Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 643, 20 April 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say—

(To the Editor.)

“LLANFAIR P.G.” Sir, In reply to “Sesquipedalian’s” letter, I enclose herewith an original page from “The Official Guide to North Wales,” which I think will decide the correct spelling of the name of the Welsh village referred toll. D. CARTER. The guide-book gives the spelling mentioned by Mr. Carter in his first letter— Lilanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogerygogogoch. Our compositors, at all events, will be relieved that the correspondence is now closed.— Ed. The Sun. “BY APPOINTMENT” Sir, —*■ Kissing goes by favour, and it was hardly to be expected that the United Government would leave the Hon. E. W. Alison on the Harbour Board as the Government nominee. At Cie same time it was hardly fair after Mr. Alison’s long services on the board to dismiss him when it was too late for him to seek nomination as an ordinary member of the board. Mr. Alison represents a company which pays very heavy harbour dues and it would have been a more kindly action on the part of the Government if it had notified him earlier that his services were not required. Mr. Alison then could have stood for election as an ordinary meinber. SPORT. A DANGEROUS HABIT Sir, — i There is much talk at present of influenza. I am at a loss to know why the authorities permit, in the circumstances, expectoration on the footpaths. I am sure Auckland and Sydney have the dirtiest footpaths of any of the cities I have visited. I was in Auckland last winter on a fairly windy day. I felt a burning sensation in my nose and head. That night I developed a heavy dose of ’flu and I am positive it was given to me by the dust blown from the footpath. I would like to see an analysis of a “packet of dust” blown upward in this fashion: it would be an eye-opener I’m certain. At all events, notices forbidding expectoration in the streets —and setting out the penalties—should be more prominently displayed, and steps should be taken to enforce rigidly the by-law prohibiting such an objectionable habit. WM. RAYNER. East Taratahi. PAYING FOR CAR PARKS Sir. — Now that the city Mayoral and municipal election campaign is in full swing, and all the candidates are trying with strained difficulty to discover new ideas, what about the question of making motorists pay for the parking of tbeir cars in the city’s thoroughfares’' Melbourne has adopted such a system which promises to become a profitable success. It came into operation a fortnight or so ago. and immediatelyworked well, though car-owners already scream for a reduction in the moderate charges. So far six central streets have been set apart for parking areas between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m while

two other areas are to provide for the same purpose in the evenings, from 7 p.m. to 11.30 p.m., during which times car attendants are on duty. These attendants are responsible for the proper parking of cars, and also have to exercise the greatest care in preventing thefts. The charges are one shilling a day or, by long-term arrangement, up to £lO a year. The Introduction of this commonsense system has justified the Melbourne municipality in practising a rigorous enforcement of a new by-law dealing with motorists who leave their cars at places other than the appointed parking areas. There is in Auckland much need of a better control of car-parking. Many motorists do not even take the trouble to park their cars properly In the areas provided for them as a free privilege by a generous and foolish community. A line of parked automobiles in Auckland is a serpentine elongation of selfishness and ignorance. Traffic needs are ignored. Why not follow Melbourne’s lead, and compel motorists to pay for their bad habit of littering thoroughfares with 111-placed cars? The revenue at least would provide employment for those unemployed men who physically are not able to use a pick and a shovel. Of course, the real truth about Auckland is that it is a backward community. OBSERVER. TRANSPORT AND LOANS Sir, I notice a good deal of criticism against the attitude taken up by Mr. Morton, of the Transport Board. My opinion is that we need a few more men like him on our public bodies. There are many ratepayers, in addition to Mr. Morton, who cannot see the wisdom of extending the tram services to the outlying districts, where they will scarcely pay for wheelgrease. Most travellers will take the buses in preference to trams, on account of the faster service. Another argument against the trams is the necessity of breaking up good roads, erecting and setting in place a network of wires. The board should make the present trams pay before talking of extending services. Trams will be obsolete in the near future. The traffic will be so thick that there will be no room for them. I don’t like buses myself, but I can see that they are a popular conveyance, and one has to move with the times. We ratepayers cannot afford to borrow large sums of money to spend on finding work for the unemployed. That is entirely a matter for the Government to deal with. Much as we may deplore the unemployment it is too big a question to be undertaken by the ratepayers. NO LOAN. MR. BAILDON’S UTTERANCES Sir,— Being an interested reader of The Sun, I would like to draw your attention to remarks recently made at meetings by our present Mayor. One remark was: -Auckland has the finest delu-v* nS in Ne w Zealand.” Evidently our Mayor does not drink water when visiting Rotorua, Hastings and (Continued in next column)

Masterton, otherwise he would have a different remark to make. Number two remark: “We should bf pleased that there will be a revenue of over £9,000-odd coming in annually from Civic Square leases.” Sir, waa the present Mayor a strong supporter of Sir James Gunson’s scheme of building palatial offices for the City Council and having a few flower-beds and plots of grass for stray dogs to play upon? The ratepayers of Auckland have to thank the West End Ratepayers’ Association for creating the interest that was echoed by other ratepayers* associations and resulted in the Civic Square scheme being turned down. Instead of being an annual expense, this area will now bring in a handsome revenue. Now the ratepayers of Auckland should put on their thinking caps and vote for the most suitable men to hold the positions of councillors, not forgetting a good mat for the position of Mayor. H. N. CHAILES.