Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 875, 20 January 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say —

GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S PLAN Sir, — The Governor-General’s plan for an attack on the unemployment problem by a conference of business, professional, trades, and political interests is an excellent one, despite the fact that he offers nothing tangible in the way of a base on which such a conference could work. It is true that conferences have been held before, but his Excellency’s idea embodies, to my mind, what could be termed an “Unemployment Parliament.” He points out with wisdom that there would have to be give-and-take, and plenty of sacrifice, before good resulted, but it is becoming increasingly evident that the problem of finding sufficient work for the masses is one that must be settled, at whatever cost. I hope earnestly that New Zealand will follow the parting advice of a man she can ill-afford to lose, and that, in reading his speech, people will sense their responsibility to their fellowbeings. STIRRED. “THE SPLIT” Sir, — We have the spectacle of the mighty disputing among themselves. Our Cabinet has a Prime Minister whose power lies chiefly in his past and his promises; Ministers are distinguished by a passive acceptance of rebukes; a party organiser exposes the weaknesses of the party described by him in 1928 as the salvation of the country, and then we have last, but not least, by reason of his financial independence, the member for Parnell, with a business capacity denied fruition in the Cabinet and now wasting in inanition. The Reform Party can wait. There will be further disclosures by members of the United Party. The public can

(To the Editor.)

rely upon further amusement. But, although it may be amused, the public will also be disgusted, and will realise that the Reform Party is its best servant. REFORM. MORNINGSIDE Sir,— In a plan to provide New Zealand’s most important city with a railway terminus equal to its importance, Mr. Coates took into consideration three inter-dependent schemes: The Westfield deviation as a feeder to the new station; the provision of a station with greater space for the accommodation of traffic and the tapping of important suburbs, by way of Morningside, thus bringing in new business and saving miles of haulage, with easier grades. Two of these schemes are nearing completion and the third —not the least important—has been shelved, once and for all, by inexperienced political Ministers. I have acquired first-hand information about railway construction from long years of service as a worker. Owning no property and being sans capital, I approach the question free from self-interest. Sir Joseph Ward boasted that he had his thumb on the pulse of the nation’s finance—but he must have had his thumb covered with sheet iron. With the scrapping of the Morningside scheme, the Auckland Transport Board will now be forced to give immediate consideration to services necessary to assist in the fuller development of the many suburban areas that would have been cctered for by the proposed deviation. and slow tram services will have be pushed ahead and further licences mu'** be granted to privately-owned services. No matter how we approach this problem it means further traffic congestion in Auckland, with increases in the (Continued in next column.)

ybarly cost of road maintenance and an inevitable rise in City taxation. I sincerely regret the loss of the services of Mr. Coates who gave such close and intensive consideration to these important works. Without the Morningside deviation, our new and expensive station will be worked under serious disadvantages. One important artery has been cut off and failure stares us in the face. The manager of the railways might as well endeavour to emulate King Canute as try to make the services pay under present conditions. I am a humble, propertyless navvy, influenced by love of this great Dominion of ours. I have no personal “axe to grind.” CHARLES LAURIN. AUTOMATIC TELEPHONES Sir,— I was delighted to read Mr. R. Darlow’s letter on the subject of Birkenhead telephones. Present users are disgusted with the present service and paying pretty high for it, too. I certainly would not take over a telephone on present conditions. Devon - port and Takapuna enjoy the automatic service. Why should the next-door borough not enjoy the same/ What has Birkenhead done to be punished like this? Some two or three years ago I signed a petition statmjT I would take over a telephone if the automatic service was introduced, ana many others did likewise, but, alas, have heard nothing further. Evidently we will get nothing unless we agitate and shake up the powers that be. I would like to see others express themselves on the subject. THOMAS FARRELL. Birkenhead. THE UNITED DEBACLE Sir,— The past week has furnished conclusive evidence that the United Party is on the eve of a debacle and it seems quite on the cards that Sir Joseph Ward will ere long find hintself once again a “lone” Liberal m Parliament. For events since the election the United organisation has only itself to blame. It brought together a collection of politicians and wouldbe politicians, who had only one tiling in common, a violent prejudice against Reform. They had to find a leader and they could not agree on that until at last they conceived the idea of talising the name of Sir Joseph Warj who undoubtedly holds a high place the affections of the people. But Joseph was to be merely a figurehead ;— a rallying point. Instead, howevij | when they took on the responsibility o* j voting out Reform, he insisted on being i leader in fact—hence the quarrel. It is a pity Sir Joseph did this, for he revived animosities wb;ch had died down sine© his uercretr in 1911. His failure to Kcncl the Liberal Party together when felr. Seddon bequeathed a great majority should have convinced nl» that his forte was not leadership- -