Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 656, 7 May 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

THE TRANSPORT BOARD Sir.—The Sun is not afraid to express its opinions, and I would like you to make a suggestion which I consider fail' both to the council and the ratepayers. I would suggest that the new council appoint the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison. Mr. T. Blood worth. Mr. A. .1. Entrican, Mr. E. J. Phelan and Mr. W. H. Murray to the new Transport Board, the Mayor or Mr. Hutchison to be elected chairman. These councillors would get over the difficulty and dissatisfaction and would be agreeable to the ratepayers of Point Chevalier and Avondale, and all over the city, as they were elected on a majority vote. lam sure it. would increase the confidence of the ratepayers. RATEPAYER. MR. ALLUM’S REJECTION Sir. How hard is the way of him who serves democracy.’ As one who is in the closest touch with the question of transport in Auckland, and yet who is in 210 way beholden to the Transport Board and its officers, I should like to add my word of amazement at the decision of the electors in rejecting Mr. J. A. C. Allum in the recent election. In my view the chairman of the Transport Board has suffered condemnation for happenings beyond control of any man. Looking round for a victim the unthinking majority has slipped its knife into the back of one to whom it were more lilting that a vote of encouragement and thanks should have been given on May 1. Transport in this city has been in a rare mess and the fact that things are being straightened out that loss has been turned to gain, that dismal controversy is well-nigh stilled speaks eloquently that Mr. Allum has made good. And no man could have done better during the last two years. Let it be hoped the City Council will do th© right thing on Thursday evening by declining' to accept Mr. Allum's resignation. OX THE RAILS. RE TRANSPORT LOAN Sir,—A great number of persons consider that the personnel of the new Transport Board should be declared before Wednesday next in order to give the public an opportunity of deciding not only whether the principle of the proposed loan is for the benefit of the whole comiaaunity, but also of deciding whether tire persons “nominated” to the board are persons in whom the public has confidence. Once the loan is sanctioned there is nothing to prevent the. local bodies concerned from nominating any person whomsoever. A great number of people feel, therefore, that as the Auckland City Council is enabled by nomination to dominate and. in effect, to control, the Transport Board, it should, at least, expedite a meeting and decide right now before polling day who are to be its representatives. Until such a. declaration is made it is felt that the

public might hesitate in entrusting unascertained persons with the expenditure of such a large sum as it is contemplated borrowing, and this hesitancy may result in the loan proposal being rejected by the ratepayers. It is considered that a public statement by the City Council of its intentions is due to the ratepayers and it would be unfortunate if the loan were rejected for the want of such a statement or for want of confidence in the personnel of the board, or its chairman. C. J. LOYEGKOVE. INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL Sir.— Many voters have asked me my attitude on the question of the site of the infectious diseases hospital, and if I am in favour of a convalescent home. May I beg space in your valuable paper to reply that I am against placing an infectious diseases hospital within the hospital grounds? I am strongly in favour of a convalescent home, believing that one situated in a suitable locality would contribute to the mare speedy recovery of patients, and thus reduce the cost of upkeep. W. C. WOOD. The Vicarage. Papakura. ANZAC DAY Sir. — With the passing of each successive Anzac Lay, it becomes increasingly evident that whatever else the celebration accomplishes, it has undoubtedly evolved a type bent on dictating just what shall or shall not be done on this particular day. It seems to me, however, that these people might very well ask. themselves if the omissions and commissions thev denounce are not warnings that the celebration of Anzac Lay, if it is to survive, must be toned down to something less exacting: to something that, viewed by future generations down the long perspective of time, it will be easy to focus interest upon. R.S. COLONEL FREYBERG, V.C. Sir, Your correspondent **Unclc Jim” advances the sphistry that Freyberg is not an Englishman, but a New Zealander, because he spent 21 years, out of 39 years of his life here, notwithstanding— 1. That neither he nor his parents are natives of New Zealand or are domiciled here. 2. That as avery young man he shook the dList of New Zealand from his feet and joined the army of a bellicose South American Republic, and has iTever retLirned here. ' 3. That he subsequently returned to London, his (IS9O> birthplace. and joined an English regiment, the Grenadier Guards: served with that regiment during the Great War. and is now a colonel. As “Uncle Tim'’ has no time for “Who's Who in New Zealand,” which (Continued in next column)

correctly omits Colonel Freyberg, perhaps he similary despises Webster's Dictionary, which defines “Native” as “One born in a place or country,” a denizen by birth.” Let your correspondent apply his sophistry to an imaginary analogous case of a Chinese child, aged two, brought to New Zealand, and who permanently returned to China at the age of 23, sixteen years ago. According to “Uncle Jim’s” contention in Freyberg’s case, that young Chinese is a New Zealander, having changed from All Yellow to All Black. Likewise in regard to the thousands of boys and youths transported to Australia from the British Isles, for the term of their natural lives, about a century ago. Did they become Australians, being domiciled and perhaps reformed there? I have never heard an Australian claim them. Perhaps it is to the heroes and not to the Neros that antipodean kinship leans. IN JUSTICE TO OLD ENGLAND. MORE TAXATION? Sir. — I read with something like alarm the announcement of the Prime Minister to the effect that the State revenue would have to be increased by added taxation from certain quarters. This, from the man who, before the elections, was going to cure New Zealand’s taxation ills by reducing the general burden, merely adds to the people's shaken faith in politicians. How are we going to have this added burden fixed? Will it be on the motorist who already is heavily hampered: will it be on the drinker of an honest pint of beer, who already contributes to the revenue of the country by a substantial sum; or will it be on the working man who can afford neither beer nor motor-car, but who has to struggle, for food for his growing family? I suggest that if further taxation is to be levied the racing public is the body that is best fitted to bear it. The whole racing game in New Zealand should be reorganised, and the “sport of kings” made to pay upon the basis of its own prestige. _ FED UP. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENT “Progress”—You have not forwarded your name and address. —Ed., The Sun.