VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1934, Page 9

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

VIEWS ON CURRENT TOPICS RECENT FLIGHT ACROSS TASMAN. CRITICISM NOT WARRANTED (To the Editor.) Sir,—We read much about coming wars and how Germany has enough planes up her sleeve to smash the world in a few hours from the air. When that time comes will we be wanting men ■ to. wait for weather reports, and Government officials to pass and certify planes before counteracting the foe? Will we stop to think if it is foolhardiness to attempt such things as the recent Tasman crossing? No! I think it will be the men like Menzies, McGregor, Whitehead and Nicholl we will be looking for. It seems a pity to get fog-eyed, and see things the wrong way. Kingsford Smith spent days, if not weeks, Accomplishing what Hood and Moncrieff started. Nobody thought what a fool Smith was when he landed back in Australia with four or five gallons of petrol. Then came Menzies, with a single-engined machine, and most people crying, “What a fool!” He should have been carried shoulder-high. Instead, he was allowed to leave the country as if he had committed a crime. Then we see the Faith in Australia do the flight, which seems like child’s play, and Ulm gets a great reception and is called a hero. Then we have a plane that competed in the centenary air race hop over, which, too, was nothing like Guy Menzies’ accomplishment. No doubt, Hewett and Kay are wonderful airmen." Now we have landed among us ladsin the persons of Whitehead and Nicholl, to be called rash fools. I think it takes more than foolishness for one- to take such chances. The least thing we can dq is not to let them think they are not appreciated, because they are a credit to New Zealand and the nation. The trouble is that it hurts a bit when boys take the wind out of men’s sails. May Taranaki give them a hearty welcome to its aerodrome.—l am, etc,, . ■ W. N. TUCK. Inglewood, November 24. [The valour and capabilities of the two airmen referred to cannot be doubted, and for these’ qualities there can ,be nothing but' admiration. But the fact that their flight ended successfully does not dispose of the worry and expense to which" many people were put, ndr of the fact that at this stage of the . development of flying the flight has achieved very little for aviation. On the other hand, had the venture failed, which it might easily have’done owing to the type of machine used and its equipment, aviation in New Zealand would have received a very definite setback. It was on these grounds that the " flight ' waS criticised, and most people will, agree rightly so, with the Daily News.—Ed.] THE MONEY-LENDER. (To the Editor.) Sir,—“Acerbus,” true to his nom-de-plume,.has launched a bitter attack on the Government’s reduction of 20 per cent, interest on bonds, the exchange rate of 25 per cent., the Mortgagors’ Relief Act, etc. I wonder just what “Acerbus” would; have done had he been Premier or Minister of Finance at a time when the income of the country (exports) had suddenly decreased by £25,000,000 per annum? And why talk about the sanctity of contracts, when Britain ‘herself has not been able to observe them? Something drastic had to be done to save the country from a financial catastrophe, and the Government is heartily to be congratulated on the way it treated all classes. If “Acerbus” had his way he would very soon find out the possibility of something far worse than the action of the Government he condemns, for there is such a thing as a country 'being driven by desperation into revolution. How would “Acerbus” like a regime of Socialism? His money then would be worthless, and it is the hard and greedy investor that makes a country turn Bolshevik. His instance of the poor widow will not bear investigation, if a widow was getting 6 per cent, during, say, the years 1920-30, then the cut of 20 per cent, recently imposed leaves her as well, if not better, off, because the cost of living has fallen so" considerably. If “Acerbus” has been getting 8 per cent, interest for the past decade, then without the cut that interest would automatically have risen to at least 10 per cent., due to the fall in costs of almost every commodity. His butter, meat, eggs, boots, clothes, and even his motor-car are down in cost anything from 20 to 50 per cent. Everyone has had to sell cheaply, and those who sell their labour and the sweat of their brow have had the biggest cut of all. Many mortgagees have been most generous; others, and not a few of them, either, have pressed for their pound of flesh, and for this class the legislation was largely passed. I am not writing as a hard-pressed mortgagor, though, feeling the prick like everybody, for prior to the depression I cancelled several hundred pounds of interest to a mortgagor and have given nearly one hundred pounds free rent to unemployed tenants. The money investors are cursing the Government, likewise the Labour Party, the ' unemployed ’ and a section of the business people, while the farmers after years of fighting among themselves are now starting to fight the Government over" the dairy legislation. Well, turn the Government out, and see what will happen! I am the son of a pioneer, nearly threescore years of age myself, and have done quite a bit of pioneering. As a NewZealander I am just sick of the sort of whining that is going on. In what country in "the world will you find such bodily comfort, leisure and pleasure as in New Zealand.—l am, etc., ... W. P. KENAH. Urenui, November 23. MATAU ROADING (To the Editor.) Sir,—The different views expressed-by your correspondents on the Matau reading problem have been interesting reading for thousands. Most of them jvill have noticed the difference in the figures given by -two correspondents, referring to the number living on the Kiore Road. To avoid any misunderstanding I think it would bg better made known that another settler come to reside on that road since Mr. Rawlinson took his count.—l am, etc.,

THE TALLY CLERK. Matau, November 25.