PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20786, 22 April 1939, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents whose letters are welcome, hut for 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 of good fair. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not. appear.

BALANCING THE BUDGET (To t-he Editor) Sir,— Our Douglas Creditors assert that it is unnecessary to balance the Budget and Mr Young quotes Italy and Germany as shining examples of financial ability, lie says that Italy had a deficit of £100,000,000 and jt did not worry them. However, Italy and Germany have a way. and perhaps Japan too, of making other nations balance the Budget for them. For instance Germany expropriates the Jews, grabs Austria and Czechoslovakia, and no doubt will do some questionable business there too. Italy grabs Abyssinia and, finding little to satisfy there, gets the knife into Albania with rich resources of oil, coal, etc. Yugoslavia will come next under the carving knife unless the Allies can do something more than talk and beseech. Japan hopes to do the balancing trick at China's expense. Will Mr Young, who has gone deeply into financial strategy, kindly show how to provide all Hie needful cash and at the same time prevent an increase in the national debt ? It would be just lovely if wo could find a way and at, Hie same time prevent inflation with all its attendant evils.—l am, etc., NUT UNBALANCED. Hamilton, April 20.

WAIKATO AIRPORT (To the Editor) Sir, —It is now proposed that local bodies should acquire the land and buildings at tile Rukuhia aerodrome at a cost of up to £20,000. There is no guarantee that this is the final sum or that Hie air services will make use of the airport. 'The Government has spent hundreds ; of thousands of pounds on aerodromes. If Rukuhia is such an excellent airport . and a bargain, the Government would , no doubt purchase it, as it seems to ; rne that an inland airport is essential j for military purposes. The ratepayers of this district are • mostly farmers on fixed prices for j their produce, and with rising costs. The Waikato Hospital Board has increased the levies on local bodies to £G3,000, which means a further increase in the rates on farm lands. We are already paying indirect taxation to ■ cover the cost of aerodromes in other districts. Now it is suggested that we help ourselves nationally by providing an aerodrome at our own expense. We ! pay for our own and the other fel- | low’s too! I agree with the attitude of the Waikato and Raglan County Councils. The matter is one of national importance and should he left in the hands of the Government. —I am, etc., WAIKATO RATEPAYER. | Hamilton, April 20. STADIUM FOR HAMILTON? | (To the Editor) Sir,—ln reading the Domain Board's ' report on improvement schemes for j sports grounds in Wednesday’s issue, : I was amazed at the short-sightedness j of that body. I had to ask myself, Is | this the genuine effort of an organisa- I tion of responsible men to improve the !; position for the sports bodies, or is | j this organisation attempting to do the ' smallest possible amount that will quiet for the time being the justified i complaints of recent weeks? I muit confess I have not, satisfied myself on this point yet. A short time back, when lhe. position of a stadium was being discussed, Mr Swarbrick said that no matter | where it might he, one site was as valuable as- another as in these days of ; cars, etc., etc. This was in defence of j Galloway Park, a site on the out- ; skirls uf Hie town, against Hinemoa or ; I Boxes Park, in a central position as | they are. Wednesday night's report j says: “The Domain Board is not in favour of converting cither Seddon Park or Ilinemoa Park into a stadium as it considers these areas are too valuable, situated as they are in the centre of the town.” Valuable as what? According to the report they are going to be “valuable as an open park,” to use Mr Paul's words. If the Domain Board realises the value of a central position, how can it ridicule this argument when speaking in favour of Galloway Park? Apparently a central position is important to the successful management of i weekly fixtures, but when a major r . event comes along, where thousands c of people atlond. a site out of the town i is far preferable! 1 would have thought > that the opposite would have applied —that the important fixtures should be readily accessible to every man, woman and child in Hamilton. But I am ahead of myself. The Domain Board docs not want a stadium unless it can put it where it thinks best. It will not act unless the stadium is where everyone can have •i nice refreshing car ride in the open air getting to it. S" just to show who’s boss, it has decided that for lhe present there will not he a stadium. Does i! think that anyone is blinded to the fact that if this effort does not N produce results, and the present plans 1 are allowed to pass unchallenged. ' nothing further will he done for an 1 age ? Now that there is movement of a serf, the job should be made a good one, and it will never he a good one. until 11 1 ere is one. ground enclosed completely at which a gate may be taken —in other words, a stadium. Mr Caro ;md Mr Fraser are to be commended on I lie fact that they ‘at least are awake to the requirements. —I am, et.c., HAMILTONIAN. Hamilton. April 21.