VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1935, Page 9

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

VIEWS ON CURRENT TOPICS NEW ZEALAND WELFARE LEAGUE. SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS. (To the Editor.) Sir,—The occasional incursions into your columns by the (so-called) New Zealand Welfare League are amusing, if not instructive. ■ In the letter appearing in Saturdays issue the League purports to demolish out of hand the various explanations put , forward (as it claims) in support of the Labour Party’s scheme of guaranteed prices. Perhaps the League will amplify its reasons a little by explaining what it means by the following: (1) “Owing to the basis on which this currency is to be issued it would quickly depreciate in purchasing power.” (2) “By loading’the imports with the loss the farmer eventually repays Whatever help he has had from the guarantee.” ' (3) By‘taxation “we must pay ourselves with our own money to become richer. We should be , trying to lift ourselves- out-of a hole by j our own bootlaces,” • ■ ■ . ■ And this, being a . sort of examination paper, 'also requests the League to- supply answers to the following: (1). -Which of the measures adopted by' the Government, i.e., loan conversion, reduction of wages, reduction of interest, unemployment tax, sales tax, high exchange, Mortgagors’ Relief Acts, do you approve, and why? (2) Which are inflationary, which lower purchasing power, .and which are merely efforts to lift ourselves up by our bootlaces? —I am, etc., v-i F.D. New Plymouth, August 19. FEES FOR CORONERS. j (To the Editor.) * Sir,—Your contributor “Lex” suggests that the abolition of the coroner’s office would mean a saving to the country’s exchequer. I do not know whether “Lex” knows that the majority of coronial inquiries are conducted ■ by magistrates, who are also constituted coroners, and that in these cases no fees are received by the magistrate. The majority of inquests are conducted in towns, and cost no more when the magistrate presides than they would if han- > died wholly by the police. It is only when the magistrate-coroner has to journey from his headquarters specially for an inquest that he is paid mileage, and mileage allowance would have to be granted to the police in any case under such circumstances.—l am, etc., LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP. New Plymouth, Aug. 12. - OAKURA BEACH ROAD. , (To the Editor.) . Sir,—As a frequent,’ visitor to the Oakura beach settlement I notice its fast-growing popularity amongst the people during both winter and summer, especially the latter. In consequence of this a growing need of a more permanent road surface on the length from highway to beach—the Wairau Road—proclaims itself in winter by bumps, slips and slides, and in summer by clouds of choking dust.—l am, etc., PROGRESS. Oakura, Aug. 17.