Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 407, 16 July 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

GRAFTON RATEPAYERS

Sir, — In The Sun last week you were good enough to draw attention to the formation of the Grafton Ratepayers’ Association. Our association desires to make it quite clear that it has no connection or affiliation with any other organisation of a similar character and intends to pursue an independent course. Its purpose is to approach the problems of local government studiously, to be watchful of the citizens’ interests, assisting where assistance is needed and criticising where criticism is deserved. But it will be a fundamental principle of the new association not to ally itself with any other body in order that it may not be hindered by any affiliation with any other organisation. J. R. DONALD. President. C. A. ALLAN, Hon. Secretary. A DANGEROUS PRACTICE Sir. Although modern methods must necessarily be employed in the construction of city buildings I am of opinion that more care should be taken by builders in Auckland to safeguard the life of people using the streets I*2low. In Shortland Street recently I noticed a quantity of building material piled on a flat carrier swinging in quite a strong wind up above the people in the street. It only needed a rope to give way, and it is always possible, and somebody below would have received a rude shock. As it was a sack, fortunately empty, blew off and fell at the feet of a startled pedestrian. I realise that efficient methods are always employed, but no harm can come of emphasising to builders generally the necessity of taking every precaution to safeguard the lives of the unsuspecting people passing below. STARTLED PEDESTRIAN. A SLOW-DRAGGING NET Sir, — I noticed with some amusement on Saturday evening that the ControllerGeneral of Prisons, in a naive rejoinder to Buckley’s letter to The Sun about his reasons for breaking gaol, characterised the escaped prisoner’s epistle as “a story merely written for the purpose of enlisting public sympathy.” It may be quite true that “it is not at all unusual for escapees to

concoct some such fantastic story in mitigation of their offence of breaking prison, particularly when they find the net of the law is closing round them,” but in this case public sympathy ought to be with the prison authorities. Air. Dallard appears to have forgotten that Buckley was reasonably generous in the perpetration of his offence. He did not utilise the easy opportunity to get away until he had become peeved at the authorities* callousness. So he broke gaol on the evening of May 26. To-day is July 16. The net has been closing round him very leisurely. It looks as though Buckley is not the only sufferer from weak eyes. WITHIN THE LAW. CORROBORATION WANTED Sir— Without holding any brief for the City Council may I be so bold as to question a statement of Air. J. R. Lundon, which appeared in your correspondence columns last week. He says that Air. Alurray on the council floor unavailingly bespoke mercy for a trusty servant sacrificed on the altar of dire necessity for rigorous retrenchment, or words to that effect. Having nothing better to do, I happened to attend the last meeting of the council, and have not the slightest recollection of Air. Alurray having made any such impassioned appeal as Mr. Lundon suggests he did. For my own information I have since tried to find that he did —quite unsuccessfully. I am now wondering whether he was supposed to have pleaded for mercy and forgot, whether Mr. Lundon heard him and I did not, or whether Air. Alurray made the appeal in committee and told Mr. Lundon. In addition, I am wondering how much of what Air. Lundon and his companions have told us is the “straight goods.” NO FISH TO-HAT. FERRY OVERCROWDING Sir. — In reply to “Take it Easy” (why a nom de guerre?), I would like to point out that I was careful to avoid “making wild statements” regarding the number of passengers using the 5.10 P-m. boat to Devonport. I merely described conditions as they exist, but since my critic was ill-advised enough to say that “rarely does the total on any boat exceed between 700 and 800.” I am quite safe in characterising his statement as ridiculous. The apparent crowding cannot be explained by saying that people crowd the upper deck. It is true that condi-

tions there are worse when drawing’ near the wharf, but for two-thirds of the journey the lower deck is carrying: its full quota of passenpers, the

cabins are full, the rails are all occupied. and one has to push to make headway in the passageway*. The*** conditions cannot be excused by "wild animal” taMc (though a lot of that could be prevented by the people in charge). They are there to be verified any night. "Take it Easy” I know will not be prepared to back up his figures against an official count. For the rest. I think Devonport residents —at least the proportion who use this particular boat—must be the most easy-going people in the world to put up with the disgraceful treatment every night. Another "wild statement” in conclusion. "Take it Easy” Is a person with an axe to grind, or one who doe's not use this boat, or, lastly, one who i* in the pleasant position of being able at all times to "Take it Easy.” CHAS. BAILEY. TRAMWAY TRANSPORT Sir, — We pay our tramway administrators wel to think, but on the basis ot awarding a penny for a sound thought, it would appear that they are all “tie for a drastic salary cut. Here is a typical instance. A venerable car, <*■ relic of days gone by, stuck coming up Wellesley Street on Saturday during the mid-day rush. It did manage to bump laboriously along to the top of Symonds Street, where the passengers were cheerfully informed that they would have to get off and take another car. Xow, sir. why should the whole traffic system be delayed at th«> peak period, when a little quick ing would meet the position? What have the tramway authoritie* don© with all those dearly bought buses from private companies? Are the> lying as so much scrap-iron in munici-pally-owned garages which cost thousands of pounds to erect? Whatever the position, one would think that a few buses would be ready in case or emergency to cope with such a P©**" tion as this during peak hours, so thsi the passengers could be transferred to the bus and the "lame duck” quickly got out of the way with a minimum o disorganisation to the system. Tb * cost W'ould not be prohibitive, as understand there is always a stand-b> shift in readiness for emergency dutjI know that suggestions from the eral public are usually dismissed an airy wave of the hand as bem "impracticable.” but at least they k* - not so expensive as Royal Comw»* sions. STRAP-HANGER-