Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 77, 22 June 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

TRAVELLERS ARE SATISFIED Sir,— We notice by the columns of your newspaper that Mr. R. L. Jones is ag&.in complaining of the speed of the Limited express; also complaining of the sleeping accommodation. Apparently he does not travel a great deaC or suffers from nerves, as the writers travel regularly on this train and find the journey quite comfortable and saafe. Thtf department studies the comfort of the passengers to no small degree on this? particular train and the trouble of booking sleepers could easily be eliminated by “getting in early.” All we carr say is that those who complain must feather-bed travellers. TWO COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS. ONE BIG FAMILY Sir, After wading through a surfeit of correspondence in the press concerning the merits and—more frequently—the demerits'- of the Scotch-Welsh New Zealanders nnd “Homies,” it *is most refreshing to read the plain commonsense letter of “Unity” in to-night’s SUN. I am a.I'SA'W Zealander, born and bred—my paanents also —so I think I am entitled to express the opinion that we New ZeaLaiiders, by reason of our insularity, are too rapidly developing a feeling of faJ\se superiority over the other branches of the British race, and an unpleasant tendency to deride and belittle our £ello\w-Britishers of other parts of the/ Empire. Those of us who served in the Great War left this Coventry possessing this spirit, more or levis, but contact with the Homeland antf Empire troops—their frank admiration and loyal cooperation and support in the times of stress—soon substituted this spirit for one of genuine mutual appreciation of one another’s worth. If the younger generation would just visualise how really srru 11 and insignilicant a part we are of tVie great British Empire, and that all w\3 have and are we owe to Britain, the* cradle of our race, we would probabVy hear much less of the cavilling crfiticism of our brothers, whether they he Scotch, Welsh, Cockney, “Homies/’ or colonials. VINCIT AMOR .PATRIAE.

MR. BRADLEY ENTERS THE ARENA V, V Sir,— The controversy which I .notice in THE SUN in connection with community cars has gone just far enough for me to reply. I would JVke this publicity, as far as I am concerned, to cease. I have never courted it and see no reason for my name to be' mentioned, but at this juncture would like to explain for the benefit of all concerned that I was one of thsp first to write to the* Press on this question. in October last. The question was taken up by* our late president, Mr. Harold Schruidt, who, in conjunction with Mr. W.. T. Martin, our present and original traffic manager, held meetings in the Mount Eden and Mount Roskill districts on street corners. My wife an d I became members of the club at th»e first meeting and were elected members of the small committee then formed, Mr. Stenberg being elected, secretary. The first community car began running the next day, and people became i so interested, and so anxious to oyer-

come the transport difficulties, that a further meeting was held at the end of the week in Shackleton Road Congregational Church Hall. Over two hundred people attended, and a committee of fifteen was set up, Mr. Schmidt being elected president of the club. The business was all In order and minutes were taken from that date. Meetings which I attended were afterwards held at regular intervals in Mr. Schmidt's house. I have always been a member, and still remain one. of the original committee, which recently deposed Mr. Schmidt. At the meeting held in. Shackleton Road it was proposed, seconded and cn- Ad that Mr. Hall Skelton be the club solicitor. He was duly elected and has remained so ever since. All community cars now running on Dominion and Mount Eden Roads, painted yellow with a red band, are the property of the club, and no other cars running on these routes are recognised by the Mount Eden Transit and Social Club. S. BRADLEY. DEVONPORT finance

Sir, — I note that the members of the Devonport Borough Council are like the Babes in the Wood, and the present state of their finances comes upon them as a bombshell. One can hardly believe that can be possible, as unless I am much mistaken the majority of the ratepayers were well aware of the position, and it was a matter of frequent comment. Instead of making sea-walls and a concrete road to Takapuna the council should have studied those who pay the rates and devoted its energies to the improvement of side roads and footpaths, wjiich at present are a standing disgrace to the borough and no credit to the late council. Though one is not supposed to listen to the Man in the Street, still this kind of thing is frequently heard: “Well, they have got themselves in a nice hash, and let them get out of it. No one is likely to volunteer to help them over their muddle.” May I suggest the only thing the present council can do is drop all its high-falutin notions, come down to bedrock, study the requirements of the residents, and refrain from toadying to motorists and visitors, thus conserving its revenue and spending it in the essential things for the borough, as the residents are those that live in the borough, and surely they should be considered before visitors or neighbouring boroughs. HOME.

FOREIGN TRADE Sir,— Your correspondent, “Buy Where You Sell,” though purporting to reply to my letter, does not meet any of my points, but talks vaguely about equal tariffs and the necessity for nations to see that their general international trading balances. If he were more conversant with the laws governing foreign trade he would know that imports and exports “rightly calculated” do, and must, balance. America may put up her tariff to any height, but so long as she exports the necessity of getting paid will compel her to take imports to equal value. Your correspondent has a slogan—“ Buy where you sell.” "What does this mean? At any cost? If not, how much extra is he prepared to pay? If he means price and quality the same, there is no argument between us, me gyfc- gfe-case.

Country “A” is large, populous and h* immense natural resources, & small and much less encLS* in these rsepects. “B’ “JJ nothing to offer that “A” can P r0 ”~j~ * take. “A” produces the world * fj 1 ' est and best labour-saving raacnlßgTj Now, would your correspondent ad “B” to confine purchases of to those countries which take its P ducts and give, say, 50 per cent- ® for them? Would he advise it to d° while no other countries, comgw”* with “B” for neutral markets, their machinery from “A”? Ho v...Ld would “B” retain its hold on neuJ markets in such circumstances? us view the matter from another ans* It is a poor rule that won’t wor ways. Britain’s trade with New ■ Z* land is “unfavourable.” WouW friend advise her to restrict ports of Dominion produce so ** redress the balance? INTERNATIONAL TRADE*

A PUZZLED WORKER

I Sir, — . lir hfof Perhaps it is not asking too m i your readers to enlighten .. 4 I following quandary. I belo f l i’ pr an j trade-profession working ltra tioa award wage fixed by the AT Court. Last week I was my employer and given the_u dis . of working for less money oD I missal from his employ; * T ar " fll} , c and • the horns of a dilemma. If *■* , A lam dismissed, I know 1 ; 0 b for difficulty in finding another i g weeks, perhaps months, as o 40 in deep depression, 5 1 ® 1 out of work in this city. T no f coneliilclren and a wife, this I ca-n th e template. If I report wc sM union headquarters, m> dism only be a matter of a lew weeks. probably the tag of incomp ■ , d ]tioß reliability or such charge b;ackand the certain result ot being 0 y ; listed by employers in the tra. • future detriment. Tet l ° j e3 as » reduction offends my serui true unionst and savours ° , erm ii>in< to my fellow-workers, as unu (or . all they have .struggled and In all conscience we are i ko f 4 * inflated wages, a working nethours, less 2J hours meal u s 6d ting us only an average o j roU st weekly, and if I accept gain® work 61 hours in future for . 6lip . wage or go on as af pres Aecorff port my family on £3 l-s • Cou »di ing to the papers, the rr a «at»i is loth to prosecute breach e , seW ijtf«. yet where is our protection > other than the moral (or im ™ one it sion of a strike? What can « for the best? pLZZIJ®_.'