CORRESPONDENCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20146, 28 June 1935, Page 15

CORRESPONDENCE

HARBOUR IMPROVEMENTS To the Editor ol " The Timaru Herald ” Sir—At the meeting ol the Timaru Harbour Board last Friday, Captain Charman, marine superintendent for the Shaw, Savill and Albion Line, was present for the purpose of giving the members some idea of what, in his opinion, should be done to improve our harbour, I read your report of this meeting very carefully, but after all, I am still convinced that my idea of where to start the improvements is the correct one. Captain Charman is all out for starting the improvements from the inside, and I insist that our greatest need of improvement is outside the harbour. As I stated to you in a former letter, the improvements should start with the lengthening of the extension in an easterly direction, and the lengthening and deepening of the outer channel in the same direction. I will grant that our harbour could do with more swinging room, but that difficulty has existed for a good many years, and we must not lose sight of the fact that we h: ve never yet had an accident through being cramped for room. But in many other respects there is much needs righting. For a long time now there have been many disappointments and delays through the insufficiency of water outside the harbour. As, for instance, ships have passed us by that should have called here; ships have not been able to enter the harbour after arriving in the roadstead; ships have not been able to leave the harbour after finishing loading. And not one of those items happened on account of insufficient swinging room or insufficient depth of water in the harbour. But, on the other hand, the fault was an insufficiency of water at the other end. But to revert to Friday’s meeting and Captain Charman. I am very pleased to say that he finished up by advocating the line of policy that I have already advocated through the medium of your paper. And I cannot do better than quote nis own words. The captain asked the members of the Board: “Why was it necessary for ships to go to Dunedin, then to Lyttelton and come back again to Timaru?” And he went on to explain, “that a good deal of time and expense would be saved If vessels could take Timaru in their stride and work oown the coast. Lyttelton, Timaru and Dunedin or vice versa.” Sir, could

any arguments be more convincing? Could he have said anything further or better to prove to the members of the Board where they should start their improvements? And we must not lose sight of the fact that the harbourmaster, Captain White, used exactly the same argument; that is, that ships should be able to take Timaru in their stride. And the only logical way for us to reach that stage is for the Board to go ahead with the extension and the outer channel.—l am, etc., RATEPAYER. Timaru, June 2G.

THE T-'TSTLE DESIGN To the Editor ol “ Tlie Timaru Herald Sir—May I crave space in your paper to endorse Mr Frank Waddell’s letter on the restoration of the thistle design at the Park. Just how our City Fathers ever allowed the bed to be removed or just how the curator, Mr Anderson, ever suggested its removal is hard to comprehend. However I can assure the councillors that by their action in replacing the thistle design they have not only redeemed themselves in the eyes of the town, but have earned the appreciation of all right thinking citizens. By the restoration of the plot, the Council have done honour to Timaru’s greatest citizen, Mr James Craigie, to the Scottish pioneers and to the memory of Scotland’s national poet. Let us hope that the emblem of the little plant that “jagged them a’a” and saved Scotland from the Danish invasion will continue to nourish at the foot of the statue of one who did so much for humanity.—l am, etc., HAGGIS. Timaru, June 27. MEN FOR LEVELS IRRIGATION SCHEME To the Editor of “ The Timaru Herald “ Sir,—Would you grant me space in your paper to enter a protest regarding the selection of men required for the Levels irrigation scheme. Reading from reports of interviews with the engineer-in-charge, published in your paper recently, the work will be done with unemployed funds and registered unemployed, but immediately these men start work, they will be struck off the unemployed roll. This is not a fair deal to the number of single men in the district, who are in every way fit and keen to do the hard work required

to be done by a man employed on this scheme. We pay our full levy every quarter, wage tax on all seasonal work (which unfortunately is our only asset these times, and we regret is over for another four months), incidentally helping to swell the unemployed funds, and when making applications for a job on this scheme, we are informed that we “haven’t a hope” of being placed. The majority of the men chosen, are mostly middle-aged men, having no desire to go on the works, and are protesting strongly about the methods used, they having no option, while the single men who are only too keen to be given a chance of earning a living wage, and keeping their selfrespect are not wanted. Many who have no homes in the district and pay £1 a week board, are going to find the going exceedingly hard if such methods as these are used. —I am, etc., SINGLE Temuka, June 27.

IS THERE APATHY IN TIMARU? * l n the Editor of “ The Timaru Herald ”

Sir —It seems incumbent upon me to try and rectify certain false impressions, which words of mine at the recent unemployment conference, and th/ leading article in your jourrial yesterday, may have created. The apathy referred to by me was in no sense meant to be a criticism of the generosity which the people of Timaru have always shown in helping the unemployed, rather it referred to the general indifference to “get together,” and try r.r 1 understand the position as it really is. The responsibility of the community is not discharged by the giving of monetary relief or old clothes, even on a generous scale. That is only pallia-

; ’ e really, and after all, it is comparatively easy to give a donation, in cash or discarded clothes, but the situation calls for something more intense than t' at. We need to share our. brains as well as our hearts and I think a truer indication of real sympathy would be to have seen the general public taking a lively interest in the Central Relief Society’s annual meeting, for example, but those present not directly connected with that society, or other influential bodies could have been numbered on one hand. It was not a meeting of protest, but a public meeting to which invitations were extended through paper and pulpit. Possibly “talk” is not ideal, but it is a most necessary preliminary to action.

