Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 253, 16 January 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the

Editor.)

RAIN IN FEBRUARY Sir, — Asked some two months ago by a local body to predict a week-end in February suitable for an open-air function, I ventured, from the most scanty data, to say that the first two Saturdays of that month would be fine, the last two windy and probably wet. Saturday, the 11th, seems likely to be the finest, though very heavy rain threatens to follow close upon it, say, on the 13th. Apparently it is then that we may expect the first very considerable break in our summer weather, and floods in our New Zealand rivers. FREDK. R. FIELD. Auckland. “KIA ORA” Sir,— I hope the proposal to place floral lettering on Campbell's Point, spelling out the Maori greeting “Kia Ora,” will not be allowed to drop simply because our extraordinary unprogressive council cannot see the asset such a design would be. In England the white horse design cut in chalk hills is of perennial interest to visitors and natives alike. I am told, too, that before the New Zealanders left Sling Camp in Wiltshire they carved a giant kiwi on the mountain side. In years to come this Kiwi of Sling will be as famous as the White Horse of Westbury. That “Kia Ora” greeting, in th© same way, would be spoken of by travellers the world over. Let us try it. BOOST. PIG MARKETING Sir, We read from time to time in your valuable columns of the wonderful scope for pig farming in New Zealand, but may I ask who is getting the profits? We have been getting practically nothing for our pigs for some time, but w© have now reached the nothing. I bought eight small pigs in August at a total cost of £6 11s. They were well done on milk, sharps and green feed. I sent the same pigs to Westfield and received a cheque of £6 14s 6d, leaving me the handsome profit of 3s 6d (not enough to pay for the benzine that took them 'to Westfield) for five months’ feeding and attention. If this is not scandalous, well tell me. We have clergymen and officials touring the Empire advocating settlement on the land. Surely it i# time for someone to wake up and do something to help the poor beggar who is up at daylight and to bed at dark to keep a roof over his children’s heads. The public is charged anything from 8d to Is Cd for pork and bacon, while we producers get from Id to 3d, so again I ask who • is getting the profits? The problem is vital to hundreds of us. PIG FARMER.

THE LITTLE AUCKLANDER Sir, — Like the poor, the Tattle Aucklander is always with us and lie Is very much in evidence just now in connection with the water supply. Previously it concerned the tram and bus difficulty. One of the chief offenders is the Mayor of an adjacent borough, who forgets that he is first a citizen of Auckland and afterwards a Mayor. Just what good he thinks he can accomplish in tilting at the City Council on every occasion, is difficult to understand. Unfortunately his controlling officers are getting infected the same way. They see the borough frog blown out and want to emulate him even if the result is to make themselves appear ridiculous. A Greater Auckland would cure the offending Mayor’s complaint and relegate the Little Aucklander to oblivion. Certainly there is a large section of the ratepayers in his district who are not in sympathy with his pinpricking activities and will not be satisfied until the afflicted borough in question joins up with the city. A.A.A. SMOKING IN THEATRES Sir, — What an unseemly commotion in the kinema dovecote of your city. I have not long arrived on army furlough from India in search of a little peace and here I find this inexplicable volleyfiring and sniping at a peaceable countryman of mine. “Mr. Baldwin” innocently inquires why his pipe was summarily extinguished at a motion picture show. I ask you, sir! This man has been assailed unreasoningly. His communication was but an inquiry. He merely asked the why and wherefore of “defense de fumer" in theatres of your country. “Mr. Baldwin” is an old man and an over-fondness for his pipe has made him a little indiscreet. All this bluster about stale pipes, smoke screens, thick atmosphere, little children, etc., is all fiddlesticks. Had any of your bellicose “non-de-plumists” ever visited an English kinema they might realise that it is drivel they are putting forward as argument. COLONEL ASKEW. 9 - PRIME MINISTERS AND—PREMIERS Sir,— Apropos of comment in these columns recently anent the “Prime Ministers of Australia,” when it was pointed out that the Commonwealth has only one Prime Minister (Mr. rU . Ce) .V and that the heads of the State Ministries could only refer themwJfi 8 it 8 p s en ? ie^ s ' a paragraph in a Wellington daily is not without interIf states that “the Right Hon. o U: 4? avin ' Prime Minister of New ® ou Y l Wales," will arrive in Auckland by the Niagara on Monday. Mr. Bavin is neither a member of the Privy Council nor Prime Minister. His correct title is “the Hon. T. R. Bavin. Premier of New South Wales.” This paper goes on to say, however, that by the same steamer will arrive Mr. W. F organ Smith, “deputy-Prime Minister of Queensland.” There is, of

vr r cjnitb * course, no such person. *“*■ i deputy-state Premier. tendency among New Ze&ian papers nowadays to follow t tralian example and merely leading public men as P«*“ imtafO place the initials M.L.C., after the name, minus tne able.” This rule is gp upon by certain Sydney jo although it seems strange a )*e undoubtedly a good one. w much too fond in the P®f : ... $0 honourable” and "honours® P i terms are essential in t in t* Representatives, of course, newspapers are only tain occasions. The Minister nowadays t* r~ *f* ably referred to as P lain win. MAOiULAJ**^ I