Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 791, 11 October 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say—

(To the Editor.)

DAILY SERVICE TO SURFDALE Sir, Having spent a holiday last year at Surfdale, it has been a wonder to me that there is not a regular daily service between there and Auckland. If a boat left Surfdale at seven in the morning and returned from Auckland in the evening, 1 am quite sure that many jaded business people would take advantage of living down there during the summer months, HEALTH. FRESH FISH? Sir, — Lately I have heard on very good authority that the fishermen of Auckland have devised a system by which their catches may be kept uniform. It appears that they carry ice in their boats and if the fishing is poor, they pack what they have on ice and carry on for an extended time instead of returning to port with a light load as was the case previously. This, sir, may be all right for the fisherman but it is bad for the consumer. It means that the percentage of really fresh fish in our markets must be growing steadily smaller and smaller as this idea spreads. Fish decomposes quickly after thawing, and there is risk to health as well as loss to the householder. A strict regulation providing that all fish which has been on ice must be advertised as such is needed this summer. WATCHER. RULES OF DEBATE Sir. The necessity of getting through its business is exercising the minds of the Auckland City Council, and, in an endeavour to expedite business, it was proposed recently that speeches of councillors be limited to five minutes’ duration. This may be necessary where an organisation of a thousand members are in meeting assembled, but in a council assembled, no. It is in the attempt to follow Parliamentary rules of debate where “confusion worse confounded” follows, resulting in "breezes in council.’' A Mayor is the pivot round which the meeting swings. He should always endeavour, as far as is humanly possible to be impartial and tolerant, always remembering that minorities have rights as well as majorities. No councillor should be allowed to speak more than once on any motion. He should, when speaking say all he lias to say, then hold, his peace, remembering the rights of the

other councillors. Each councillor could then be allowed 15 minutes to speak. The speech-making from the chair should be restricted as much as possible. It is just here where “breezes in council” emanate. If the Mayor feels he should take a strong stand against or for a motion, lie should at least vacate the chair, t«j bo fair to the mover of the motion who, it should be remembered, has been elected by the people of Auckland. A point of order should never be allowed to a councillor who has not yet spoken to the motion. Ho has his paper and pencil. He should take notes, and when he speaks he can deal with the point at issue. A point of order should be allowed only when the speaker is misquoting statements made by the man asking for the point of order. Otherwise such interruptions may develop into a form of “gag” and waste much valuable time. When the mover and seconder of any motion have spoken and made out a case, the Mayor should ask: Is there any councillor who wishes to speak against this motion, if there is not, the question should be put immediately. There is nothing to reply to, and all is in favour so why prolong the debates. All agenda papers should be in the hands of the councillors at least seven days before the council meets. A lot of time is wasted by members deviating from the subject under discussion. The closure should never be used. It is the champion enemy-maker. WILLIAM MURDOCH. BEAUTY IN BACKS Sir, — I shudder to imagine the state of the community if the control of our beaches and public places was given into the hands of people of the class of “Pep,” your correspondent of yesterday. “Pep” sees nothing demoralising in a perfectly harmless expanse of beautiful back when displayed by our young women on the beaches. My ideas for the morals of the growing generation are entirely different if the young people want to sun their backs and limbs, why should they not do so in the privacy of their back yards instead of flaunting themselves in front of all the young men they can I personally would rather see a spirit of dignity—however prudish it might appear to some of the abandoned youth— preserved on the teaehes and m all public places; and in addition. I would rather see my nepljews in an atmosphere where Lido backless bathsuits are not known. r J he morals of our communitv av suffering, sir. and it. is the so-called advancement of youth that is the main cause. J call it retrogression—retro-

gression into the realms of paganism which, if not checked immediate V. will develop into hopeless abandon and the undermining of our whole social structure. T.Q. WHY A TACET? Along with hundreds of other listeners in Auckland. I listen regularly ~o the excellent dinner music session broadcast by station IYA. The feeling is widespread, however, that a. great improvement could be secured through playing records at, say, minute intervals, instead of having a IorST tacet after each group. The programme for Tuesday next, as published in the “Radio Record,” shows a. tacet of 11 minutes, followed by dinner music for four minutes. Then another tacet Intervenes. Int-rvn s between selections by ica-room orchestras are acceptable, since they allow* conversation to be carried cn more easily, but this argument car " not apply to radio dinner music. Each listener can supply intervals to suit his own requirements, and can abo vary the volume at will. Perhaps the company cou'd also sc® its way clear to have announcements casting an ethereal voice in lh * middle of selections during ibis session. BETTERADIOp