Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 439, 22 August 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

HOW TO FIX IT Sir.— With amusement I have read in your columns of numerous petty personal opinions against daylight saving. It certainly is debatable whether it is or is not detrimental to the farmer who, of course, must be considered first in this country. All that is needed, therefore, is the adjustment of the cream trains time-table and the hard-done-by farmer would be able to rise one hour later. SUITALL. THE MOURNING PARADE Sir, — I should like to protest against the actions of those who are publicly condemning the Salvation Army parade. No possible harm can result from it. Those who support the Army will obtain fresh spiritual vigour, they will enjoy a rejuvenation of the soul, and will go back to their weary toil in the vineyard with light hearts and merry smiles. Those who have no religious interest in the ceremony will, on the other hand, derive considerable entertertainment from it. So, in the end everybody will be pleased. Why spoil sport ? PANEM ET CIRCENSES. THE PREMATURE CRY Sir, Both “Keen” and “Extra Hour,” your correspondents, have become mildly perturbed because of the so-called delays of the newly constituted Daylight Saving League. Yet while these correspondents were puzzling their brains to formulate some sort of workable scheme for securing the carriage of Mr. Sidey’s new Bill, the league was working quietly but effectively toward this end. Much has been done during the past "week, and if your correspondents, “Keen” and “Extra Hour,” would give their physical and moral support to the campaign, instead of judging the merits of the organisation prematurely, the result would be more gratifying to the real workers for the daylight cause, and more beneficial to the community in the long run. w. Mcknight, Hon. Sec. Daylight Saving League. THE SINGAPORE BASE Sir, — I was astonished to read in the report of Mr. Coates’s speech at Wanganui that “Japan has never raised any objection to the Singapore base.” Either the paragraph appeared by mistake, or Mr. Coates is not aware of the facts. I happened to be in Japan when the Singapore base was started, and the whole nation rose up against the decision. There were leading articles and indignation meetings, and what not—and, indeed, two or thiee people in our part of the city committed hari-kiri as a mark of protest. Similarly, there was universal rejoicing at the halt called by the Labour people in 1924. As Mr. Coates remarks, Japan was quite aware that such a

base could legally be built by Great Britain, and, further, the construction is not at all against the letter of the Four Power Treaty. But the erection is nevertheless a breach of friendship, especially coming at the end of 20 years of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty. The base can only be likened to the erection by an individual of a machinegun aimed at the people next door. Naturally they would not like it. Now, as to the oft-repeated catch-cry “Not a threat of menace at Japan.” Of course the base is not a threat in the usual sense of the mailed list or as I tell you,” but whether the base is being built for use in the ease of a war with Japan is too obvious to be stated. Of course it is. If not Japan, then who? China has no navy, a war with France would be fought out nearer home, and America, the only other nation interested in the Pacific, is thousands of miles away from Singapore, which leaves only Japan. This base is being built for the sole purpose of rest and repair of battleships in wartime, which makes it obvious enough. Let’s be frank about the whole business, and keep away from this dust-throwing, which only obscures the real issue. Personally, I am very glad that in the case of war in the Pacific we here in New Zealand are amply protected by n navy always available in fighting trim, but I can’t help thinking that it would have been sounder statesmanship to prepare for lasting friendship and peace rather than building so frankly for war. ATTEMPTO. WATER AT BIRKENHEAD Sir, — In last Friday’s issue of The Sun I read that Cr. Furley, of Birkenhead Borough Council, put a notice of motion that the water rate for persons outside the borough be increased to £2 10s a year, and that the charge for water through meters be increased from Is 6d to 2s per 1,000 gallons. It is very surprising to read this. The councillor must be misinformed. I am outside the borough and get my water from the Birkenhead Borough Council, and have never paid less than £3 a year minimum. This works out for the last six months, according to my meter, at over 4s per 1,000 gallons. During last summer water was the dearest commodity we paid for. Trusting that Cr. Furley will pass his notice of motion so that I can at least get a rebate of 10s a year from the present rate, and possibly a refund of that in excess of what i have been paying. OUTSIDER. STIMULATING SETTLEMENT Sir. — Evidently Auckland’s leading business firms are sadly lacking in initiative, otherwise they would realise what a. vast field there is for improvement in the productiveness of agricultural land, north of the harbour. There are thousands of acres of land which cannot be profitably utilised, through lack of an adequate system of communication with the city. What is needed

to alter the present situation organisation with * be ck*-" force behind it, and It ®»- littlto all who give the matter thought that the ® ity a„ b ?hJ prelimiaare the best fitted to 4° observ* ary ground work. An \ in . must admit that the ferry service is too slow. never and expensive, and that h ‘! it^t e tcr * form an adequate * - -phr bridge across the nior< is faster than the Fcr popular, even at mcreas _ e thermore there ls ““bridge, ind concern opposing the ggns the opposition there weakening. However, tm a _ kint :** made a grave mistake Government for qI'INUE* Takapuna.