LATE CORRESPONDENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20541, 16 February 1935, Page 11

LATE CORRESPONDENCE.

Corsair Club’s Excursion to Greymouth. Dear Sir, —In connection with the Christchurch Corsair Social Club’s excursion to Greymouth, as one of the hundreds who travelled last Sunday, although not a member of the club, I would like to express my appreciation to the club, and more especially to its hard working secretary, Mr Frost, for a most enjoyable trip. I am sure that there are many others, not members, who would also like to say “ thank you ” for such a well-organised and well run trip. It is a real tonic to get a glimpse of such varying and magnificent scenery as was offered to us on Sunday. Wishing the club every success and hoping for more.—l am, etc.. REJUVENATED. Rewards Urged. Dear Sir.—l suport the suggestion that rewards should be offered for information helping the police to trace burglars and thieves. The thing is to help our small police force to catch these burglars before they have had time to use, or spend other people's money, or sell other people’s goods. Make it short and unprofitable. It would be impossible to have enough police to see everything. With the small force of police we have got, it generally happens that the thieves are caught at last, but the proceeds have vanished. Help the police with all the information we can—pay rewards when the stolen goods are found.—l am, etc., REWARD 11. Confidence Tricks? Dear Sir, —In your paper of February 15, under the heading “ Mortgage Bonds,” and the sub-heading, “ A Sense of Confidence,” Mr Coates declares that confidence is the main essential to the success of the proposed legislation—is in fact the very keystone on which is to be built this organisation. What a risk he is taking on such a shaky foundation, and how small is the possibility of rehabilitating the farmers or anyone else in the country by this means. Rearranging debts is not likely to cure our troubles; what we want is to get rid of them! This is only possible under our present monetary system if the banks to which we are collectively in debt carry out the suggestions of Major Douglas—i.e., to monetize their secret reserves and use the credit to liquidate or reduce our overdrafts, which is quite a feasible proposition. Remembering one of the last election slogans on which the Coalition Government went into power, “ Coates and Confidence,” and bearing in mind the number of times we have been told by the Minister that the depression of the last four weary years is due to a lack of confidence, then when he comes like Oliver Twist and asks for more of that absent quality, one may be excused for doubting the success of his scheme.

If the depression has had one advantage it has been to make many thousands of our people realise the cause of it and to support the Douglas Social Credit proposals which are scientific in conception and not dependent upon something vague and lacking, called confidence.—l am, etc., D.B.C. CONVERT Hospitable English. Dear * Sir, —Allow me to say a few words to your correspondent, ” Own Back Yard.” I was rather ashamed as a born New Zealander to learn what some think of the Englishman. I think it is a very selfish thought, and wonder if “ Own Back Yard ” was ever in England. I cannot think so. I travelled extensively through the British Isles during the war and was carried shoulder high by her people, who were all so keen to learn something of New Zealand and her inhabitants and their ways. That was for the duration of war, I thought, and was not impressed; but going back five years ago, to my surprise, I found the same hospitality still in evidence. I also found that the English people could teach us a few lessons, as each one from the working-girl up to the business heads wishes to travel and see for themselves what lies beyond in other places. That spirit some New Zealanders lack, I am afraid. I would ask ** Own Back Yard ” to go for a scout round and broaden his mind, see for himself how the Englishman can welcome a brother or sister. I assure him he will not regret it. After all, we have to live on one another, and we cannot do without England, or her kindly people. In concluding, I would like to re-* mind ‘‘Own Back Yard” that not manv detested English would have worried us here but for the misrepresentations put in print throughout England. and wonder what “ Own Back Yard” would have done after reading the same statements. “ Houses and jobs waiting. Pound notes growing where pears should be," etc., etc. There is only one thing I find wrong with my homeland (New Zealand) her people are too self-centred. The sooner we get our pioneers’ spirit in us the sooner we shall be all Captain Cooks. I can assure you that when I return to England at the end of March, I am going to stress the goodwill that exists between the two countries, and won’t even mention this silly bickering that goes on in some quarters. —I am, CtC TRAVEL, LOOK AND LISTEN.