Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 153, 19 September 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say

ABOUT FARMERS Sir,— It is a pity that “Anti-Whine’ does not live up to his pen-name and let farmers whine if they like, without whining about them. “The dog that bites the hand that feeds it” certainly has nothing on "Anti-Whine.” It is news indeed that feed of any sort is produced in Parliament —or in Queen Street either. If “Anti-Whine” can show that farmers are spoon-fed, any farmer can show that other classes are bucket-fed and farmers are going to do more than “whine,” they will kick the bottom out of that bucket. They are entitled to more than spoon-feed-ing. FAIR TRADE. BUS ROUTES ♦ Sir, — Further to my letter of Monday last re bus routes I notice that in to-day’s papers the chairman of the Tramways Committee, in explaining the cancellation of the Mangere and Campbell Road services, says that “the average operating cost of buses was 17.8 d a mile, exclusive of interest on capital and sinking fund.” As these are the same words and, mark you, figures that were given under the G.O.C. discussion, I would ask how can these further routes compare so exactly with the longer services to the western suburbs? To me these further figures only give point to the suspicion that the amounts given under the heading of “working expenses” in the tabled summary were made to “fit the bill.” Can another explanation be given? H. DAVIES. The chairman of the Tramways Committee, Cr. J. A. C. Allum, shown this letter, stated: The figure given is the average cost per bus mile, and the figure is correct. It lines up with the cost in other centres. Obviously, the cost of running on a good road is lower than on a bad road, and the length of the service does not matter. We have dealt with averages throughout, it being practically impossible to deal with any one section. —Ed., THE SUN. MOUNT ALBERT MUDDLE Sir,— You are to be congratulated on exposing the state of affairs in the Mt. Albert borough. I have followed with interest the doings for a considerable period, and find that instead of any improvement, as I hoped, we are getting deeper into the mire, through, to my mind, the autocracy of an absolute council. Regarding Mr. Cook's dismissal, the many ratepayers with whom I have discussed it are unanimous in saying, apart from the question of the ability or otherwise cf our late engineer, he is entitled to know why he has been discharged. Is it not a disgrace that a body of laymen has the power to wreck a capable and respected professional man’s career? Messrs. Brigham and Russell are worthy of the sincere gratitude of the ratepayers for having acted in such an honourable manner. Let the band of autocrats resign in a body and we, the fairplay advocates, will give our definition of the words “duty” and “justice” by returning only men of the calibre of Crs. Brigham and Russell Our Mayor’s parrot cry in public is always “Our progressive district’“jj well,

(To the Editor, j

if the present state of our borough is . his interpretation of progress, for goodness’ sake let us drift backward for a while. It would be a pleasant change. Mt. Albert is fast becoming a laughing stock and the ratepayers are being ridiculed through the actions of the council. Ratepayers of Mt. Albert, wake up! Attend the indignation meetings this week and demand a wholesale resignation and, if successful, vote in a sane manner and restore order from the present chaos. ANTI-CAUCUS. WILL MT. ALBERT JOIN CITY? Sir, — To “sack the Council,” as your correspondent in Thursday’s SUN suggests, is not the remedy. It answers no questions and merely leads from one darkness to another. It redresses no wrongs, injures the ratepayers, permits the “strong:, silent ones” to slip out without answering the question now put. It is justice that is wanted. The means of obtaining that is already in the ratepayers’ hands, strengthened by the assurance of moral and material support from all over the Dominion. Only by publicity is it possible to obtain justice. Secrecy and concealment are, and always have been, the refuge of cowards. “Things discussed in committee are best left unsaid in open council.” This statement should surely suggest something to even the least experienced, seeing that the council’s business is public business, and lot merely a stamping ground for the “strong silent” ones. I trust your correspondent will ponder well before taking the step he suggests, and try my remedy. Publicity is the keystone. Investigation into the whole of :he borough affairs during the last live years, particularly regarding the staff, will provide the desired knowledge, and then if your correspondent is still unconvinced of the power at present in his hands he could surrender it. After the investigation I don’t think he would. INVESTIGATO R. A TEA-DRINKER’S LAMENT Sir.— Alas, poor “Junior Partner!” Cor;demned by day to bow unto the decree of his seniors, by night he seats himself by the fre with a pad and wellfllled pipe while his thrice-blessed sister is doing the family dishes in the scullery, thrusts out his slippers to the warm glow as she shivers in the cauld blast and scours the saucepans, and vents the venom he has harboured during the day while forced to the ignominy of obeying orders in endeavouring to dictate to the other sex. But certainly let us do without our morning cup of tea. At the end of an exacting day’s work have we not the trip in the tram to look forward to? With men around on every side blowing clouds of stale smoke from cigarettes and p pes sicken ingly in her face and dizzying her aching head, what more can any girl ask of life? Physiologically and psychologically, of course, the few minutes’ laughter tha.t at present endears our morning tea to our foolish feminine hearts has the effect of setting the adrenal glands at work manufacturing a fluid which disperses fatigue when taken into the blood, and sends us back to our desks brightened and three times keener -

minded and quicker than ill 1» but as long as men have “ e 5,, o ther read, a pipe to smoke, ** ' • m»? comfort their “Spartan ; • , ca v i, desire, what are mere women “ t i can only suggest that further than the mile 1,-orniits h®“ prostrate ourselves as d°° . most neath the condescending virile feet of “Junior Partner. j,. OXE NOTICES TO CORRESPOND®^ Anti-Swank.—You do no«• name and address. *v your letter.— Ed. THE SUHs -