“Persistent advocacy,” as you yourself admitted, turned the first sod of the ] Levels irrigation scheme. It was doe to realisation of the facts, as they really are, which caused me to express what seemed to you an unjustifiable attitude. Those facts were set forth by the Central Relief secretary in today’s paper, and call for the serious consideration of every citizen of Timaru. The total income from all sources for 300 men, with an average family of 2 1-3 to support, over a period of 15 weeks, amounted to £l/14/9. Let us work it out in housekeeping values. Take the 14/9 off for rent, 5/-.for a bag of coal (no wood), 1/- for light shall we say? That leaves 14/- to feed 4 1-3 people. With 14/- we go to the butcher, baker, grocer and milkman to buy 91 individual meals for the week. In other words we have approximately 13d per head per meal. This takes no account of clothing, boots, school books, etc. It is conceivable a family might exist on this meagre allowance for a month or two, but when extended oveyyears, bringing the inevitable unforeseen expenses, the situation must be worse still. Is it not time we as a community did something more than express pious sympathy with the distressed? —I am, etc., J. EVANS. Timaru, June 27. [Reference to this letter is made in our editorial columns.—Editor of “The Timaru / Herald.”] TREATMENT OF UNEMPLOYED IN TEMUKA To tile Editor ot “ The Timaru Herald ” Sir,—Would you please grant me space in your valuable paper to voice a humble protest against the way in which the unemployed of Temuka are being treated. Twice last week, and again this week, motor trucks have passed my place bearing men packed like sheep (on open trucks), some very scantily clad, blue with the cold, in the rain. They I understand are carted in the rain to Clandeboye. They are only there a very short time and back again they come, the last three times in pouring rain. I leave it to your readers, sir, to judge this procedure. It Is not right. It is not humane. I have made inquiries and I understand, the Unemployment Board, bad and all as they are painted at times, do not expect these men to go to work in the wet weather. Well, then, who is responsible, and do these

responsible go out insufficiently clad? To them I would say, do unto others as you would have done unto yourself. Thanking you, sir, for granting this space, and trusting some abler pen will take this matter up on behalf of these unfortunate men, and make the person responsible feel and realise that after all, the unemployed are human beings. They are some of the best citiezns of Temuka, who through no fault of their own, are out of work.—l am. etc., JUSTICE. Temuka, June 27.

MALNUTRITION IN THE SCHOOLS To the Editor ot “ The Timaru Herald “

Sir, —The position disclosed at last Friday’s meeting of the Canterbury Education Board by the chairman (Mr C. S. Thompson) regarding the number of children of unemployed workers suffering from malnutrition, insufficient food and clothing in the five primary schools in Christchurch, indicates that a very considerable number of children attending the primary schools are not in a condition to make the best use of the education provided for them by the State. The Canterbury Education Board unanimously agreed to the following resolutions: (1) “That a letter be sent to the Acting-Prime Minister (Sir Alfred Ransom) and the Minister for Employment (the Hon. S. G. Smith) urging the Government to place in hand extensive public works of such magnitude as to employ all the employable unemployed at standard rates of pay.” (2) “That a letter be sent to the Minister for Employment and the Minister of Education asking that means be found to alleviate the position of the children in the Canterbury Education Board’s primary schools.” In seconding both these resolutions at the Education Board meeting last Friday, I expressed surprise and regret that members of the Education Board in the various centres had not been invited to cooperate with the local Unemployment Committees. The local Unemployment Committees would receive valuable information and assistance from Education Board members in thenarduous task of attempting to secure more reasonable conditions for the children of the unemployed. In conclusion, sir, may I refer to the fact that since the abolition of the South Canterbury Education Board some years ago, the residents of Timaru

and South Canterbury receive very little information regarding the administration of the primary school system in this district. This is regrettable, since such a state of affairs tends to destroy all local interest in education. I trust that at, no distant date a serious effort will be made by the Government to thoroughly overhaul our present unsatisfactory education system in the Dominion, to restore some kind of order out of the present chaos, and provide the necessary machinery for the formation of a really live local interest in the education of our children —the potential citizens of the near future.—l am. etc., GEORGE BENSTEAD. Timaru, June 26. RAILWAY STATION REBUILDING ADVOCATED To the Editor of ” The Timaru Herald ” Sir, —I take pleasure in congratulating you on your sound and constructive leader of the 26th, dealing with the question of relief and unemployment. Sober-minded leadership, pointing the way that embraces all citizens, is just what is required to still adverse criticism and spur those who desire to do their bit to assist the Government in the extremely difficult unemployment crisis, and should compel the intelligent co-operation of all to adjust their thinking caps and to put forward their constructive suggestions as to those works they think should be undertaken in South Canterbury, to assist to overcome the crisis as it exists to-day. I would resuscitate for Timaru, as the natural centre of distribution, of the South Island, the agitation for reconstruction of the railway station and yards. The time and conditions were never more favourable. This extremely necessary improvement was never more essential than it is to-day. It is long overdue, and has been on the books for a considerable time. It should now be placed before the Government as a major avenue of relief for the unemployed. I believe in the Government’s desire to do this work if it has the united support of the people of the district. I am sure it will have, because, I believe the people will unite to support their own interests. —I am, etc., R. H. HILL. | Timaru, June 27.