Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 173, 12 October 1927, Page 10

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

IN MOUNT ALBERT Sir, — In the Mount Albert Borough is to be seen a well-dressed ganger standing day after day watching three men working, urging them to greater speed, I suppose. At times two or three extra well-dressed men stand with him watching the three men. Are they gangers, too? Then at intervals the foreman or inspector floats along and has a look at the three men, who seem to me to be going faster and faster each day. Does the Mayor approve of this? We seem to be going on quite well without the engineer. How would it do to scrap a few more officials; or ask them to resign and get off the back of the crushed ratepayers? RATEPAYER. NAMES SOUGHT Sir, — If your correspondents, “C.G.M.” and “A.E.C.,” who have replied to my letter on “Cosmogony,” will publish their names, I shall be happy to answer their arguments; otherwise I must ignore them. As I have written over my name, it is obviously unfair for one to reflect on my regard for the truth, as “A.E.C.” has done, while he conceals his identity. I am not surprised that these two writers have not published their names. I should myself be ashamed to sign my name for publication to such careless and erroneous statements as they have made. J. G. HUGHES. MAORIS AND SOUTH AFRICA Sir, . As a New Zealander with many years’ experience of South Africa, my views concering the exclusion of members of the Maori race from the Hew Zealand Rugby touring team may be of interest to some of your readers. The greatest possible wrong would be to allow members of our great native race to travel to the Cape, and there to be subjected to the despite which is unfortunately necessary for the maintenance of British prestige in the colony. It is the duty of all New Zealanders who thoroughly understand the conditions overseas to acquaint the Maoris with the true knowledge of the position in South Africa, and so show our native people, whose intellectuality is recognised throughout the world, that the attitude of the New Zealand Ru gby Council is really in consideration of the high sense of dignity possessed by the Maoris. It is the writer’s pleasure to number among his friends many families of Maori blood, and the personality and honour of these people are too well known ind understood by New Zealanders to necessitate description. Most New Zealanders and certainly all sporting devotees know of the great Barclay family, soldiers and sportsmen, and right down to the youngest, gentlemen born. Lieut. W. Barclay, M.M., was captain of last year’s Maori team

which toured France and Kngland, anci Francis Barclay. D.C.M., New Zealand League rep. The remaining boys eaeti possess to a marked degree the splendid qualities and striking personalities of their famous relatives. Could any right-minded colonial allow men such as these reason to have any bitterness over their possession t-if Maori blood?

To the writer’s persone.l knowledge feeling is high in some circles regarding the question, and in justification to the noble and peerless traditions of the Maori, the position should be made clear in order that both races here in New Zealand will appreciate that the New Zealand Rugby Council had all the time the honour of out own people at heart when they accepted the terms of the South Africans. FAIR PLAY. SUMMER TIME Sir, It is amazing how pigheaded some sections of the community can be. The Government has decided, and rightly, to my way of thinking, to give Daylight Saving a trial. Mr. Sidey of struggling sees his hopes rewarded and has been inundated w.th congratu - lations from all parts of the country. On the other hand, what do we find: A small section of the community—farmers chiefly—threatening to defy the legislation and to observe ordinary hours. This seems to me to be utterly unreasonable. Why not give the proposal a spin and let the trial period be in every sense a fair trial? I venture to say, then, that there will be no talk of scrapping Summer Time. If we have two standards of time we will be faced with endless petty annoyances. For instance, supposing a young man had an appointment to meat his fiancee (the daughter of a Pukepukepupukl farmer) and he rolled jp at three o’clock. Summer Time, to find that she was observing dad’s rules and sticking to good old Greenwich. No need to la borate on the tragedy' of it: Let us pull together and make this experiment (new so far as New Zealand Is concerned) a thumping success. UP IN THE MORNING EARLY. THE LAW AND THE BOOKMAKER I note-that another bookmaker has been fined in the Police Court £75 this time. They all have their turn, it seems, and the Consolidated Fund (isn’t that where the fines go?) benefits; in varying amounts. I think this is a. very underhand and humbugging way of licensing bookmakers in defiance; of the law, for there seemn little doubt: that these skinflint gentry are now looked upon as revenue producers. Why isn’t the law applied as it should be? The law says bookr.iaking is illegal, and anything illegal should be stamped out. The offices or other haunts of most of Auckland’s bookmakers are well known to the police and the police could “pick them up’ (with documentary evidence of their Unlawful (occupation/ at an y A timer

Why don’t they do it? There ara unpleasant rumours regarding bookmaking. Can it be that the P°‘_ have been instructed from high 4® ' ters to leave the bookmakers a**®! excepting as t-ielders of revena--. ® in their turn to be taken to Cooiti the formality of fining? If the no®, maker is to be licensed, would Jt be more honest to issue licenses in regular way? If the law renuaW it is, let the bookmakers be treated the same manner as other lawbroaw*T The existing situation is such a» excite the contempt of any honew si and to bring the law into ridicule-OBSER’-YB. WAIHEKE Sir, . i-rr y In THE SUN of October 11. twm an article on Waiheke Island idw future. It pointed out that has a Progressive Association. . omitted to say that we also road board, with rates ra - ngl^ g . HrV gn much as here in the city, and ' last year we voted rating on proved values, it has made vendifference to us. My rates h* f o r with all its comforts, are r Onetangi. Waiheke rates £t cost me £l2 15s Id. plus a fi 5s for not coming up to J»™v lSa year on unimproved I pay * or t And we have a tag. for borrowing our balance-sheet! 10 find I retired to Waiheke hoping peace and contentment ou toj«uinin town. My property is going c - for I would not spend l on the place. No doubt in years’ time you will hav jt H Island at Auckland’s una glorious island, bet a. P - oi wisely managed. And am fj for moderate means. I should i*ecth‘ e them, seeing I have paid one tMnf ih a 6Jd loaf (from Oatend to on I think, Mr. Editor. JJJVJLj | the other side of the not afraid to give further to anyone who wishes to t lived at Onetangi for the last e nine years. UEBTHA Eopaooh|j> - llllp