Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 66, 9 June 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

“ENCYCLOPAEDIAS OF IGNORANCE” Sir, — There was no need for your correspondent to have signed himself ‘‘Hundred Per Cent New Zealander” It was very apparent by his cocksureness, viz., “We have in New Zealand a country better than all the rest.” Who told him? Another hundred per center, you can bet on that. And when you hear this “better than all the rest” stuff, it is fairly safe to bet that the father of it has never been outside New Zealand. So with your “century per center.” Had he travelled, he might have 100 per cent less of that smug self-complacency which marks his type off as encyclopaedias of ignorance. The Scots do not claim a monopoly of national peculiarities. New Zealand has her full share in such persons as “Hundred Per Cent New Zealander,” who, it is to be hoped for the future of this country, will also “die off,” and leave children with less vacant skull space and a greater knowledge of geography. 25 PER CENT SCOT. IMMIGRATION, UNEMPLOYMENT AND CRIME Sir.— On reading in THE SUN that a man had taken to crime (theft) in order to support a wife and. family, it appeared to me this way: Immigration has caused unemployment, and unemployment breeds crime. We read that Auckland is given credit for quite a lot of crime, and also that she absorbs a big share of each shipload of immigrants. Immigration, by causing unemployment and want, is turning many, perhaps, first-class citizens to crime in order to keep body and soul together. Most of the crime is of course theft, and who would not thieve rather than starve? It is only reverting to one of the first laws of nature. Every person has a right to live. Necessity knows no law, and is in itself justification for the act. Then there are the .suicides —out of work —no future prospects—at end of resources. Now this family case may, or may not, be genuine, but it is more than possible in New Zealand life to-day. Although we may be passing through a period of financial depression there is no gainsaying that immigration is j the cause of unemployment and increased crime. WORKER. THE RUSH TO THE CITIES Sir, It is deplorable that in a young country such as our own, the question of slums should arise. It seems ridiculous in a country dependent on agricultural pursuits that it is necessary for people to live in congested and unhealthy areas; nobody would choose such surroundings while it was still possible to live in comfort in the more healthy surroundings such as are to be found in the country. Yet day after day it is being proved to us that it is becoming more and more impossible to live in the most desirable surroundings. We find whole districts of farming areas, with all the farmers walking off their farms and flocking to the cities, increasing our slums and bringing strife into a country where such strife should be unknown. The remedy lies not in the remodelling of our cities, or the construction of immense bridges, which are an expensive luxury in an agricultural country at any time, but in the improvement of the position of the farmer. Approximately 97 per cent, of our revenue is obtained from our primary

products, so that the more people that can be induced to take up agricultural pursuits the more there is to be divided among the whole. But what man is going to work 14 hours a day at farming, for about one quarter of what he can obtain for an eight-hour day with a pick and shovel, and without risk of failing crops? If more money is borrowed to provide better city accommodation, more taxes will have to be levied to pay the interest. This will drive more farmers off their farms to increase the population of our ever-growing cities, and we will all find ourselves the losers for our stupidity. The expense of this matter must be borne; let it be borne by those that can afford to bear it, not by those whom it cripples. We will all draw from the increased revenue on the completion of the only sane policy. —G.F.P. SIR THOMAS BEECHAM Sir.— Your two interesting and very welcome articles concerning Jean de Reske, the world famous Polish tenor, and Sir Thomas Beecham, the English conductor, bring very vividly to my mind the remarkable ability of the latter. It was my good fortune, and privilege, to take part under his baton in Strauss’s grand opera, “Electra.’’ at Covent Garden Theatre, some years a e~° —a production that created a great sensation in London at that time. 1 also took part in at least a score of other operas that he conducted. Although his father, Sir Joseph Beecham provided the capital then, Sir Thomas’s magnetic personality and sportsmanship, as well as his undoubted genius as a conductor, endeared him to the hearts of the members of his opera companies, and especially to his orchestras. He, for his famous Barcarolle, received a treble encore at His Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket, London. Sir Thomas, being a man and not an angel, no doubt has his faults, but if anyone deserves a monument while he is yet living, he is that man! This also applies to another great pioneer; Charles Manners. Doubtless there are others as well, but I speak from personal knowledge of both of these men. It is only men of courage of the Beecham type who will save grand opera in the British Empire from extinction. People who condemn Sir Thomas when he speaks contemptuously of the lack of support that British grand opera is receiving would demonstrate a wiser sense of proportion either by remaining silent or by offering an instance wherein he is totally wrong. I have not the slightest doubt that the future of grand opera (the greatest of all arts) ‘ is assured in the British Empire, but that time has not come yet. In the meantime Sir Thomas Beecham is blaing the trail. I should like to express my gratitude to THE SUN for publishing articles that have the power to make me (and I am sure this applies to other readers) “sit up and take notice!” OPERA. UNEMPLOYED AND GIFT SERVICES Sir. — I' feel that the social workers of Auckland are facing a great problem m endeavouring to help the unemployed, and no doubt many of them feel as I do. In many cases of hardship they are at a dead end. and on account of lack of cash cannot assist many a deserving case. For instance, we may supply groceries, but what about rents? A man must keep a roof over his head. He cannot take his family out into the park. This week a married man who had a small baby ana a child of two. and a wife, came to me. They had notice to leave thenone room, 'being behind in the rent.

few years ago they cost 6d. He applied to thee Charitable Aid and w as allowed 10s worth of groceries an* was informed that they could not help with rent. He tried to get help tro-ii his Church but could not. In desperation he came to me. This man saw to me: “Am I to become a crUBWJ* before I can get help to keep a _ over my wife and kiddies?”- Thiß man wants work not charity. He snow me splendid testimonials. I may s» that this case is one of the many to have come under my notice. , Now, Sir, can you or anyone else te«; me what is to become of this f**™*j Can you or anyone suggest a way for him? His landlady is a and has to pay her rent, and. ot covny wants her money. lam quite in pathy with the social workers ana * Hospital Board, but I think they supply meat and also enough casnenable people to cook their ® Many who get relief have no ® • at all, and cannot find a the gas; and some of the things * plied, such as rice and dried peas, too long to cook. I should like to draw the attenu f of fche public to the pitiable pus the unemployed. Surely, at a like this, we New Zealanders s wake up to our responsibilities, we going to stand by while w drawing a weekly wage j/ people starving? I » every person earning woU^S m er l shilling a week to the unempm- tpf fund we could soon make things«*| for those less fortunate than °^ r It appears, no private body <3;* from door to door; at least tn j Council will not give a think it is high time the Chris**** dJ<J this country came to light J w*. something. If they are in & why not show their Christianity practical way? I would sugg the clergy of every church hav service each Sunday for a n*°® ' gift, each person attending to bnl^ un< i oi Some tiling solid, such as a P tea or sugar, etc. Make a c ee and help! lam holding g ll _ at the Church of the True Light. Let other churt ;"f har ved suit, and I am sure tn oG r will be great. If we all M part we can bring happiness lives of many. \VTONNURSE J- CLA* 1W Hillside Drainage Hillside Drainage Commission, o 0 „«- ing of Messrs. A. Graham, Col ?J^^ e *nd of Crown Lands, George I - tiii» Mervyn Wills, sat at morning to inquire into tn Hill' of certain areas of land ‘" -e c** i side Drainage District and rece Sections thereto. The hearing i eeedi ns*