PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19911, 13 June 1936, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

AS “Dressed by correspondents, whose letters are welcome, but 101‘ whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write in ink. it is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee or good faith, Unless lan rule is comDlled with, their letters will not appear.

TRAFFIC PROBLEM. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Now that Garden Place has developed Into a chronic disease and the Post Office is to be erected —In due time —I think the borough administrators will be able to devote their energy to an easement of traffic in Victoria Street by erecting a traffic overhead bridge from Ward St»'eet to Hinemoa Street. The position lends itself for the purpose, with a grade from Collingwood Street to Ward Street. I am sure the Government would give a good subsidy for the work, and also that every ratepayer would give his or her vote, as it would be a lasting blessing and a lasting asset to the town.—l am, etc., MAN ON THE CORNER. Frankton, June 12. LAND RESTORATION. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I make no public retraction of any statements that I make regarding the policy of the organisation of which Mr McMillan is so able a publicity agent. He can put what interpretation he likes upon what Mr Nicolaus stated, but the result is the same. It was confiscation, and now Mr McMillan confirms my statement by admitting that he knew it all the time. In future we have only to refer to the head and the advertising manager of the organisation to support the contention that the basis of the land reformers is confiscation. No further argument is required, and much time and space will be saved. Any communications from these gentlemen can be answered in one word —confiscation. —I am, etc., LEO KAY. Hamilton, June 12. GUARANTEED PRICEB. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Last November, when Labour candidates were addressing the electors, the question of guaranteed prices was, of course, rather prominent. The usual line, according to what I heard, was to show that the Coates Government guaranteed prices for fruit exported, and if that could lie done for one line of exports, why not for other lines? The idea certainly caught some of my friends, and when I said that the guarantee for fruit was simply to assist a developing industry 1 was laughed at. Well, to-day we have laws providing for a guaranteed price for dairy produce, and I would like to know if any of your readers can see any similarity between the guaranteed price for apples and that for butter. They seem to me to be about as far apart as the poles. It would be particularly interesting if those who used to talk so much about the fruit guarantee would now let people know what they think of the butter scheme.—l am, etc., R. POVALL. Hamilton, June 12. LABOUR POLICY. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I heartily endorse the views of the member of the “Tribe of Job,” and find it very hard to understand the impatience of the Social Credit people. They know that it must take time to effect such great changes, and, to my way of thinking, they should really be satisfied with the progress already made by the Government. The promise to alter the present system was the plainest of the lot. Mr Savage said that the Government “was pledged to use the public credit, and they were not going to continue the present system one hour longer than necessary.” Surely that is plain enough, but the financial system of a country cannot he changed in a few weeks. The machinery is now in place to do the work, and perhaps the second half of the session will see it at work. The same applies to other things. The guaranteed price will be extended to other items, but some of the critics are not satisfied with the first instalment. Nothing is more certain than that these very people, if the Government had brought in the lot of primary exports, would have raised a cry about socialisation and suggested that the thing should be tried out on one or two items. In my opinion the Government cannot be accused of any go-slow tactics. The record for the first half of the session will take some beating, hut there will be no need to keep that pace up. The legislation may be very important, but tlie savings come from good administration, and the Ministers should be given time to do that big job.—l am, etc., DAN. Hamilton, June 12.

LAND TAXES. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Mr McMillan is all at sea affain. He informs m‘e that he has a copy of the Encyclical of Pope XIII. I did not ask him to look at anything that Pope Leo wrote, but I referred him to Pope Pius XI., who wrote in 1931. Mr McMillan requires first things first. Quite so; but first of all let us I bring the thinking up to date; then ! think of what stops the working of the present thinking. You will find that it is not the land, but the token of transfer of goods—money. Put that right, then we can deal with the land, etc. First things first. —I am, etc., MARCUS JAMES. Hamilton, June 12. IN ALBERTA. (To the Editor.) Sir, —The latest news from Alberta, received via British Columbia, is that Mr Aberhart is to retire from ParliaI ment after one term and return to his ■ school teaching. The question now j is, how long will the term extend? The province has failed to co-operate I with the other provinces for the improvement of national conditions and the Ministers are at sixes and sevens. And do we notice the advocates of Social Credit flocking to the place in ! order to assist? Hardly. They con- ' tinue to take part in the great retreat, I only anxious to escape from any responsibility for the distress of the province. Canadians generally are j really sorry for the plight of Alberta, and probably some way will be found to provide assistance.—l am, etc., CANNUCK. Cambridge, June 12. THE SMALL TRADERS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —The functions exercised by the small shopkeeper in the life of the community are undoubtedly most useful and important. Unfortunately New Zealand statistics do not give details of retail trade, therefore it is impossible to give definite figures. In Britain, however, returns show that “unit shops” number about 550,000, with a turnover of £1,000,000,000, against 30,000 chain stores, with a turnover of £300,000,000; 10,000-co-operative branches turning over £200,000,000, and 1000 department stores turning over £150,000,000. Of the unit shops 90 per cent, are small independent businesses, most of them family concerns, which employ over 2,000,000 workers, besides family helpers. It is not unreasonable to assume that if figures were available the position in New Zealand would show very similar comparative results. The great number of small traders js largely due to the natural desire of being one's own master, of having one’s own business, and using one's abilities to the best advantage—they are people of enterprise, courage and independence. The small trader, in short, is a valuable asset in the life of the nation, and care should be taken not to make his existence impossible by restrictive legislation.— We are, etc., N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE. Wellington, June 11. BOBBY CALVES. (To the Editor.) Sir, —A few weeks ago an article appeared in the Times, headed “Boycott Threatened: Engli'sh Campaign; Cruelty to Calves; Lady’s Firm Intention.” The result of that article was a large number of letters from sympathisers. Many of the letters congratulated • me on the stand I was taking and wished the effort success. A full report was drawn up, setting out the conditions and practices which caused so much suffering to bobby calves, the cruelty to old culled cows, and the cruel methods of slaughter. This report was submitted to trading firms, to the Farmers’ Union in conference in Auckland, and a copy was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture. No one disputed the truth of my report, but it was described as a “very black picture.” I quite agree. Nothing I have ever read has appeared so black and damning.

A copy was sent to England, and it was my intention to release it for publication this. monih if drastic steps were not taken by the Government. I have to—dny, however, received a telegram from the Minister of Agriculture in which he says: "Decisions arrived at in diroclion of improving conditions connected with this irode. To give otfeui i 0 iho docisions iiiu Exccuiive Commission oi" Agricuiiurc has recommvn'iod lilo bringing down01‘ regulations governing the oxposuru, coiieciing and irunsporL of calves, and these roguiulions will become effective for tho opening 0i ”)0 sun—sonal trade. in \'i(‘\\‘ of the prompt ariiou by the (imormnuni. 1 Would urge you Llcsisi from action pro—posed." In view of {his promise I am hohiv 111:: up ”10 rovuri for tho lirrsrnt, bu: I shall have no slum: unturned uniil llio “hole sysioin of (ii'fliiiig \Vilil animals is altered—l am, cic,, 1 Ti. AGNES SEAL. i To Kowhni, Juno I‘2.