Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 245, 6 January 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

THE “FLAPPER” REPLIES

Sir,— Thank goodness the non-smoking cranks mentioned by “Health Before Habit” last evening have not started their absurd campaign in Auckland. As one of the young women upon whom these pseudo-moralists are fixing their salvaging eye, I would like to say that “we don’t want to be saved.” Smoking has never done me any harm; on the contrary, it always soothes my nerves after work. As for the idea of its being “an insult to offer a woman a cigarette,” why it would be an extremely impertinent and ill-mannered young man who would smoke all night at Dixieland without offering a smoke to his partner, I, for one, would stand such treatment only once. LET US ALONE.

LEAKING TAPS REPAIRED

Sir, — The Auckland City Council recently advertised that it would repair leaky taps due to faulty washers free of charge. I had a couple of leaky taps and asked the. council to attend to them. An official who answered the complaint stated that the council did not renew washers, w'here the taps are over porcelain sinks, and it is necessary for those who have taps leaking over porcelain sinks to engage the services of a plumber. The council should be commended for its shrewdness. LEAKY TAP. The City Council Water Department advises that the refusal of the council to attend to leaky taps applies only to those taps which serve expensive installations such as porcelain baths, and wash basins of the same material. This attitude is based on the risk of breakage involved in repairing taps over delicate 'porcelain. Those who can afford such installations, the department says, can afford the services of a plumber.—Ed., THE SUN.

TRAM CONDUCTORS

Sir, — Like many more Wellingtonians who pass criticism on Auckland, “Windy Wellington” reveals himself as parochial. I am not saying that there are no parochial Aucklanders, for that would be foolish, Nor do X deny that there is virtue in parochialism, for unless we possess this state of mind to a certain degree there is poor chance of community progress. Ido not mind, therefore, “Windy Wellington’s” patronising attitude. Aucklanders have so much to be thankful for that they- can overlook this. But I do object to his implication of a lack of courtesy on the part of the tram conductors. These men have much to put up with at the holiday season; not only from thoughtlessness on the part of passengers, but in some cases, from downright arrogance. In all the years I have been travelling on the trams here I have never been refused my correct change. Certainly I always try to have my twopence readv and thus save the conductor a dip

into his bag, but not once has a conductor refused to change even a ten shilling note for me. As for “roaring,” I have always had unfailing courtesy from tram conductors, and have never heard more than the mildest “blasts” to the most annoying of passengers PAIR DO.

AN INNOCENT ABROAD

Sir,— I was amused at the complaint of your correspondent, “Windy Wellington, about having to take five tramrides standing. He had little cause to H P 2°t teSt ; , Perhaps Strangers ought to , be treated more considerately, but T™* 1 . of the average male Aucklander’s experiences on the trams? During the tramway rush hours, morning, afternoon and night, a mere man has pay on ® of the highest tram fares in the world for the glorious privilege of hanging on to a creaking strap, and suffering rude jostles and barked shins. And if there be anything or anybody clumsier than an Auckland tram conductor forcing a passage through a crowded car, I should like to see it or him. In plain truth, our tramway service is now among the worst in the British Empire. The overcrowding is a disgrace, while the service is merely an exploitatory muddle. STRAPHANGER.

THE BUSES AGAIN

Sir,— I realise a great deal has been written concerning the buses in this city but I would like to pass on a word of advice to the City Fathers. I deal only with the bus travelling between the city and Point Resolution. There is a minimum fare of 3d, and while this is appreciated by the residents living in St. Stephen’s Avenue it would seem that the City Council is throwing away good money. There a T® a number of factories and places of business along the Strand, the route followed by the buses. It is quite a step from there to the carline or to Queen Street, and if that blessed foresight so necessary to good business was a gift of the City Fathers they would reduce the fare for this portion of the road. The buses would be well patronised and receipts would be considerably increased. If not this, why then should there be always heard complaints of the buses failing to pay ? Opportunities galore exist for the council to increase its revenue, and with consistency these are overlooked, and we mere citizens get the benefit of reduced services and wholesale complaints. THE STRAND.

THE PEDESTRIANS

Sir, — Owing to the holidays I have been unable to reply before to the letter which appeared in your issue of December 27, under the heading, “Whose the Road ?” I answer, unhesitatinglv the pedestrians, first of all. His is the inalienable right of the road, in

the same way as a steamship ntealways give way to a sailing s® That is the “rule of the road” at where the strong gives way to laweak. Your correspondent, “Mob® pretends to speak “both as pedesth* and motorist" and says that 1 per cent, of motorists require diseft lining, while “at least 50 per cent. ► pedestrians require the same thftfr It is easy to see that he is 1 or ' per cent, pedestrian and 98 per motorist in his sympathies. letter is that of a motorist —Itnd _ arrogant one at that. A great I” that it costs him threepence or to pence every time his brakes S° hard (rubbish!). If he were tent to drive at a moderate pac* **\ kept a good look-out, he would need to jam his brakes on hard. * , we want modern traffic control, , right, but not the kind that “Mote would like. What we require ■ regulation to keep motor-cars on main streets in the city. motorists park their cars in r streets and do a little PCdestrftyL among the pedestrians when they business in the main In some countries thev would motorists of the Motor” persuateg