Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 528, 4 December 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the

Editor.)

MANUREWA CHILDREN’S HOME Sir. — May I ask the favour of a few lines of publicity so graciously accorded in past years on behalf of the children of the Manurewa Children’s Home, that by the kindly assistance of your readers they may be given some special treat this Christmas time. Donations and parcels may be left at my office and will be thankfully acknowledged. THOS. E. WHITTON. Treasurer. Empire Buildings, Swanson Street, Auckland.

THE WRECK OF THE ORPHEUS

Sir.— In the supplement to Saturday’s Sun I read an article on wrecks around the New Zealand coast. It mentioned, among other wrecks, that of H.M.S. Orpheus, with a great loss of life. At the time of the disaster I was a boy living at Waiuku and from our house we could hear the distress guns plainly. It was said that the disaster could have been avoided. A seaman who was on board —a deserter from another vessel on the station —had been in the port before and knew that the vessel was entering the wrong channel. Rumour had it that he was ordered below. A short time afterwards the vessel sank. J. G RAC lE. Edendale.

TELEPHONES IN BIRKENHEAD

Sir, — Some months ago I had the telephone installed, thinking that I could have continuous connection with the city. I was very disappointed when I was informed that the list of continuous connections was full and that I should have to be content with a service very much restricted. Although I am charged a yearly rental of £ G we have to pay 4d for every call to the city, yet the department has lately installed a slot phone where anyone can ring up the city for a fee of 3d, any time in the day or night. I wonder what would be said if a private concern treated its customers as we are treated? It is amusing to see the Postal Department’s slogan stamped on our letters: “Say it by Telephone!” R. DARLOW. Birkenhead.

THE FREIGHT WAR

Sir, — In Saturday night’s issue of your paper—Shipping page—you publish as an extract from “Fairplay,* remarks by Lord Inchcape respecting the late freight war from Eastern Canadian ports to New Zealand. Also, Lord Inclicape, at the same time, takes advantage to present in his own way the cost of the .Canadian Merchant Marine to the people of Canada. Anyone familiar with shipping business is quite aware that Lord Inchcape is always ready to squeal when his big pocket is affected. Only recently lie accused the missionaries in China of being responsible for the trouble there

—such strife, of course, upsetting- business. He has had a good innings out of his Lascar crews and no doubt. In time, will find that the Lascar will demand a white man’s living wage. He may, should he live long enough. again blame the efforts of our worthy missionaries whose work is lor God. not*for self. Lord Inchcape is quite aware that the governments of various companies paid out millions to shipping companies during the war. One great line paid its shareholders a dividend of over 60 per cent. The ships of the Canadian Merchant Marine were built purely as a war measure and. no doubt, even if they have cost the people of Canada £ 10,000,000, this money would otherwise have been expended and. of course, Lord Inchcape would have had his share. Since the termination of the war the ships have been well used in expanding Canada’s trade. In reality the cost of such ships as a war-time measure is really part of the war debt, and the people of Canada know' it. That Canada approves of the merchant marine and appreciates its usefulness, is indicated by the fact that the Canadian Government has recently added to its fleet five modern passenger, freight and mail steamers for the British West Indies services. Perhaps Lord Inchcape has not fully considered the fact that large subsidies paid by the Canadian Government to some of his interests are helping keep out competition, and so the trader and traveller pays the piper. Again, where there is no competition, as is the case in one particular instance with respect to the P. and O. interests and New Zealand, the New Zealand traveller is penalised. Inside knowledge of the facts does not leave a great deal in favour of Lord Inchcape's interests and his capricious criticism of concerns in which he has no financial interest. To revert to the matter of the recent freight war, Canada-New Zealand, Lord Inchcape’s remarks d 6 not conform with the experience of New Zealand importers. J. FOLEY. Canadian National Railways. Ferry Building, Auckland.

