Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 341, 30 April 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

A SOLDIER WONDERS Sir. It is interesting to read in your valuable paper of the open door which the R.S.A. has declared available for ex-imperial soldiers. Coming to Auckland under the Overseas Settlement Act, I turned for advice to the R.S.A., but was informed that the club was for New Zealand soldiers only. Possibly in their minds lay the same thought, which was outspoken to me by a Government official: “To us, exservice men are civilians, and can only be treated as such.” I have no complaints to make. I merely smile, but I would like to know why the R.S.A. at this late hour extends the hand of friendship. Is it lack of membership, or lack of funds? EX-IMPERIAL. Grafton. BAD MANNERS IN BUSES Sir, — I read in Saturday’s issue of The Sun that a white man had seized three Chinese by the shoulders and forced them to give up their seats in a bus to three women. This was ill-mannered, cowardly and illegal; ill-mannered because a great proportion of white men do not give up their seats to women, therefore the Chinese cannot be expected to show better manners. Also, to treat aliens thus, before men of his own race show a good example, is decidedly rude. Cowardly, because the Chinese are small, and. also, could not explain their views owing to their poor Knowledge of English. Illegal, as having paid for their seats, they were entitled to hold them or give them up as they pleased, just the . ’me as white men. I feel disgusted every time I enter a tram, for I see such numbers of white men and children who do not resign their seats to women and old men who are standing, but, for this white man to try to give a. lesson in manners to Chinese, when he and others of his race are so badly mannered, was futile stupidity. DEVONIAN. THE COMING ELECTION Sir, The land for the people, and the fit people for the land, should be the slogan at the coming election. The time is now ripe for measures, not parties. Although Reform has had. my support since its inception, I and thousands of other Reformers will give allegiance to any party sincerely adopting the above slogan to prevent gambling in the land, to have restoration of 99 years leases to the Statute Book, and a graduated land tax to include all unimproved land. Matters have come to a serious impasse, and now a long-suffering people must rouse themselves from apathy and intelligently attempt to restore prosperity. Production must be increased, and less foreign produce indulged. Money should be conserved I and spent within the Empire. Inducement by fair rent and easy terms I should attract people from the arti-

ficial life of the towns. This fine agricultural country is being ruined by the gambling in land, and outrageous prices. I remember the late Hon. Mr. Massey saying that lie did not want the kind of landlordism here that had existed in the land of his birth, and yet an even more oppressive landlordism and high renting has arisen in this fair country of ours. Speculative purchase, largely on small deposits, and at exorbitant sums, has resulted in the piling up of rent, so that houses once rented at not more than 20s a week are now overburdened with rents ranging from £2 10 even to £5, and poor working or workless men, mostly with families, are subjected to these impositions. This state of things requires stringent remedy. The result of reckless over-speculation is a private mortgage debt of £293,696.864. subject to some £18,000,000 interest per annum. This in a population of one and a-balf millions! The Prime Minister tries to make a point of the slight excess of exports over imports, but this is due merely to less importation, notably of United States motor-cars, and not from increased production at all. Immigration is a failure, because work is unobtainable, and land is ridiculously dear. Land speculation must be toppled over. What are we to do with the 3,000-odd boj's in Auckland alone, without any prospect of employment, and without a trade? There must be a revaluation of all lands at a live-and-let-live value, any land sold over that price the difference to revert to the State, and be used in reduction of the national debt. The people themselves are now reaping what they have sown by the gambling in land, which is the cause of all the trouble. R. S. RICHMOND. Birkenhead. MEMOIRS OF MARY BAKER EDDY Sir, It is probable that the publication of Adam H. Dickey’s “Memoir.- of Mary Baker Eddy,” concerning wliich there was a recent article in The Sun, will provoke much interest and criticism. The writer of these memoirs was for many years a prominent member of the church Mrs. Eddy founded, and it is evident that in order tc. be judged fairly his book must be read in its entirety, as well as by those who understand Christian Science teaching. A brief reference to some of the book’s contents, and a few random extracts given apart from any context must, of necessity, fail to give anv fair idea of the author’s purpose and performance, as well as of Mrs. Eddy’s statements and actions at certain times. As for Mr. Dickey’s account of his having seen Mrs. Eddv raise to life one of her household who. to all appearances was lifeless, it should not be necessary to recall that Christ Jesus commanded His followers to raise the dead” as well as “preach the gospel and “heal the sick!” and S.J command was to some extent of the ATT the first three centuries tian n era Although Christian Science teaching recoani-.es the present-day need of these proofs of

Christianity. Mrs. Eddy, w r hen writing of the miracles of Christ Jesus and the apostles, says, “That those wonders are not more commonly repeated to day, arises not so much from lack of desire as from lack of spiritual growth." <p. 243 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.) MADGE BELLChristian Science Committee on Publication. Auckland, April 24, 1928. SUNDAY WORK Sir.— Considerable space in your roV&moJ has been devoted to indignation the Chinese market gardener tends his crops on the Sabbath Daw In distinct contradiction to praiseworthy defence of our laws, a factory” operating in Eden, staffed by Europeans, ignore* the statutes of God and man. disturbs the peaceful residential bourhood with the hideous noise * band-sawing, loud hammering and trk like, added to the whirr of thej r machinery-. This desecration of the j Sabbath continues from earliest morfl* ing every Sunday, and even Anzac was not immune from the appall*®* disturbance. If this or any other j firm is so busy that it must work ever* ! Sunday and all dav on Anzac Day i not engage a few of the Ito expedite the work during *** | legal working days of the week ? OUTRAGET.