Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 126, 18 August 1927, Page 10

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

DR. GIBB AS CENSOR Sir, Dr. Gibb is evidently a man who mistakes a large amount of gloom for a like amount of piety. He probably believes in being both “Sankeymonious and Moody.” I could imagine him as censor. He would probably have rules something like this: GAZETTES.—No bathing beauties allowed to exhibit their figures except from the neck upwards and then only on condition that they do not show their bare teeth. No athletes ■with naked knees. No breaking of champagne bottles at the launching of battleships as the sight of liquor might turn the youthful mind to thoughts of strong drink. Encourage those parts of the gazette showing “The Arrival of Pussyfoot Johnson /’ fe Church Conferences/’ “Vieivs of Clergyman shaking hands with both of his congregation.” Any pictures of funerals should be welcomed. SCENICS.—-To be passed with eclat exrcept such scenes as “Lambs Gambolling on the Green/’ or any with brewery advertisements prominently displayed , DRAMAS.—AII “eternal triangles” to be “squared” before shown. No cowboy allow to ride bareback. All cowboy pictures to be rendered innocuous by caption explaining that only toy revolvers were used, and that the villain was really a church elder. “The Ten Commandments” to be shown with each programme. One commandment at a time. That such pictures as “Ten Nights in a Bar-room” be permitted only provided the number of nights in the bar-room be reduced considerably. COMEDIES-- —That such things as cus-tard-pie throwing be discouraged as the waste is undesirable in these times of unemployment. That no liquor be shown in American comedies as this would make. prohibition a contentious subject. After that patrons of picture shows could wear crepe on their hats, bring their prayer books and thoroughly enjoy themselves. TANO FAMA. FARM WORKERS’ UNION Sir, — It must be evident to the town and country workers throughout New Zealand that there is a necessity for a farm workers’ union. In every country in the world where the farmer hires labour to assist him —with the exception of New Zealand—the worker has his union. It may be said we have the New Zealand Workers’ Union—a country union quite true —but the only country workers it has been able to assist, apart from the Public Works Department employees, are seasonal workers occupied in shearing, mustering, freezing works, and sawmills. The condition of farm workers right through New Zealand is bad as regards accommodation, wages and hours of work. Small wonder while such a state of affairs exists that your farm worker makes for the towns to swell the ranks of the workers in the city. The organisation should be the concern of every worker holding a union ticket. To-day in England there are two powerful agricultural unions. Under the Agricultural Wages Act, wages are fixed by agreement between master and man. Mr. Stanley Baldwin, speaking in Cornwall, said recently that he believed the arrangement to be 1 working well in most parts of the country. “By the experience of other

countries,” he said, “good wages do not benefit only the men who receive them, but the man who pays them, because the work is better done." Without an official Year Book to guide me, I should say there are about 6,000 farm workers, and it would require six organisers, each with a mo-tor-bike—three in the South Island, and three in the North Island—to bring about an organisation. As to finance, we have something like 400 craft unions, and to strike a levy of £3 a union would provide the required amount. X would suggest that the various trades and labour councils call a representative meeting of all unions to discuss the necessity or organising farm workers throughout the Dominion. BONDI. TAXATION AND POVERTY Sir, I showed in my last letter that the farmer (and all others) would, under the system I suggest, pay only rent, which even now he pays. He would be entirely relieved of rates and taxes (equal to another rent) and also the tribute he pays to artificially sheltered industries. I may add, further, he could take up land "at the margin of cultivation” and be free (for the time being) of rent as well. That being so the statement by “Fergus” that in return for the payment of £22,000,000 the farmer would merely be relieved of “half a crown on a pair of boots, get tax free whisky and tobacco and do without protection on agricultural products” is seen to be a mixture of inanity and piffle. The rest of your correspondent’s letter is not worthy of notice, though it is interesting as showing how it is possible for the hand to write independently of the brain. LAND ECONOMICS.

“FAITHLESS AND FAITHFUL” Sir,—I wish to compliment “Faithless and Faithful” on her splendid letter on fidelity. It is very refreshing to find that there are a few real women who are brave enough to uphold their ideals and to act in such a manner. Countenancing such treatment from socalled husbands is not going to make immoral things moral, nor can a quiet tongue about the faithless be considered a test of fidelity. Let the world know. Until the public can point a finger of scorn at the sinner, and the persons concerned are made to accept their moral responsibilities, a marriage can no longer be regarded as a binding contract. SECONDED. AFFAIRS IN NEW LYNN Sir, — In your report of the New Lynn Town Board’s meeting, I find that they resolved to ask the Auckland City Council to pay for the shell used on the Titirangi Road footpath. It was only on July 26 last that an employee of the City Council personally attended the board meeting, asking it to clean the water-tables out, as the footpaths were in too soft a state to spread the shell on, on account of the quantity of water lying about. Why did they not tell the man then that he had no right to use the shell? The shell referred to has been lying on the road for the past six weeks, being thrown about. It was tipped on the road one day, and two days after the board’s staff came along with a motor-truck and carted several loads away again. Is this economical and good, progressive management? The present board seems to be all in a fog or bogged. Next year’s rates are

already spent to the extent £I,OOO. There is a steam-roller tnai» exposed to all weather. There -?L water mains, 3 or 4-inch in diame’ . that are fed from a one-inch Pin* which are supposed to be usejJ , fire purposes. There is no fire brig . We are dependent on the £ von °~f Fire Brigade. There are fire hoeeco* 1 nections that cannot he found to and silt, which the board well xno . of, and still allows to go on. board has recently enlarged *“* . fices, and has spacious a ccomnjoo. tion: yet for the ratepayers that » an interest in the board thref is a space of about eight feet by feet, standing room only. Now I see they are trying tn raie another loan in connection wn« Oreat North Road. There are three loans in connection mv* , road, and it is about time {() and more attention was g b3U t other roads. Rates are gpinf? 2?«-hirr 30 per cent., about one-third of is paid on overhead EFMOUNT ALBERT AFFAIRS Sir. — I have read in THE SUN* the Mayor of Mount Albert that only 30 men have been t by his council. Now, I c J ia U;_ statement, and would ask t - • if it is not true that 10° been paid off since the la f t elections. Prior to the last e how many men were put on . most of whom had votes. „ JL of have been made of the - borough officials when the P grindinformation, but worse, tVorward is that no direct or replies are given to ratepav • b«' swer to direct questions. - Koroul^ 1 evasion predominates in tnc office. Now that Avondale n tb€ the wisdom of linking up ' city, it behoves the r ° UP * *i e . ** ratepayers to follow their e - ujtito my mind the change m mately be to our benent. (Asked if he had any *S*L **“s££! the above letter, the 3la> , f hat lk Albert, Mr. L. E. R h °?? s, a ,? did not care to reply to an dl(s not •writer. However, although , 0 ( know the exact number of ho ~oa. „ since the borough election*. 0 1. say definitely that It by J> ,s your correspondent is c f prap 3 second query that a " that « ,s ganda was involved. I Rhod**: absolutely ridiculous.” said ~ n “As a matter of fact, the nothing: to do with the t,y li* the men: they were ah , engineer.”.—Editor, THE SL NOTICES TO CORRESPOND^ W.F.D.—Your letter arrived aft f «s polling had eommenoea therefore too late for publ