VOICE OF THE, PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1934, Page 9

VOICE OF THE, PEOPLE

VIEWS ON CURRENT TOPICS GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S ADVICE. VALUE OF FRIENDLY CONTACTS. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Another of those thoughtful suggestions and pieces of commonsense advice which we naturally expect from our worthy Governor-General is reported from Christchurch, where, speaking at the luncheon given in his honour at the show on Friday, he is reported to have said: “There are two friendly contacts or links of knowledge and sympathy which, as your friend and wellivisher I would urge you to maintain as essential to y«ur lasting welfare. One is contact with yotfr urban population and their reasonable ambitions, and the other is contact with the farmers of the Old Land.” The advice in these words is sound and well-timed. Farmers of every description would do well to try to live up to the advice, and the Government would be equally well advised in making every effort to secure men for th* Commission tn be set up under the Emergency Act who are fully alive to what may be termed the gospel of friendly contacts. It seems probable that a feature of the not distant future will be efforts in the direction of bringing about a closer and more personal understanding between the farmers of the Old Land and those of New Zealand. In this case men with personal knowledge of farming in both lands could be of great service.—l am, etC " GEO. GIBSON. Rahotu, November 10. FORWARD SALES OF PRODUCE. (To the Editor.) Sir,—The Control -Board brought into operation on August 1 negotiations designed to prevent agents and factories making forward sales because it considered that produce sold ahead at a lower figure had a bearing effect on the spot market. Although the board has apparently stopped the practice as far as agents are concerned it is allowing cheese factories at the present time-to undersell the spot market to the'" extent of 6s per. cwt., which is equal to about 2d per lb. butterfat. I wonder what it thinks of the position in Tooley Street?—l am, etc., S. E. HAWKE, Tataraimaka, November 12. • HAWERA BAND SUBSIDY. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l know it is almost impossible to attain a full report of such public meetings as the recent Hawera band meeting. In speaking, I stated that when Mr. L. A. Bone was Mayor the Hawera Borough Council took great trouble in seeking information from the Borough Councils in the Dominion in reference to subsidies paid to bands. With all this information before them they debated for some time whether the subsidy should be £l5O or £2OO. They decided on the £2OO. For about ten years this action has been ratified by succeeding Mayors and councils. During the ten years there has been most harmonious relationship between Council Band Committee and Band. When the present Mayor took- office and used his casting vote in favour of reduction, the trouble in financial difficulties started. Is it not an unwritten law that when voting is even on a drastic change the chairman allows the old order to continue? The Mayor’s remark about the chairman and treasurer being responsible for the present position is most ungenerous, seeing we held office for ten years. It is ten .months since I vacated the chair.—l am, etc., E. DIXON, Ex-Chairman Band Committee Hawera, November 11. (To the Editor.) Sir,—lt seems very strange that a representative citizens’ committee allowed not the chairman and secretary, but the ex-chairman and ex-secretary, to ram their requests down the meeting’s throat on Friday night. The offer was made to start a subscription list. The chairman, Mr. W. G. Simpson, said if the band cleared off its debt it could carry on at the reduced subsidy. Yet the exchairman was allowed all the say—why, I am at a loss to know —and to insist on having a big grant and an increased subsidy. I hope that the council will refuse the request, open a subscription' list with the aid of the newspapers, and tell the ex-officials just what it thinks of their management. ; We have Mr. Lester saying that the Mayor and the, cut in the subsidy were responsible for the financial position, and almost in the same breath admitting that the citizens’ committee had felt it undesirable to be thrusting collection boxes under people’s noses. If they had closed'down the dances, too, there would have been a much bigger debit to have blamed the Mayor for. No. If the people of Hawera, including Mr. Dixon and Mr. Lester, are not willing to help their band by subscriptions they do not deserve a band and the band does not deserve help.—l am, CtC ’’ MONKEY-ORGAN. Hawera, November 12.