Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 250, 12 January 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

THE N.Z. STATION Sir, — In reply to “Beacon Light's” letter cf the 11th inst., it may be of interest to “Beacon Light” to know that two of the four warships now lying at Devonport (and not at anchor) are only attached to the New Zealand Division and do not receive New Zealand pay, but Imperial pay. As much as we regret the non-arrival of the gallant New Zealand airmen, we think that Mr. Coates would be better advised to use New Zealand resources and not in-? terfere with those of the Imperial Government. VERONICA. THE FLIGHT Sir, I note that an airplane is being dispatched from Christchurch to take part in the search for the missing aviators. It seems strange to me that in view of the interest to New Zealanders in an attempt to fly the Tasman there was not an airplane or so sent out, a•• a welcoming party, for 100 miles. It seems to me that we have been amai ingly apathetic all through. Think of the fleet of planes that went forth to meet Lindbergh. Perhaps if we had sent out a welcoming machine we might have had some intelligence of the movements of the heroic aviators and not had to face this dreadful uncertainty. * SURPRISED. FULL SPEED AHEAD! Sir. Warship to the rescue! A stirring Hollywoodish caption is needed to express the lightning speed with which the Government has dispatched H.M.S. Dunedin to search for the aviators. Weather permitting, the ship will arrive “in the neighbourhood of Cook’s Strait at 10 a.m. to-morrow, just 64 hours after the last signal from the airmen was received.” Perhaps the idea is to see how long men can live on a rubber raft with no food, or, again, this may be a punishment to private individuals who try to stir the department of aviation out of its post-war sleep. What a pity Sir W. S. Gilbert is dead. WHAT’S THE HURRY. “IN THEIR OWN RIGHT” Sir,— I would like to congratulate you upon your leader referring to the appointment of Mrs. Ferner and Miss Jackson as Justices of the Peace “in their own right.” These ladies will now have power to decide cases in the Juvenile Court, and X think the decision to grant women this privilege will not be regretted. As your leader writer says, women have extraordinary intuitive gifts where children are concerned, and the only thing our two justices will have to guard against is allowing womanly sentiment to hav sway. And yet I am not sure that this is not a condonable attitude where children are concerned. At all events, I am certain that nothing but good can come of the appointment.

BOXING IN THE NORTH Sir.— What is the matter with the Northern Boxing Association? Is it not time that it showed some enterprise and justified its existence? Auckland fight followers are not being catered for at all, and the association is being left well behind in the arranging of fights. The Napier Association has promoted two successful carnivals recently with the Auckland boxer Taylor as one of the draw cards and now the Wellington Association has matched him with Griffiths. The Northern Association puts forward the excuse that no good boxers are offering. but evidently the Wellington Association does not share this view, as the match between Griffiths and Taylor will be for the limit purse allowed in New Zealand. Is it not time that the Northern Association awakened and staged a bout for the benefit of Auckland enthusiasts? A good match would draw a good house so the association should , have no fear on that account. —FAN. DEFENSE DE FUMER! Sir.— The argument advanced by “Mr. Baldwin” for the converting of theatres into smoke-boxes is a delightfully bottomless one. He says simply “be-c2-use they smoke in the theatres of the Continent and because no one lights up at the local movies or “Rose Marie,” New Zealand is lagging behind in the march of progress.” The consideration that perhaps the Dominion is not behind the Continent in this lamentable attitude, but years in front of it, may not have occurred to the sapient and extensively-travelled Mr. Baldwin.” His attitude is that of the spoilt boy who wants to make mud-pies in his Sunday clothes. “The movies ” he cries, “are unendurable if I cannot be soothed. If the American movie, sans cigarette, has such a harrowing effect on him why in the name of all that’s Hollywood does he not smoke in peace elsewhere? IMPATIENT. TRAMS AND CIVILITY Sir,— I am of the opinion that few public servants anywhere receive so much adverse criticism as do Auckland's tramnaymen. Because of isolated instances of alleged incivilitv, some people it would seem, think nothing of slamming roundly and indiscriminately several hundreds of city emplovees Quite obviously there are people ?n Auckland who find it impossible to board a tram, buy a ticket, and proceed to their destinations without engaging in altercation with either conductors or motormen. My experience is that there is little difference, one way or the other, between Auckland tramwaymen and their brethren elsewhere. It may be, of course, that I have not chanced to strike the alleged bad ones yet. Be that as it may I have however certainly had occasion while travelling on the Auckland trams to note, more than once, the lady passenger who is always so indignantly positive that it was a halfcrown she tendered in payment for a twopenny fare, and not, as the conductor insists, a two-shilling piece I

have observed, too, the choleric absent-minded gentleman who, a* pushing the bell button right on a s r dashes on to the front platform Vj,. manding to know why the “ BSl ® the motorman didn’t pull up at tne stop, and “does he know, On such occasions I ha Y® the struck by what I constaer commendable restraint exerciser* • the members of the tram crews cerned. I believe the Auckland f o rl waymen have a hard row to noe, * do not know of a city other c , land boasting such an aggrega _ sour-faced women and t ' &n r men. A walk along Queen Str day—or better still—a visit to Ellerslie or Alexandra Park on day will bear out my statemen Sure. , fene* * The insolent, rip-roaring tfVT. \ tramwaymen—if they nf a? honestly believe, merely d environment to the influences which they have succumbed. D. BOSS-

SANDERS CUP

Sir,— in There should not be any do minds of the selectors wm cap will take part in the ban re* trials. If they were to look up cords of winning boats of jo»» last season they would fiad . r tre* had annexed four cups and gd* phies; indeed, had beaten i 8 twice in three races. The splendid condition and has a nc* to handle her in any weather, give this boat her due? - F’Alßfd-****