Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 362, 24 May 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

THE ADVERTISING EXHIBITION Sir, The writer has read with interest and pleasure the article which appears on the first page of Tuesday night’s Sun, descriptive of the Auckland Advertising Exhibition, and this leter is just to express a reader’s appreciation of the Sun’s independent methods even when dealing with advertising media, as evidenced by the fair and comprehensive review of the exhibits which your paper has published. D. J. PAYNE. CARETAKER’S JOB RUSHED Sir, I am glad attention has been drawn to the recent appointment of a caretaker to the Technical College. I read The Sun’s report that 216 applied for the position and that it was given to an ex-quartermaster-ser-geant of the Imperial Forces. Seeing so many New Zealand soldiers applied, I am puzzled. I myself am an ex-sergeant, with decorations, and also the best of references. Is it that a New Zealand ex-soldier is not capable of such an undertaking, although he was capable of fighting for his country ? ANOTHER DISGUSTED NEW ZEALANDER. EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS Sir, — With the echoes of Anzac rhetoric still ringing in our ears, and with the knowledge that many New Zealand exservice men are unemployed, it shocks rather to learn that an ex-imperial Army quartermaster-sergeant has been selected from a host of applicants to fill the vacant position of caretaker at the Seddon College. This, however, it seems to me. is not an isolated case, and it is pertinent to inquire why “exImperials” are preferred to “exDiggers.” Some time ago, w T hat appeared to some people as an unduly large proportion of tramway jobs were being filled by ex-naval men, to the exclusion of New Zealanders. Of course, the appointee to the caretaker’s job may possess other qualifications; if so, why feature him as an ex-imperial Army man, thus rubbing it into the unsuccessful New Zealand ex-soldier applicants for the billet. It seems a pity that New Zealand ex-soldiers, and those whose sympathy with their case goes deeper than a mere ostentatious honouring of the dead on Anzac Day, cannot organise sufficiently to command a fair hearing from the powers that be. It is not presumptuous to remind those with jobs at their disposal that charity begins at home, and there is sufficient to keep it employed there for many moons. E.X. “A BURIAL SERVICE” Sir,— I would suggest to your correspondent, “Disgusted Citizen.” that he advo-

cate the preference system of municipal voting. The ward system is an out-of-date failure, long since discarded. The preference system we have not tried —although it is being adopted in many places abroad with great general satisfaction. It is very simple and very few informal papers would be found. One simply writes a numeral opposite the names one wishes to vote for, beginning, of course, with number one for first choice and so on down the list to as many candidates as the voter wishes, but without compulsion as to any particular number of candidates or numerals. If any ballot paper has “1” only on it, it should not be informal. How absurd to declare a paper informal because 18 names have been left on when there are 19 vacancies. In that particular I am in agreement with “D.C.” The ward system is not as good as “preference.” Why not have the best? The “preference” system is simple and expeditious. Let us try it. J.J.T. WHAT IS MEMORY? Sir, — I question the truth of clause (e) of “Logician’s” letter, which states if one survives, “then all survive.” There is the possibility of the survival of only those minds endowed with a superexcellent degree of innate intelligence. Clause (g); What is memory? Briefly, memory is the molecules of the matter of the brain and their motion. If matter had no motion there could be no conscious existence. Every sensation perceived by the mind is microscopically photographed by the brain and the brain’s molecular structure changed thereby; hence memory. A.F. CO-OPERATION WITH R.A.N. Sir, Although there may be certain difficulties in the way of ships of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy co-operating with those of the Australian fleet, it is evident from experience gained on a previous occasion that much good would result if these exercises were carried out regularly. There is, of course, no question of the Diomede’s present visit to England not being necessary for, as pointed out in The Sun yesterday, the expense of sending her crew home any other way would be prohibitive. But with a dockyard so close as Cockatoo Island, surely some use could be made of it on other occasions? If there is a “tacit understanding” between New Zealand and the Home Government that work that cannot be done here must be done in English yards, what will be the position when the Singapore base is finished, and the floating dock made available for any warships operating in the Pacific, from battleships downwards? Will these ships, including presumably our own, still go to Home dockyards for refit? Although it may be contended that cruisers in time of war operate independently protecting trade routes, it was a combined squadron of Austra-

lian ships that, in 1914, hunted Ton Spee’s cruisers from the Western Pacific and freed both New Zealand and Australian cities from the fear of enemy bombardment. With this as a precedent, it is only reasonable to assume that a squadron consisting of two 10,000-ton cruisers, five of about 5,000 tons (including the Dunedin and Pl°* mede), an aircraft carrier, 12 destroyers, six sloops and two of the latest submarines which Australia and New Zealand together will be able to put into commission in the near future if needed, would offer greater security to both countries than the same number of ships split up into several small units. Australia, with her greater population, can afford a bigger navy than New Zealand is able to maintain, and with so few ships itself, it is obviously to the Dominion’s advantage to encourage co-operation with the more powerful fleet across the Tasman, both in working together at tactical exercises and in giving, and taking, full advantage of docking facilities tot annual overhaul. R.A.N. (Retd.). “IMMORTALITY”— £SOO OFFERED Sir,— The International Bible Students note that Sir Arthur Keith’s ass tion that the dead are dead has rousea many to write or to lecture in defence of the belief that man possesses an immortal soul. We desire to know where the** writers and lecturers obtain the authority from the word of Jehovah go® to promulgate this belief. . In order to encourage the study the Bible, we herewith offer the su of five hundred pounds ( £500) to person who can advertise in . columns any quotation from the * which states that man has an mu tal soul, or was given an irnmo soul, or that maintains any theory. JAMES GATE, Hon. Sec. 1.8.fc A-