Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 723, 24 July 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

UNEMPLOYED GIRLS Sir, — I take this opportunity of writing to you to seek your assistance and the assistance of your valuable paper in calling attention to the very serious amount of unemployment existing among the girls of our city. Drastic steps will need to be taken at once to effect a remedy. Surely some kind of work can be found for these girls, many of whom are from other lands, destitute and without friends. Some of these left good employment in Great Britain to come to New Zealand on the assurance of the immigration officials that work would be forthcoming on arrival in the Dominion. It is quite evident that the Immigration Department has not carried out its obligations to these young women, nor have the people who urged the department to bring out so many girls. Many of the girls are New Zealanders, and it is incorrect to say that most of the girls out of work are unskilled. Many of them are shop girls, tailoresses and good office girls. The writer is not relying on hearsay, but on actual experience of the acuteness of the position. WM. P. STOREY. Auckland. ’QUAKE SUFFERER Sir, — As a stranded victim of the ‘West Coast earthquake, I ask leave to state my case through the columns of your paper. I have been working at Cardiff Bridge coal mine. I was at home sleeping when the 'quake began. The chimneys of the house fell over, and the house was thrown off the sft piles on which it was built. The house was completely wrecked, and my parents and the rest of my family went down to Westport, where we were fixed up with temporary quarters in tents by the Mayor. After being there four days, the Mayor advised us to go up to Xelson as refugees. From Nelson I came up to the North Island to look for work at the coal mine at Huntly. T visited Glen Afton. Glen Massey, and

Pukemiro collieries, but was unsuccessful at all these mines. Then I heard about the Hikurangi mine, but found that it was flooded out. I approached the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. George Baildon, for relief, as I was ' practically destitute, but he told me to apply to Wellington, as all the earthquake relief funds had been sent down there. He told me, also, that the money had been raised to assist Westport farmers. Well, though a few Westport people may keep a cow or two, I do not know of any farmers. They are all miners. The position now is tha.t I am absolutely penniless, nnd I want to get back to Wellington, as Mr. Baildon has suggested. But how am Ito get back? I want work or I want relief—and as soon as I can get it. Otherwise I shall be destitute, despite the vast sum raised for relief purposes. Can anyone do anything to help me? The editor of The'Sun has my. address. DESPERATE. DRAGON V. BEAR Sir,— The phrase in your leader of Saturday that Russia “has Japan as well as China to reckon with” ignores the fundamental problem of that country. China may have a vague sovereignty over “The Three Eastern Provinces,” but Manchuria is really needed, and ruled, by both Japan and Russia, who will do anything to keep China divided and impotent, so that they may improve their positions. In the case of a. sudden interest, by China, in doings there (as at present), they will quite naturally join hands. In fact, treaties exist signed by Japan and Russia to exploit China between them. The one of 1916, which was discovered by the Bolsheviki when they got into the archives, is notorious. Again on January 21, 1925, a treaty of alliance was signed by these two nations with the (unexpressed) idea that Russia could have a free hand in Northern Manchuria, while Japan would be similarly free in the South. This disposes of the argument that Russia “requires access to tire- South Manchurian ports” and also the idea of assistance from Japan. Japanese troops did what thev liked in China in 1894-95, 1904. 1915 and even in 1928. in Tsinan, and Japan is only awaiting a reasonable opportunity to carry on. Perhaps Russia is providing that. J.A.I).