Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 879, 24 January 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the

Editor.)

SAMOA ’ Sir, — The Samoan tragedy is deplored by Samoans and New Zealanders alike, and surely some peaceful way of avoiding any further happenings of that kind can be found. Possibly an Advisory Council, selected by the Samoan people from among themselves, to assist the Administration, is what is heeded. WILLIAM PERRY. Great Barrier Island. IYA BROADCASTS Sir, — Kindly allow me a little space in your valuable paper, to endorse the remarks of your radio correspondent on lYA’s broadcasts. I am quite in agreement with him in regard to programmes, as it is plain that everyone cannot be pleased. They do their best in that respect, I am sure. But the volume and tone of this station is shocking to say the best for it. For a station of 500 watts it can do better, as it has proved on rare occasions. The 50-watt local stations can blind it for volume and distant stations of 500 watts come in quite well. Why not IYA? v OBSERVER. , “PETER SIMPLE” Sir,— 1 have read with interest “Peter Simple’s” remarks re unemployment. I suppose he was paid for it. That brings up the question, “What for?” I should say he is very much afraid that the subject will affect liis pocket in more ways than one before it is settled, and that is one of the few points on which the man in the street will agree with him. He states that it is no business of the State to provide work for the unemployed. By what brilliant reasoning did he reach that comforting conclusion (to his own selfish pocket) ? No doubt he was in complete agreement when the State paid the fares of immigrants without number and with hardly any inquiry as to ability. I may be wrong but I should sum up the position thus: “Peter,” the taxpayer will have to pay the piper. The sooner he realises it the better. He can do a lot toward making things better by buying only New Zealand-made goods, spending less of his money on overseas products, and by remembering that the labourer is worthy of his hire. We cannot all work for ourselves! Perhaps “Peter Simple” would like to see more immigration, less to pay in wages

and more competition, when he calls for a quote when he wants something done. I doubt whether he is capable of doing anything himself, except spending what someone else has left him. Of course, that is only a guess, and might easily be wrong. Myself . . . Well, I am sure I am simpler than “Peter Simple.” UNEMPLOYED. THE MANDATE Sir, I—like your correspondent, Mr. P. B. Fitzherbert—feel that it is time that those New Zealand citizens who disapprove of the Government’s policy of recent years toward Western Samoa, and of the recent shootings, should take action to protest against what has been done in their name. Are we, as a community, so apathetic and so careless of our good name that we shall quietly tolerate, and so tacitly acquiesce in, persecution and maltreatment of a defenceless people? W here now are our local protagonists of peace, freedom and humanitarianism? Their silence and lack of action at such a time astonishes me. Evidently they, too, are bound to the futile lip-service which does such harm to the cause of peace. I notice, too, that our sports bodies are not overready to prove their love of fair-play, which some believe is the exclusive prerogative of the British race. I venture to say that not all the prowess of another Tom Heeney or the victories of an All Black team will restore to New Zealand the prestige she has lost in the eyes of the civilised world through the stupidity we have shown in our administration of the mandate. M. B. SOLJAK. UNEMPLOYMENT Sir,— This questiAn has not yet been tackled in earnest by Parliament or employers of labour, who seemingly la s-k the courage to do the right thing, which might cause a certain amount of unpopularity. Three simple remedies will do much to relieve, if not altogether do away with the problem of unemployment. No - I.—Parliament to be called together to pass a law that for two years, at least, all kinds of assisted immigration shall cease. The skilled artisan immigrant, nominated for a New Zealander's job, only adds another to the list of unemployed, and the scheme of boy immigration means that no jobs are available for New Zealand boys. No. 2.—Every manufacturer, who surely wants \is to buy New Zealand goods, should adopt as his slogan “New Zealand Jobs for New

Zealanders.” Let him also forget for two years that there are immigrants and cheap labour, and let each firm find work for one more man or woman. The ‘-Buy New Zealand Goods” campaign will then have some appeal No. 3.—Parliament to make it illegal ? for two years, at least, to employ married women whose husbands are earn- : ing a living wage; thus making room for probably a thousand men aim women at present unable to get work. There are so many cases of husbands , earning up to £lO a week whose wives are also working and depriving the breadwinner of a large family, P ec " haps, of a livelihood. Also, -uP er3n ~ . nuated men and women to be debarred • from competing for jobs with those whose sole means of livelihood will h® ; the wages drawn from those Why should a man receiving a good pension, which has been partly e° B ' tributed by all ordinary workers, through taxation, be allowed to com ' pete unfairly with the out-of-won-man for a job, which means to him todifference between a living for hi*Dself and family, and starvation and Ph ■ vation for all of them? It is better for tho country that 5,000 famine fmostiy fair-sized ones) should he ai‘ lowed to earn a living, and not to depend on charity, than that Z.sw families (mostly husband and wu only) should earn so much and y« spend so little. ONE MAN ONE JOBNOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS “Public Interest.”—You do not slippy vour name and address. It is derstood that an inquiry will held into tho case you mention.— 'r**' The Sun. F.I.C. (Whangarei). —We do divulge the names of conespoh® ents, but If vou care to f. twam letter to “G. 8.,” c/o the Editor. Tg . Sun, it will be readdressed to h 3 ®* i —Ed The Sun,