Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 460, 15 September 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

INTERFERENCE ON THE AIR Sir,— Would you kindly allow me to make the following suggestion to your correspondent, Mr. Owen Gallot, regarding the radio interference experienced by him. I find, with & crystal set at least, that inductive coupling to the aerial puts the receiver directly at the mercy of lightning, static, and all kinds of currents that we know positively are electro-magnetically induced in the aerial, such as induction from nearby power cables, etc. This is because all these unwanted currents take the easy path through the tuning coil, with direct coupling, and give no interference in the phone circuit whatever. But with inductive coupling, all these currents must be induced in the phone circuit along with the radio currents, 'and so cause interference. I caught on to this through being camped right under the 50,000-volt power line at Panmure. So long as the set was direct coupled with tight connections, there was not the slightest interference from these cables, but so soon as the liming coil was switched out there was a loud humming in the phones. Where were the experts and professors when the old granny’s law compelling inductive coupling to the aerial was passed? A. H. CHAPPLE. THE TRANSPORT PROBLEM Sir, — I entirely agree with every word in your leader in Wednesday’s Sun. The procrastinating actions of the City Council are positively exasperating, and one marvels at the patience of the outer bodies, which are the victims of the most unjust legislation ever placed on the Statute Book of any Englishspeaking community. The city should jump at the chance of unloading the trams on to a metropolitan board. They will be scrapped within 10 or 15 years at the most. The people living on the outskirts of the city are being goaded to desperation, and the elections will doubtless have some surprises in store. RATEPAYER. NORFOLK ISLAND Sir, —• I am just back from Norfolk Island after a stay of four months —this is my third visit to the place—and I know how things stand very well. I saw my former letter to The Sun down there before I left. It was written to you some months ago, and its about a true bill. Norfolk Island lacks the romancethat people are now looking for. When people get to Norfolk they soon become alive to the fact that the rubbish they have been swallowing about this paradise in the South Seas is all moonshine. There is nothing there that is worth a snap of the fingers from a business or farming point of view. There is no market, and the cost and disappointments in getting to a market are awful to contemplate. The natives know this only too well, for they have long since tried it out to no purpose. Nothing can be grown without heaps of manure. The land is very light volcanic, and the climate is very

wet and cold in winter, and too dry and dusty in summer. To mo its simply madness to attempt to make farming pay there, yet land is being bought at boom prices. The Cook Islands or the Tongan Group are much better places for a good holiday and change of climate. If people can’t afford such a trip—and it is far too dear—they can go to the North of Auckland at very little cost, and get all they can get at Norfolk, and not be isolated and cut off from all conveniences and left like a shag on a rock. And the way the Government of Norfolk Island openly sells liquor (intoxicating) without a licence to the natives and all-comers is an “eyeopener.” It is done, of course, through the face of a doctor’s certificate. TEDDY OTUFF. PAPATOETOE TOWN BOARD ELECTION Sir,— My attention having been drawn to a circular issued by the local welfare league, containing certain innuendoes as to unauthorised expenditure, may I suggest that the electors attend the public meeting called for Monday evening, at the Papatoetoe public hall, at 8 p.m., when the true position will be placed before them, and a complete answer given to the exaggerated statements being circulated throughout the district? A. W. HALL, Chairman Papatoetoe Town Board. ■' AN EXTRA LANGUAGE Sir, — Congratulations are due to the Education Department in New Zealand for its initiative in regard to the introduction of French into the primary schools. If a foreign language is to be taught to the younger generation, it seems to me that no better choice than French could be made. It is a well known fact that, if English is the language of business, French is par excellence the diplomatic language, being best suited to the clear expression of thought. Further, would it not be considered as a sign of friendship and regard by the greatest ally of the British Empire during the war? Certain people would prefer one of the so-called universal languages such as Volapuk, Ido, Esperanto, which have met, thus far, with very scant success. In fact it is left to one of the greatest, philologists of modern days to invent a truly universal language, a simple, easily learnt and at the same time useful medium of expression which would suit every class and every station in life. Esperanto may be an innocent hobby for a few enthusiasts, but all those whp know something of Latin languages are agreed that this conception of a certain professor of “Mittle Europa” is very similar to Spanish in an emasculated form. It would certainly show better taste to learn the beautifully clear and sonorous Castilian language, the usefulness of which is quite plain in our days, especially for lovers —a class of people who do not seem to be on the decline. TORRE de PAFEL.