Citizens Say-

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 538, 15 December 1928, Page 8

Citizens Say-

HIGH FLAT RENTS Sir, It looks to me as if Auckland's flatdwellers are going to be pretty well off in future. Good convenient buildings with fine views are being erected, but there are one or two points that must be examined. Not so very long ago I was looking for a habitation of my own, and I learnt then that many flats are unlet. The reason, of course, is the extortionate rents charged. To popularise flats it will be necessary for the owners to treat the tenants with more liberality. A common rent is from £.2 10s to £3 a. week. Young people are mad to pay a price like this when for the same sum they could finance a home which, in the end, would become their own property. FLAT - DWELLER. PARNELL BATHS In regard to the Parnell Baths, the authorities are to be congratulated on their earnest endeavour to better the conditions, and in many respects they have succeeded admirably. However I would respectfully beg space to suggest that the changing of the water be governed by the number passing through the baths. Two thousand on a Saturday would surely warrant the changing of the water during the night the same applying on Sundays and all holidays; whenever tides permit. Further, notices as to when baths are closed should be posted at the top of St. Stephen’s Avenue, and on the Point Resolution -Parnell Park bus, as previously done. And finally, the tramway management should be approached with a view to providing a bus between the tram and baths—weather warranting. HOPEFUL. VIA PANAMA IN THIRTY DAYS Sir.— The smart passage of the Tamaroa from England to New Zealand in 30 days calls attention to the small progress made in our mail services via North America. When I came to New Zealand nearly 40 years ago I remember that the Union Company’s advertisements were headed: “To England in 31 Days.’* The service, via San Francisco was carried on by the Jionowai, the Alameda and the Mariposa which maintained a regular service] and it used to be considered pretty quick travel. In your mail notices today the post office notifies a mail closing on December 17 per R.M.S. Niagara, and states that it is due iii London on January 17. So that after a lapse of about 40 years it still takes 31 days to get to London, via either San Francisco or Vancouver. In the same period the speed of mail steamers across the Atlantic has increased by 25 per cent. The present-day liners in the Pacific are not much faster than the old Monowai, recent’)' dismantled and scrapped. Lord Inchcapc, head of

(To the Editor.)

the P. a.nd O. combine, makes some observations regarding tbe excess of shipping tonnage above requirements. It depends what be means by requirements. If he had half the enterprise of Sir James Mills he would not be trying to maintain the passenger service between New Zealand and Australia with 25-year-old steamers. This kind of tonnage doesn’t meet the “requirements” of the public: it caters very inadequately for their necessities and makes the people regret the day that the Union Steam Ship Company, formerly one of the finest shipping organisations in tbe world, was tempted to sell out to Lord Inchcape’s company. It would be a good thing for New Zealand if the Union Steam Ship Company’s fleet could be repurchased and i’un on the old lines that made it so famous a generation ago. C.T. NEWMARKET BOROUGH Sir, Seven of the Newmarket borough councillors, called by their friends the “big seven,” have, for some time, been moving heaven and earth to put through their scheme for an alternative route to Broadway. Reading between the lines of your article in Friday’s issue, it would appear that piqued by their latest defeat, they are raising the cry of amalgamation as being the only chance left of achieving their purpose. As a ratepayer taking no public part whatever in the borough affairs, but knowing the feeling of the great majority of the ratepayers, I can assure you that there is no earthly chance (short of an Act of Parliament) of amalgamation being carried in the near future. To agree to amalgamation would mean an increase of rates, with no benefits, and my co-ratepayers are not as altruistic as the majority of their councillors. BYSTANDER. THE CREATION Sir.— Does "A.E.C.” hide behind a nom de plume from modesty or from fear? He says “the air of final authority with which Mr. Rimmer seeks to put the Rev. A. Thornhill in his place is amusing.” thankful I can amuse “A.E.C.” I tried to prove the statement of Mr. Thornhill that “New Zealand was fifty years behind England in religious thought” was incorrect. I still think I succeeded, and'l will now show that “A.E.C.” is as much out of step with science as Mr. Thornhill’s statement is with theology in New Zealand. “A.E.C.” says: “Readers have no need to consult the musty personal opinions of the professors and deceased Doctors of Divinity resurrected by your correspondent. Let them consult the Bible story for themselves in the light of modern knowledge and common sense.” May I say I did not resurrect the opinions of Doctors of Divinity with regard to creation. I (Continued in next column.)