Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 270, 4 February 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

WATER SUPPLY Sir, — I notice that the City Council considers going far afield to increase its water supply. It seems surprising fo me that the resources of the ranges are not fully exploited. There is a splendid supply of water running to waste—the Anawhata River, which adjoins the Waitakere Dam. All our mains run from the ranges. Why not make use of them and the Waitakere water to the fullest extent instead of going to the huge expense of new mains ? RATEPAYER. UNEMPLOYMENT Sir, — There is no possible room for doubt that the prime factor in the unemployment position to-day is the Arbitration Act. Do away with the court’s awards and we, the employers, can absorb thousands of workers at wages which will allow them a living wage. I employ 50 hands and provide them with their food and housing, yet every so often a shilling here and a halfcrown there is added to the awards on the ground that there has been a slight rise in the cost of living, ignoring the fact that the cost of the living of these 50 persons falls on me, their employer. Many of my employees are drawing wages out of all proportion to the nature of the work they do and out of all proportion to the wages paid on farms where the work is more strenuous and the hours longer. Do away with these awards and unemployment will rapidly disappear. You may give my name to the Rev. Jasper Calder, otherwise I prefer to remain INCOGNITO. DAYLIGHT SAVING Sir, I note that “Sidey” time terminates on March 4, when all those who have been adversely affected by this unwise experiment, will be able to heave a sigh of relief. ‘I, for one, am very much opposed to this interference with standard time, as it causes no end of disorganisation, loss of employment, and I think is detrimental to the business interests of the country. I hope and trust that our good Government will give the farmers and business men, who are the backbone of the country, a little consideration for once, and prevent a repetition of this Summertime Act, which has been the cause of increased unemployment, and a great loss to many lines of business. In my own business I estimate my monetary loss between £4OO and £SOO. Now knowing to what extent we are affected by this change, if we have to suffer a repetition, I will be reluctantly compelled to dismiss six or seven married men from my employment, whose services I have retained at great loss to myself, hoping that the people would adapt themselves to the new conditions, and that business would be normal. However,

in this respect, I have been sadly disappointed. On making inquiries, I find the following are a few of the business places affected: “Dairy farmers, milk vendors, bakers, tearooms, caterers, dance halls, picture theatres, billiard saloons, hotels, gas companies and power boards. Then, again, there is the disorganisation in private homes—parents complaining on all sides that, owing to the daylight, they are unable to get their children to bed before 9 p.m. or 9.30 p.m. Consequently, the children do not get their proper rest, or the rest they have been used to. The sports and play people, while benefiting to some extent by the change, were all quite happy and satisfied under standard time. Then, I ask, why persecute numerous business houses, thus causing loss and unemployment. 1 trust that Mr. Sidey and his colleagues will be good enough to do the right thing and allow same standard time to prevail next summer. STANDARD TIME. PILING UP COSTS Sir, — “J.H.8.” says it matters nothing how revenue is obtained so long as it Is fair in its incidence. Income taxation is paid once. So are death duties, Customs duties are paid twice. If goods are taxed at £IOO and the duty is £45, the cost to the merchant is £145 and he takes profit on that, say at 20 per cent., £174. Retail profit brings this to £232, if 33 1-3 per cent, is allowed. The public has to pay £72 more than if the same profits were taken on landed cost, but as sale at a reduced price would lower both the wholesale and retail overheads, everything being cheaper, there would not be the need for such high percentages. Above all, out of an import' transaction such as the above, the State gets £2O, but from any articles manufactured in New Zealand. which have to compete with articles landing at £IOO, but selling at £232, the State gets nothing. Now the State’s expenses would be reduced under a system of lower costings, but the point of national importance is that exports, having lower costs to face, would be vastly facilitated, trade would be improved and there would be much more taxable wealth. Even the manufacturing industries would gain, except those few of them for which this country is unsuitable. TWO EYES. MAORI NAMES Sir, “Zealandia” appears to belong to the numerous tribe of “experts” in Maori pronunciation who think they know when they very obviously do not. I am certainly not going to enter into a controversy with one who challenges me (and that is evidently what he is trying to do) on the pronunciation of the well-known Maori word “Marama”; H“® 1 stated, is on the first a £ e = Moana” is a word of three SJ* * le s, with the accent on T£* rt! } er ’ 1 did not mention only SS® df the two sounds In Maori, as Zealandia states, but three—the "a,”

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“9” and “u”—so what Is the good 4 bothering with this, “tangata (or hine) “kuware”? It would clearly h a waste of time, anyhow, to argue wit a man who declares that “nga” fc i dipthong: and I am certain that neither “Zealandia” nor anyone else can tw* the average adult person to prono®« this prefix correctly. One learns !ta*» child if one is lucky, or one will pr» bably never learn it, so why try tfi ®» the impossible, especially when 9 many other easily corrected faults a Maori pronunciation are awaiting cc* rection? Get these right, and thd tackle “nga” if you care to. In the word “Karanga,” the cented syllable is certainly not, A “Zealandia” states, the second ,®ll “ra,” but the first, "Ka,” and he 3 clearly wrong in stating that the bj syllable should be pronounced “pe”;J certainly should not. It is ‘•peh* & near as the average man can get fci In the word “Karangahape,” “3** landia” is hopelessly wrong in mate! the strongest syllable “ra" (£* second): the strongest syllable here 8 the “ha” (hah), with a slight seeo> darv accent on “Ka.” And then, wW drag the poor old Broadcasting Com pany into the thing? Hasn't it troubles already with classical nmffi and other things? mo-ana. [Tn fairness to “Zealandia.” it should stated that in the phonetic represent* tion of the word “Karangahape” the W" syllable was spelt “pe.” with a circunriK* on the “e,” which is the equivalent o | “peh.“— Ed. The Sun.J TRAMP, POET AND NOVELIST f Sir,— In Friday's issue of The Sun t htri i is a book review of a novel wntt® by W. If. Davies, who is described I probably accurately, as a good poet, W I a poor novelist. During the war, - | memory serves me correctly, I had tW good fortune to have forwarded to b* I in the field, W. 11. Davies's “AatoW* | graphy of a Super Tramp,” and * | slender volume of his verse contains* j, his magnificent lines on “The wrenoThe “Autobiography of a j? Tramp,” with a characteristic duction by G. 8.5., who can alinos rank as the discoverer of Davies, * book without a dull page or in } dull line. While it may b© to secure copies at the books® these days, a copy used to be f* 3 : u at the library. Maybe, the desire divorce oneself for a few ®om from the war atmosphere make both books enchant at tne but I feel that this story of tne life of Davies would be found sorbing interest by reader. The fact that a should emerge from the sordid iences that were his. in one doiNgf and manhood, makes one ,- whether the age of miracles past - Remuera. i'The Autobiography jmOT I Tramp” has been reprinted i "gfasn § Cape's Traveller's Library sen»The Sun.] g NOTICES TO CORRESPOHB^I ‘Fioneer.”—You are corr f‘; t ’- t William Hobson arrived M&m on January 29, 1549. — Ba-