IN PRAISE OF CRICKET

Sir.— I thought I knew something about cricket and cricketers. As a matter of fact, I do. This has been acknowledged by knowledgeable men in the game in four cricketing spheres—England. India, Australia, and New Zealand. But it was not till I came to dwell in this particular little spot in Auckland that I really realised how dreadfullv ignorant I was in regard to the niceties and details of the game. A fourpenny ticket will drop me in town. Also, this amount of pence will convey each and every individual of the coterie of enthusiasts I’m about to discuss. We have travelled to and fro in the same bus or tram for many months- —a. hard-bitten and silent crush. Friday nights occasionally witnessed an outbreak or two. These folk were permitted to carry on. The rest smoked their pipes or cigarettes, read their papers, and remained placid. Came the Test Match. Somebody mentioned cricket, and we discussed cricket at the tram stop from t>.3<> pan. (Continued in Next Column)

till 9 p.m., and left unsatisfied and unconvinced. Now we go home, have supper, and meet at 8 p.m. to discus* cricket. Who are they? Well, there are men from Devon, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Sydney, Perth. Melbourne, Edinburgh, Glasgow', Dublin, Christchurch, "Wellington. Auckland, and Wanganui, and, high heavens! what talks and arguments we have! Had it not been for cricket and the tests, we should still be strangers, and travelling day and eve in the same conveyance to and from the towa—silent and lonelv. As it is. we meet In the trams and buses, and chatter. What—cricket? Dear me, no—that is too sacred; we keep that for the eveninsr. In the tram or bus we discuss our homes, our children, our work or lack of work. But it is in the evenings that these foundations are laid. The Aussiu tells the Englishman, and vice versa, names of cricketers that would have beaten the world—yet Whittaker knows them not! The Scotsman will duly mention a name, and the crowd will heave a sigh of acknowledgment, ami the Irishman will say: “Shure, what's wrong with Lucius Gwynne?” Wei!, what is, or was, wrong with him? And parsons prate of Sundays. Have they done more for us than cricket? cricket, the game of our forbears, which must be played straight—straight bat, straight arms, well above your head, a test of all we' uphold—patience, endurance doggedness, generosity, and the utter submergence of self. Above ail, quick observation and delineation character. This leads to friendship and tolerance, and after all, what more can man desire? Britons who know the quiet intense* ness of the games can forgive foreigner who dubs us cold ana i emotional. Why, to-night's meeting of the clan was marred because L-regor. could not bat! This means Gregory is injured in some way. *“ • both Briton and Aussie summed situation up in one word “Damn. Yes, give us test cricket, and lea us alone, oh thou of other

“SARDINES”

bl ln your issue of November 2» *?“ published a. report of a meeting <*i» 2 Motor Omnibus Licensing Authonty at which complaint was made Dy traffic inspector of the overcrowding the buses serving tiro wn s O&S ■ • own experience of this service vinces me that his complaint was without cause. _ . * a On a recent Sunday I Deep Creek. On the outward journey there was seating accommodation spare, but on the return j r * , -‘ r, l e3r . « adult passengers were packed m small bus, the extreme seating capaxavy of which is 17. Thus 19 had to stand during a journey 1 i miles. It would be interesting hear what the No. 2 Licensing Au rity has to say. especially in view the fact that it recently refused grant a licence to an applicant wn additional vehicles would have for the comfort and safety of travelling round the Ea6t ..9^^ETT

NORTH SHORE BEACHES

letter from •Visiting Auktr»lian’* in last evening’s Sun . . condition of the North Shore was probably written in haste, a visiting Australian the writer. _ probably an authority on dirty beac_* His strictures on Cheltenham ar ® of the mark. During the fine months the Devonport Borough cil keeps an attendant op the for the purpose of keeping it cie * up. Every rush of visitors bn with it a percentage of careless, . tidy folk, who litter the be2mb w* paper, broken bottles and rubbi an * sea refuse and flotsam is easily cleared up—and is. v «= Australian” thinks Milford not as bad as Cheltenham, but «. latter is not really very bad or W* lected it stands to reason that Milf is not in a bad way either. T. WALSH. Sec.. North Shore Expansion League-