Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 797, 18 October 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say —

WRESTLING

Sir,— We see in the Press that the Town Hall was packed to witness a wrestling event, wherein a wrestler’s bones v-ere broken, this securing his opponent the victory. Trulv a 12th century civilisation that permits, witnesses and applauds such inhuman exhibitions . proves we have not advanced much from the dark days of the rack and other tortures. I wonder how many at the Town Hall would allow bone-breaking methods in their daily toil and recreations. JOHN WARN.

A REFERENDUM

Sir,— At its last meeting the Auckland transport Board decided not to adopt the flat rate fare. Previous to this meeting representatives of all local bodies had, at a special meeting called C ? n K ld Tr tho flat rate system, decided by 16 votes to 7 that the flat rate system should be used Now- at Mr Ct M, ally ? very meetlr >8- of the board AH urn is always telling the public that we should pull together and offer riiu+ Vallable - help to a bo,i y which is V? 1 thin k it is about time that the board pulled together and hstened to the voices of the muL ~ , e a . re sick and tired of being dictated to m this fashion. Let Mr nn lu “ ana his board take a referendum it Jo, m n Ject ’ and 1 am certain that majority. Carrled by a thre< * to one FED UP.

THE AUCKLAND TRANSPORT BOARD

Sir.— tion P o? SUn i e - that tlle Projected imposio a ? at rate tram fare has been such rlsrh V y squashed—for at least Aimklami ' svben .. the Population of and its environs reaches something m the vicinity of a million, tnt have been indirectly interested in City trams for approxitiouslv- J Ve tn and can oonscientiously say that had the flat rate been inflicted on the public by the Transport Board it would have been a gross injustice, apart from a considerable nnancial loss in revenue to that bodv. ihere has been a great deal of controxersy m the Dress from time to time on this subject, expounding the pros and cons; many of the former being advocated by those who are desirous of travelling from any of the outside tramway termini into Auckland for . • a nd probably others who are desirous of parting with building sections: while on the other hand many of the non-advocators—some of whom

(To the Editor.)

may reside within the first section—very properly ask why they should be penalised and bo compelled to carry on their backs those who reside beyond the second section. To exemplify further injustices, let us assume that a passenger boards a car at Mount Eden railway station or anywhere within the second section, and desires to go to Newmarket. If the flat rate comes into operation he would have to pay 6d, whereas at present it is 4d and the distance is only a shade over a mile; yet another passenger under the same conditions could travel from Onehunga to the City, approximately seven miles, for 3d. Furthermore, let us presume a passenger boards an outgoing car at the G.P.0., and is desirous of alighting at Victoi a. Street or Wellesley Street/ a distance of a few hundred yards. The fare demanded would be 3d. How many would sooner walk than suffer this imposition? On the strength of what I have stated, it only demonstrates that if such a gross and iniquitous measure as a. fiat rate had been sanctioned and passed by the board, it would have been little short of tyranny on the part of those in authority. Personally, it would not affect me whether it had been adopted or not; consequently I am not actuated by either prejudice or bias in venting my views, nor have I any building sections for sale.

Go where you like—and wherever traracars are in vogue I can positively assert that you will not find a parallel nor an equivalent extortion. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, and if my statements can be contradicted or correctly questioned I shall only too readily withdraw my contention. The chairman of tho Auckland Transport Board and the majority of his colleagues, in placing a veto on such a scheme, are to be congratulated on their decision, “which is a further proof of their administrative ability. In conclusion I might mention that I would advocate flat rates for large cities. This system is in operation in New* York and other places, where the population is probably two or three times larger than that of the whole of New Zealand; but if tried in Auckland it would be a fiasco in every possible sense of the word. -SOIXANTE-SEIZE.

PAWNBROKING AND SHOPLIFTING

Sir, Will you please grant me a brief soace in which to reply to “Leading <?ity Pawnbroker”? He states that it is ridiculous for me to say that I have detected in pawnbrokers’ establishments goods that had been stolen ttJ* 1 m^r store * On several occasions I nave not only detected such goods but have recovered them through the good offices of the police, after identification had been established. Nothing ridiculous about that, surely? Regarding my “appalling ignorance”

of the Pawnbrokers’ Act, I do know that it permits a pawnbroker to purchase from any adult person absolutely new wearing apparel at but one-tentn its value, providing tbe person offering such goods for sale will first give his or her name and address —which is nearly always fictitious. The sooner such an Act is amended, the sooner will our sneak thieves cease their operations. Every person offering to pawnbrokers absolutely new goods for sale, particularly new wearing apparel, should be made to produa* A police permit. KARANGAHAPE Xm businessman

STATE SERVICES Sir,— I have read in your columns a a criticism of the Civil Service by a delegate of the Chamber of Commerce —Mr. Gilbert. Is it possible this gentleman has some proposition to bring forward for more economical running of the State’s services? The write® remembers one Mr. Gilbert who, some years was (and may be he is this day) a City Councillor in the cit. of Wanganui. If the same person *}• may enlighten us as to what some profits the council has n^< \ r there, and was it the special system that gave it today £1.000.9 debit—not credit. And where is nganui anyway? Perhaps your L-O - may have a spare moment to look up the information. EVER TRAVELLING CIVIL SERVANT-