaten a meal-of scones, and eggs. The Virginia is not badly fitted. Slie is a brand-new boat, completely fitted, and lacked onlv glass Oil the skylights. Mr. White did not “dive under" and clear weed from the propeller. We beached the launch and he and .1 waded round the stern and pulled the weed off. ITis references to engine faults and breakdowns are incorrect. The engine was in perfect order throughout and never failed us once. We were never in danger qf being driven ashore or on to rocks. Off Simpson’s Rock tlie engine started when we warned it to do so. Mr. White says: “Tlv.ee of us failed to pull up the anchor . . . we were being driVert on to Simpson’s Rock.” I need not point out the contradiction contained in those remarks.

| The fact was that the anchor held so j well that we bent the shaft in getting it up. 1\ e were not "nearly driven ashore at Port Fitzroy.” The breeze was very light and when we found we were drifting in we simplv started the engine and moved out Again the engine did not fail. It started the moment we wanted it. \Ve did not “inquire where we could find a sheltered fishing ground.” One of our party \vas a fisherman and o£ 33 years’ experience in the Cult. The weather was not abnormally rough. We sheltered behind the Barrier principally because the weather was unsuitable for fishing and it would have been a waste of petrol to go out. We were not “prettv well exhausted” by our experiences. W e were all well. T- J. W, SMITH. THE PEOPLE AND POLITICS. Sir,— „ Your correspondent “The Moon," in asking’ for the abolition of par tv govuP\en.t > is simply seeking something Mhicli lie must know is impracticable Thi 1 °r t om mP ? S f| ble ' in Xe ' v Zealand! 1 he loot of the evil of bad govern - ment is not in the machinery- provided for the working of the svsteni of rl i ame , nt ’ , 11 ls In the outlook til's' 6 e themselves toward poliIf tlio people studied politics more and took a vital interest in their own affairs throughout the whole of the nni 1 !!'. 1 t nS ! < ‘ a f' of becoming enthusiastic only at election times, the ultimate result would be the appointment of better administrators. A non-party House will not work y ° U have a Cabinet elected from a non-party Parliament. y °u cieate the nucleus of a party for a Cabinet which agrees upon a certain line of legislation for the House will : immediately become consolidated when i that legislation is challenged by any ; group within the House itself. ~ This ■ throws definite interests together, and ; starts all over again the working of the party system. Under such a system a Cabinet is more

likely to hold on to its supreme power than it does now. At the present time a Cabinet has a party behind it to support its policy legislation. With * non-party Cabinet, the desire to clins to office would be infinitely sponger, with smaller prospect of doing real good. To vote entirely for independent candidates in the hope of better government, then, would be suicidal. Better to vote for an organisation which represents sane administration, restricted borrowing, and a general policy economy. In short, to lead the people along the right lines. If the people themselves took a more intelligent interest in politics this •would be possible. SOUND GOVERNMENT THE AMERICA’S CUP Sir. — I wish to correct an error I made in my comments in Saturday’s Sun on the competing yachts in tlie Americas Cup races. They are usually described in both American and Knglish yachting journals simply as “Class J under the American or universal rule.’’ They must not exceed 76 feet rating under the rule, not 65 feet, as I stated. In all the American classes the waterline length of the latest built boat» considerably exceeds their ratinglength. For instance, the Q class nsusnot exceed 25 feet rating, but several boats of this class I saw’ in Lawle>'| yard in Boston recently were over ‘ feet long on water-line. Similar ences occur under the international rule (Y.R.A. rule). The latest Nichoi* son-designed 10-metre yacht which * saw building at Gosport is as much a* 38 feet on water-line, though she T l . under 32.8 feet (i.e.. 10 metres). Sinethe present rating rules of measurement came into force the new yacht* have gradually grown in length on tu water-line by some sacrifice sail area and in the case of the La-' lish rule (international rule) by .reductions in sail area or girth and skin ? ir measurements. AKCIID. BUCTLA^AA.