Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 110, 30 July 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say —

BUSES Sir, — In your issue of the 27th inst. someone writes slating the private busowners re time-table and crowding. Well, when the council buses were running at the old fare, they, too, were guilty. I have seen seven and eight people standing in the driver’s compartment, and on the step, with all seats and the passageway full. These seven or eight people had to get off before the inside passengers could alight. No doubt the inspectors were aware of this condition, for it was usual and frequent, yet I never heard of any action being taken to correct it. Perhaps now that the fare for the council buses has been raised, and consequently the buses are not so popular or crowded, the inspectors may take the advice of your correspondent. If so, I can only hope that they will be merciful, remembering that their council established a precedent; and this in the face of the fact that their billet is assured whether the transport department pans out either a profit or a loss. PASSENGER.

COMMUNITY BUSES

Sir, — A case recently before the courts concerned the community buses in which no fares were demanded, but anyone could donate what he liked. It was held that donations were passage money, yet can anyone see the difference between a collection-box placed on a bus and one stuck under one’s nose at Sunday gatherings? If bus donations are passage money or fares, then collections at the Zoo on Sundays and at Sunday gatherings where the collection boxes are shoved under one’s nose must undoubtedly be atmittance money and are therefore illegal. To carry the court’s ruling further, it may also be argued that because Island tomatoes are a fruit and our Government has passed a statute prohibiting the importation of tomatoes to New Zealand because thy are sold more cheaply here than the Is 6d-a-lb variety now selling, then it follows that no other Island fruit, such as bananas and oranges, can be imported because they also can be sold cheaper than the local orange and banana. HAROLD SCHMIDT. THE PEDESTRIAN HAS A SAY Sir.— There seems no limit to the demands of the motoring fraternity. They would shunt the trams, banish the horse and uproot the centre poles from Queen Street. Then, with pedestrians thoroughly drilled to cross the speedway only at certain specified intervals and places, all would be well—for motorists. Meanwhile members of automobile associations continue to air alleged grievances. One kindly soul complains that punishment for joy-riding is not severe enough—and suggests flogging. The subject of punishment for careless or drunken motorists is not mentioned, however. In the police courts counsel for the drunken motorist glibly pleads that his client was not drunk: in fact, only had a “few.” This plea, often successful, makes one ponder just how the court arrives at a decision on what amount of alcohol can be consumed without clouding the brain to a point where, if he would avoid injury or death, the pedestrian must needs do the motorist’s thinking of him. The dividing line between safety and disaster is the ability to think in the fraction of a second. Magistrates occasionally, and motorists continually. insist that it is up to pedestrians i to keep a look out; quite true. But

here as elsewhere are those to •whom this advice is waste of words, and useless. Because, whether magistrate or motorist likes it or not, we will always have in our streets careless children, absent-minded adults, decrepit elders, as well as the halt and blind. Are such, because they lack in either mental or physical alertness, to be abandoned to the convenience of motorists?’ Before allowing themselves to be bulldozed into turning city thoroughfares into speedways, city councillors might well cogitate on the fact that the vast majority of citizens are not motorists. SHANKS. HARBOUR BRIDGE Sir, In reference to a bridge over the harbour some people say the time is not ripe. I fail to see what they mean by “not ripe.” It was said that the time was not ripe for another daily paper in this city, but I consider that it has ripened the whole city. Stand at the Ferry Building any working day in the week and watch the manner in which the public is jammed together on the boats between the hours of, say, 7 to 9 a.m. and 4.30 to 6 p.m.— then ask whether the time is ripe or not for the harbour bridge. Independent of the comfort it will bring, and the time that will be saved in travelling, we must consider the opening up of the north side of Auckland, and the time is more than ripe for the undertaking. Some strong influence seems to be barring the way. It cannot be a question of finance, for it will be one of the finest propositions for investors when you figure out the public that is compelled to cross both ways. In Canada the railway people lay millions of miles of track each year. The three main companies compete one against the other to see which can lay the greatest length of track by following the settlers. It is not a question of waiting until the time is ripe: it ripens itself as progress advances. PROGRESS. TO HELP UNEMPLOYED Sir,— Re our unemployment scheme, for which your paper kindly offered to receive and forward donations: I would like publicly to thank Mr. E. E. Kitchener, of K.K. Footwear, for his letter which you published in your last Saturday’s issue, wherein he gave his opinion of the scheme as being a sound and practical proposition. I would like the public to understand fully that no person will receive one penny of the money donated excepting as wages for work done: that the work will he permanent; and not for a week only {with the same round of worries as to where and when the next job will be) that all profits, as sufficient funds accumulate, will be used to place more men in employment: that our League will not use any of the monies donated for any purpose of the League, and. finally, we will make a monthly statement to your paper for publication of what has been done. As I have previously stated, the sum of £SOO will enable us to place at least 14 men in work for a start off, and every £IOO over that sum four more men. Donations of any old i-ton or 1-ton trucks would also be very acceptable, condition no object. To those men who have written to me for work: Until sufficient money is forthcoming, we are sorry to say we can do nothing, but their names and addresses have been noted for future reference. Our one desire is to help our old comrades who are down to get on their feet once more, by the means of permament work. I sincerely hope and beg of the public to leave no doubt as to its desire to see these means come about to forward donations. however small, to you for the furtherance of this scheme. A. McCORMACK, President, N.Z. Ex-Service League.