Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 164, 1 October 1927, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

THE THIRTEENTH RIDE Sir, — While candidly confessing- my ignorance of the conditions which prevail during those portions, of the day which are not termed “rush hours,” I cannot understand why no one is running a community bus service along the Edendale Road route to the city. It seems to me to be a thickly populated district that is extending as far back as the Mount Albert Road, and at certain times of the day the trams are packed almost to suffocation. I for one, and I think there would be many others, wold gladly pay the fare to private persons commencing such an enterprise. We who Live any distance past the Clark Street section are forced to pay Is 3d extra a week after October 2. The thirteenth ride which council so generously gives us is hardly worth worrying about. EDENDALE RESIDENT. UNMANNERLY BOYS Sir, — I saw two ladies boarding a tramcar in Queen Street the other day. TJ.iey were practically on the car when uvo schoolboys rushed along and climbed into the car ahead of them. It was an example of a type of boorishness not expected from boys who are attending a large secondary school, and it leads me to suggest that some of the local schools, day schools particularly, should add courses in good manners to their lists of subjects. There are more things than booklearning, the correct strokes at cricket and the art of handling a Rugby football to be learned at school, but it seems that many youthful Aucklanders, judging by their behaviour, are overlooking their opportunities. Anyone who wishes to see glaring instances of discourtesy to ladies has only to watch a bunch of Auckland schoolboys on any tramcar. I will admit, of course, that they are not set a particularly good example by their immediate elders, the young men of the city, but that, again, might be attributable to failure of the schools. LADIES FIRST. OUR MUSICAL APPRECIATION Sir, — Now that the Frances Alda season has concluded, it might perhaps be permissible to make some reference through the columns of your paper to the deplorable standard of our musical appreciation, and the total absence of any spirit of goodwill toward visiting artists, which surely should emanate from those in our midst who profess themselves to be musicians. Apathetic indifference to the return of a New Zealand-born artist who has won fame and recognition in the musical centres of the world is bad enough. It is certainly aggravated when “leading local artists” combine with a local organisation to arrange a concert not only on the same evening

as Madame Alda’s second concert, but also in an adjoining hall. For sheer discourtesy and lack of appreciation of the first principles of hospitality this is surely without parallel in the musical history of the Dominion. Alda has come and gone, and has suffered even a. worse fate than that which befel Friedman and Zimbalist, also distinguished and highly cultured artists. By some chance the dilettanti had heard of Paderewski, and, probably assuming that it was the correct thing to do, they attended in large numbers. Previously, the excuse for the low standard of our musical appreciation has been the lack of opportunity of hearing good artists. After this surely no one can have the temerity to raise it again. If no other good has resulted from the visit of these artists, we at least have the satisfaction of realising where we stand in regard to music. Obviously there is no music—nothing more than a smug self-complacency with the so-called attainments of our own people, a condition which apparently cannot thrive unless fostered by much childish back-clapping, and continually fed with fulsome praise. Nothing else matters. DISGUSTED. A PENSION PROBLEM Sir, — It may interest you to know on what paltry excuses the Pensions Department cut down military pensions. I am (or was) in receipt of a life pension for a serious war injury, and, having recently been convicted on a not very serious charge, and being placed on probation, I was further punished by the Pensions Department by having my pension reduced by half for a period of four months. This in face of the fact that I am at present out of employment, and my pension is my only means of livelihood, seems to me hardly up to the standard of British justice, and I was under the impression that a person could not be punished twice for the same offence. Another delusion of mine has been that a pension was granted as a right in consequence of a soldier’s earning power being reduced through injuries received in action. Apparently this is not so, and evidently they are only bestowed as a special favour. in the meantime, until I get a job, I will have to get a ready reckoner and work out how I am going to live on 10s a week, i: ernaps some of your readers who have tried it will give me a few hints. PROBATIONER PENSIONER. [Shown the above letter to-day, the Registrar of Pensions, Mr. H. Digbv said I tl ? at he Would have replied to the complaint if the details had been T & e Pensions Board dealt wriL!^ 17 ,f ase . <>n its merits, and a written application to that body would HkTlfv,rw| OUt F t n investigation into the In* 1 £ d of . hardshl P- The board had tne power to reduce pensions “in the event of circumstances altering, or for any other sufficient reason.” If a per.sioner was convicted of an offence for which a penalty of three months’ imprisonment or upwards might he Imposed, or which dishonoured him in t.ublic estimation, the board, with the consent of the Minister, might suspend the pension for a period which it thought Br, J? 1 -, Wl thdraw it altogether.—Ed., THE t SUN.J