Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 423, 3 August 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say

BOTH WAYS Sir,— Reading your account of the newlyappointed Archbishop of York, Dr. Temple, I would like to echo “Scot’s” sentiments and hasten also to applaud any compliments that may have been given him. I would also like to add another truth as the real reason of his greatness and splendid service. It is that he is an Englishman. You will know well, Sir, what this means also. A BIT OP EACH. A FARMER ON DAYLIGHT SAVING \ In answer to “Motor Mechanic’s’ 1 letter on daj'light saving, I suggest he should go and work on a farm for a few weeks from about December to January, or during the currency of the daylight saving period. I don’t mean a farm where about 20 cows are milked, but the average of about 60 or 80, where a man has to get out of bed between 3 o’clock and 4 o’clock, go in for breakfast about 9 o’clock, and go out into the hayfield and pitch hay till about 5 o’clock, go in and milk again, and finish up by getting his tea about 8 or 8.30 p.m. He will find out all he wants to know, instead of guessing at what “Herd Tester” really means. I have been through the mill, so have no need to guess. OLD COCKEY. BIBLE IN SCHOOLS Sir, — “A.E.C.” asks that I answer two questions. (1) I cannot conceive of a Christian—that is, one who accepts the teachings of the Hew Testament—objecting at any time or place to the opportunity to teach the great truths as therein contained, especially 'when it is realised that up to the present all our great achievements and the advanced position of our Empire are due to those who have been influenced in their work by the great truths taught by the Bible. As to non-Christians, surely on a belief they repudiate they have no conscience that can be flouted? (2) “A.E.C.” must realise that he is living in a modern democracy in which the wishes of the majority are paramount, and on all questions the majority must rule, otherwise there would only be chaos. Personally, I am being taxed on various things that I cannot conscientiously agree with, but I cheerfully pay, as I must admit majority rule MELITA. RATING IN ROSKILL Sir. Now that most of the Roskill ratepayers have been served with their rating menus for the year 1928-29, probably like myself, many will get a mild surprise at the rapid advance in rating this board has made during the last four years. I venture to say that the advocates of rating on the unimproved values will be much alarmed at the turn of events—according to their prophesies

(To the Editor.)

of what would happen under the system after reverting from capital value recently—to see how rates have advanced to meet the expenditure and interest on loans, etc., for this year. For instance, take a property rated on capital in 1924 at £8 3s 4d that year. To 1926-27—capital rating £l4. To rating on unimproved (1923-29) comes the gentle reminder that £l7 18s will be required. In the same street there are 62 rateable properties all of a like value. This particular street produces to our road board the huge sum of £1,109 16s, and I venture to say £ 30 would cover what has been spent on the particular street during the current year. We find our sister One Tree Hill, is on a slight decrease, and its variation over the same term is of little moment. "What sensational turn of events has happened in Roskill of late to demand such excessive taxation ? Seeing that our roads are not at all “classy,” what have the advocates for the new rating system to say by way of explanation? OVERBURDEN ED. AUCKLAND TRANSPORT Sir,— I quite agree with your editorial remarks about the report of the Transport Commission, but you were just a little mild. The report is about the silliest I have ever read. That they would pat the City Council on the back was a foregone conclusion. The recommendations are out of the question. They are quite as foolish as the recommendations of the experts who reported on the Civic Square, and those of the Water Commission. How long are the people going to sit down to these expensive and farcical commissions which leave us where we were, plus a big bill to foot? The City Council will continue to run its buses at a loss and give an inadequate service into the bargain. It cannot do the job itself and it will not let anyone else do it. The bungling was bad enough, but with the Government backing up the City Council with such legislation as the Motor Bus Regulations, the position has become chaotic. E. STCTEXSO.V. AUCKLAND’S SWIMMING BATHS Sir. On behalf of a large number of citizens, most of whom are swimming enthusiasts, I write to ask the everready support of The Sun upon a matter prominent in the minds of every s\v immer in Auckland—the installation of filtration plants at all the City Council baths. That filtration is necessary we know to our cost, not only from our experience of the unclean and often reeking water found last year in the Point Resolution and Shelly Beach Baths, but from the action of the Health Department and the City Council in closing down the Parnell Baths upon the grounds that these constituted a menace to public health. One would have thought that the indignation and disgust expressed so freely by swimmers at the time would A?4 Ve made . City Council do every - thing possible to expedite the instal-