OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 May 1944, Page 8

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

* • PROPOSED FIRE BOARD * (To the Editor.) Sir, —Now that sufficient interest has been awakened in Carterton Borough affairs for 17 candidates to offer themselves for election at the forthcoming poll, there is reason to hope that the policy of drift adopted for some time by the present council will take the count and that some progressive policy will be attempted. Admittedly, it is not possible to go in for anything extensive, but the council could prepare a schedule of maintenance arid improvements to be carried out in order of urgency as funds and circumstances permit. The present council must be credited with making, after 30 years, Broadway into a decnt street; and also when the water question became so acute as to force itself on their attention, evolving a speedy and satisfactory temporary solution. The council has also recognised the necessity of forming a Fire Board. This is probably the main cause of the recrudescence of public interest in borough affairs. The proposal is not too well understood by the bulk of the ratepayers. They see in it only the bogy of increased'rates, without .a corresponding advantage. This is very wide of the mark. The cost of Fire Board management of the Brigade is less than £lOO more than the cost of council control, and board control offers the following advantages: (1) An up-to-date fire fighting plant and fire station; (2) a sufficient number of firemen to deal with an outbreak ready at call. The latter is most important as there have been times in the past when the town, in holiday periods, has not had a fireman in it to operate the fire-fighting plant—a most undesirable position, to say the least of it. Under a board, leave of absence is rationed. The volunteer brigade has given excellent and unselfish service in the past and will be just as efficient and willing under the board. The brigadesmen under the board, give their services as a duty, and not as a favour as heretofore. And last, but not least, the cost of Fire Board control works out at 5s per £lOO of unimproved value per annum, or 2s 6d for the ordinary residential section —a most insignificant amount. Many of the firemen will not carry on under the present arrangement, so it is up to the ratepayers to consult their own interests and provide the board. — I am, etc., FOR A FIRE BOARD. Carterton, May 20. LABOUR PROGRAMME (To ffie Editor.) Sir,--In reply to your correspondent “Observer,” we must remind him that the Chamber of Commerce accused the Labour Party of stealing its programme. It would appear, therefore, if there is to be any extravagance involv-' ed, that the Chamber of Commerce is going to be equally extravagant. We believe, however, that we can achieve everything on- the programme which involves expenditure at a lower cost to the ratepayers than would our opponents. (Think of chimney restoration after the earthquake.) We suggest that an impartial study of the programme will show that there is, apart from the first item, restoration of public buildings, little in it that need involve any increased expenditure. In regard to the reference by “Observer” to Labour municipal councils in Great Britain, an investigation would show that those councils have achieved most for the citizens, and at the lowest cost. The Glasgow City Council, with its Socialist Lord Provost, Sir Patrick Dolan, is an outstanding example. Your correspondent s intelligence can be judged by this remark, as he should know that any municipal undertaking is already socialised. as it is municipal.—We are, etc., LABOUR REPRESENTATION . PUBLICITY COMMITTEE. Masterton, May 19.

SPIRIT OF CO OPERATION 9 (To the Editor.) Sir,—l note that Mr. Kemp states that he stands for co-operation, not domination. It would be interesting to know from the members of the committee which approached Sir H. Hart to stand for the mayoralty how far they endorse this. Was it the spirit of co-operation displayed by Mr. Kemp that led to Sir H. Hart having to stand down, or wasn’t it? —I am. etc., “CURIOUSER.” Masterton. May 22. MANPOWER APPEALS (To the Editor) Sir—ln your publication dated May 18 there is a report of a statement by Mr A. O. Jones and others at an R.S.A. meeting that men who have been appealed for are shirkers and malingerers. While I do not consider there should be any appeals, I strongly resent such remarks and so will many others. To begin with many of the men appealed for were married men before the war but one of the strongest reasons why a man should not contest an appeal is that he may have been in his job longer than others he is working with and as they have been appealed for he would simply be making a vacancy for someone who might even be classed as a single man. Again, when one hears of whole families, perhaps three or four sons, some single men, all being in so-called essential industries, one does not feel disposed to contest an appeal which may antagonise one’s employer. There are many reasons why men don t contest appeals, but that is not the solution of the problem. The speakers at the R.S.A. meeting should confine.their remarks and criticisms to those responsible for the control of manpower and try to get all men taken as their turn came in the ballots, all appeals to be withdrawn. —I am, etc., ONE OF THOSE APPEALED FOR. Masterton, May 18. WAR AND OTHER SERVICE (To the Editor) Sir,—l had the pleasure of hearing Mr O. Jones deliver his stirring protest against the manpower regulations. There was no devil’s brew about it, but an expression of opinion from the heart of one who did his duty in the last war and whose sons are doing theirs in this. Mr Esler states that

thousands are prevented from serving by the powers that be; he now finds it convenient for him "not to reason why,” did not Mr Eslcr offer his services to the electors a while back to dispose of the powers that be? Thousands are still serving overseas who left their wives and children at the outbreak of hostilities. When our Forestry Corps returned from overseas I did not hear of anyone saying: "Welcome home Kiwi, here is my saw-bench.” Undoubtedly workers in industry are doing .good work, but there are no casualty lists, no great risk of being maimed and no home-'" sickness. Thank God for generations of British ancestry, and for the benefit of those who cannot understand our loyalty let us form a "Closer Relations With Britain Society.”—l am, etc., PRO PATRIA. Mastefton, May 22. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT T, J. Collerton (Carterton): Suggest you obtain information direct.—Ed.