Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 633, 9 April 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

INFLUENZA Sir. — The Siege of Troy, when a wooden horse with death-dealing danger within was taken by the citizens into the centre of the town, may be compared to the present influenza outbreak among the crew of the Maui Pomare. Short-sighted men have repeated history and brought the infection of influenza from the Maui Pomare right Into the centre of our city. With the object lesson provided in the Old Country as a guide, surely a child could see the crass stupidity of taking the stricken patients into the city, where flies and atmosphere may spread the disease. DLORAH. SOMETHING FOR NOTHING Sir,— As a chemist’s assistant, I must protest against the Rev. Jasper Calder’s attempt to make medicine free. Many chemists’ assistants are already out of work. To carry this idea to its logical conclusion, Mr. Calder should provide free clothing, fruit, groceries, luxuries and wireless to all those who like getting everything free. There are multitudes who are only too pleased to get everything for nothing. When the chemists’ assistants lose their jobs it is to be hoped that the Rev. Jasper Calder will provide for their necessities “backsheesh.” WORKER. AN INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL Sir, — Now' that the case of the crew of the Maui Pomare has been decided and a hospital has been established in our midst, I presume the incident will be forgotten, and matters allowed to slide, as usual, or until an epidemic cornea along. I often wonder why an infectious diseases hospital is to 'be built in the heart of the city when in countries such as England they are placed as far away as possible—so far as circumstances will permit—from the more thickly populated areas. And this brings me to my suggestion that the board could easily adopt a plan that was carried out in London when a smallpox epidemic occurred about 1880. A ship was procured and anchored in the lower reaches of the Thames fitted up and in every sense an isolation hospital. Steamers of no further use have been towed out to sea and sunk quite recently. Others are now anchored in the stream. The upper or lower reaches of the harbour offer every facility for carrying out this plan. A ship could be run into shallow water and a causeway built to the side for light traffic—ambulances, etc. —or a tender could be utilised. The advantages ore obvious—fresli air, complete isolation within reason, little possibility of contamination, the use of sea water for cleanliness and the invigorating surroundings of sea and shore. The upkeep would entirely depend on tlio number of patients—in fact, a caretaker could be in charge until nurses and attendants were drafted in as required. The ship itself need be no eyesore, as it could be painted and, to the casual observer, appear just an ordinary vessel. S. SIMON. A CORRECTION Sir.— The Board of Management of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation has read with surprise an article which appeared in your issue of Friday last with reference to the Jewish cemetery site in Symonds Street. The article contains many statements which are inaccurate. For instance, the 22 acres mentioned in your article was not the area set aside for a Jewish cemetery but was the area originally granted’ for cemetery purposes for ail denominations. The area of the Jewish cemetery contained only one acre and the section which is the subject of the present discussion is only about one-tenth of that acre. The statement that a large sum of money had been earmarked for the erection of a memorial hall is contrary to fact. Mo funds are held or earmarked by the hoard of management (which administers the affairs £>£ the Auckland Hebrew Cpngresa-,

tion), or by "any other Jewish body i for this purpose. The article also « stated that as soon as the new coun- \ cil was elected a further attempt < would be made to obtain the freehold i of the section. As a matter of fact, ; the advisability of again approaching the City Council has not even been considered by the board of management. < The paragraph in reference to the ; Rabbj calls for comment. The Rabbi has never forbidden his board of management to take the case to court if it desired so to do. While the Rabbi’s < opinion on religious questions would be authoritative, his opinion—however respected—on secular matters would only be deemed to he? personal. It is possible that your information was obtained from an unauthoritative source. As the published article may have caused an erroneous impression among some of your readers, I trust you will give this letter full publicity. On behalf of the Board of Management of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation. L MELTZER, Hon. Secretary. MR. TAYLOR AND MR. BLOODWORTH Sir,— With reference to Mr. Blood worth’s reply to my letter of 3rd inst., wherein he states: “I do not expect any reply I gave or give will satisfy Mr. Taylor,” I would say that I am prepared to be satisfied with his reply to the points raised when there is no equivocation. Mr. Bloodworth’s contention that it would be just as logical to say the delegation of English capitalists now proceeding to Russia for the purpose of opening trade for British goods has communal leanings, is certainly Illogical. These men are doing so for the purpose of making money, and I understand they are not sent by the British Government, which hitherto has declined to open up diplomatic relations with the Soviet Government. Mr. Bloodworth’s reference to my taking a very narrow view is unworthy of him, and beneath notice. Nor am I so ungenerous as to exult in his discomfiture (as he credits me with) for making what he apparently considers a false step in taking the chair at the meeting referred to X leave the public to judge if the subject matter of my two letters is logical and relevant. X would point out that Mr. Bloodworth has a facile pen, which he uses frequently to express his views, and his refusal to give definite replies, by that means, to my questions is surprising, especially as he knows perfectlv well when questions are asked at a public meeting the speaker replying can, and often does, put a very different construction on the point raised where such repl i ies er 13 allowed t 0 debate Mr - Bloodworth has not seen fit to declare that, if elected as Mayor he would decline to preside at any meeting held under the auspices of the Mew Zealand Communist Party or hv or r !h rly Ob ’ lecuor, able to the majority of the community. *»- TAYLOR. MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS Sir,—• a larirnumbe^i^teYs 6 on there is generally a pretty bfenoticed in Friday’s bs fire - 1 i aarar ts-a: 800k 3 by «?e iS Sed°d n PU r°" n Statute •is the J?? 11 mar| y cases. As soon ' alteration was made the best man was just as likely to be, at the hottom of the poll or not returned at if a pays pa ixtfes, he. does.

not care a bit who is returned. The apathy complained of is caused by the realisation among ratepayers that it is quite hopeless to make any alteration under the present conditions. I will just mention one case that came under my notice the other day. A man who pays a pretty stiff rate is very anxious to vote for the one candidate who is at all likely to make any alteration in the present go-as-you-please system now carried on. He is faced with the fact that three or four of his grown-up children (who do not pay a penny of rates) are go. ing to vote against him for various reasons. Now, Mr. Editor, I have run for a good many elections in my time, and should know a little of how these things are worked, and I say that no alteration can take place under present conditions. B.C. ANGLO-AMERICAN RELATIONS Sir, — But for the fact that I, British-born, can claim by some four years along® residence in America than Mr. J- G. Hughes, I should not have deemed it necessary to reply to his letter, which, by the way, leaves me with the conviction that he is the victim of a rather malignant type of chronic assertiveness. He resents the suggestion that we in New Zealand are a out of touch with world affairs, ana claims that our newspapers keep ns well informed. Granted. But now i wish to ask him if he could, aft® reviewing items bearing on AngloAmerican affairs, which, during, say, the last year have appeared itl th« cable or editorial columns of, say. The Sun, conscientiously maintain that the existing relations between the two countries are anything even remotely approaching good? Now. my experience was that t found Americana unequalled for kindliness and hospitality. But to represent them, as your correspondent does, as cooling off on the celebration of Independence Da’, and learning to “esteem the Britisn more,” is, in my opinion—and to borrow two of Mr. Hughes’s hardestworked words —“foolish nonsense. And in conclusion, I would say to Mr. Hughes that in my opinion optimistic views of Anglo-American relations are flatly contradicted Dthose put forward from his own per-sonally-accredited and acclatniea source of information —the Auckland newspapers.