Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 884, 30 January 1930, Page 10

Citizens Say

TAIHOA?

Sir, — When that dreaded, scourge—the black influenza—burst upon us and ravaged this fair Dominion there was a hue and cry from one end of the country to the other against the Government of the day, which was taxed with having allowed overseas travellers suffering from the ’flu to land on our shores. Your readers will be aware that a dreadful disease communicable from parrots to human beings has been ravaging Europe for some months past and is still doing so; in fact, everybody is talking about it. What precautions are being taken by the Government to prevent an outbreak of the terrible disease in this fair young country? Comparisons are odious and I will therefore close bv giving the following: (a) A large shipment of parrots was within the last fortnight landed “without let or hindrance” in Auckland from overseas and is now being sold; (b) a cable from Washington appearing in The Son reads: “In an attempt to eliminate parrot fever among human beings President Hoover, has declared an embargo against the importation of birds from foreign parts.” The administration which was elected to protect the inhabitants of tliis little country is probably too busy with bickerings and small talk to notice that the disease is ravaging Europe and that parrots are being landed here. Are we going to take this lying down? I invite the opinion of other readers with a view to prompt action being taken through our members of Parliament. PREVENTION.

THE TROUBLE AT APIA

Sir.— Can any fair-minded person believe that the utmost possible wa.s done by the police at Apia to prevent violence, in the recent tragic occurrence there? Admitting that it was not incumbent upon the police to halt the parade and ask for the surrender of these men, we have not yet been informed that a combined rifle volley was tired over the heads of the paraders as soon as they offered resistance. Yet this is the usual warning nowadays. According to the official v -sion, we have the four unarmed police nuking the arrests, a supporting party of three armed with revolvers and a main covering body at the police station so armed. Does it not look as though the police were looking for trouble? As I have implied, the arrests could have been attempted quite differently from this. A senior police officer, with perhaps half a dozen constables, could have halted the parade end ordered the men to be given up. If this had been refused, force could have been demonstrated first; then used. Of course, I know the majesty of the law does not require this, but in what a different light such a procedure would have

(To the Editor.)

JYA PROGRAMMES

placed the Administration if bloodshed had been inevitable! Furthermore—thanks to Mr. Pulley—we have at last been informed that 'two bursts from a machine-gun were fired in the direction of the native village! A. H. CHAPPLE. Swanson.

Sir,— I see that correspondence has broken out again about IYA programmes, and the transmission from that station. Perhaps it is as well that the station manager should know what listenersin generally think of the fare being offered for their entertainment, and let us hope that some good may come of this correspondence, and that those responsible may profit by the suggestions made, so long as these are reasonable and helpful. At the same time, I take strong exception to the footling remarks and suggestions made by a correspondent in last Saturday’s Sun, signing himself “Disgruntled.” This, I think, is the silliest contribution I have yet read on the subject. This “critic” asserts that there is but one person in Auckland who can play the violin really well, one or two vocalists, one chatty reader (whatever that may mean), and two or three bands of vaudeville performers, and he suggests that the organiser should put on the good performers more often—presumably these five or six performers! Evidently “Disgruntled” does not listen very carefully, or he would know that there are not two or three bands of vaudeville performers at all, though they may have two or three names. As to the chatty reader-humorist and these vaudeville performers, it is certain that many listeners consider them the very poorest stuff put on the air, but of course tastes vary greatly, and so „ many listeners simply switch them off and wait for reasonably good items, of which there are many. With two, at least, of the best pianists in New Zealand on the staff, a splendid choir and a most excellent trio, playing exquisitely, two and three week: with gramophone records of world stars like Kreisler, John Mac Cormack, Galli-Curci, Harry Lauder and Heifetz; and with the glorious band and orchestral items from the world’s great musical combinations playing for him, I think “Disgruntled” has a cool cheek to write as he does. As to the local artists, there are unquestionably a number of most excellent singers and others heard nightly from IYA, to say nothing of some excellent “talks” on a variety of interesting topics; and there is the Municipal Band, isn’t there?

That there are faults in the programmes cannot be gainsaid. All Jisteners-in are apparently agreed on that, and these faults could easily be remedied. Many of the programmes are ill-balanced, and some nights there is a surfeit of talk, other nights a surfeit of instrumental items, and so on. Another serious fault is the concontinued in next column.)

stant repetition of the same items, \ocal and elocutionary, and some performers, with limited repertoires, apparently think the public will stand the. same items from them over and over again, ancl often these very items are simply trash. It is also a fact that some of those appearing at IYA should never get a second engagement, and one wonders why they are re-engaged. At the same time, t feel sure that the station director is only too glad to get new artists, and any reasonable man who reads the programmes can see that new artists, ami many of them very good, too, are constantly being put on the air. I suggest that th» organiser correct the obvious faults in the programmes, and take no notice of such silly comments as those of “Disgruntled.’ J leave others to deal with the question ot transmission, which calls for immediate investigation. A CHEERFUL LISTENER.

SNAKES!

Sir, — Having read the article on the abovt subject in Friday’s Sun, and the opinion of the curator of the Auckland Zoo on snakes. I feel it is imperative that other opinions should be expressed. I consider that New Zealand is very fortunate indeed to be free from those vile reptiles and that any legislation brought forward by the Government at any l ime to prohibit the importation of any of the reptile family would always bo welcomed by 100 per cent, of people :in this Dominion, who have lived in snake-infested countries. Myself, I have lived in various Australian States and in one or two cases in particular it was practically impossible to pass cne day, from early October to April, without encountering a snake, blood-sucker, lizard, iguana, or kindl ed species of the reptile family. Mr. Griffin says lots of snakes are perfectly harmless. Possibly they are, but the sight of them at any rate is repulsive and blood" curdling. He thinks they would npt live one of our winters out, owing to the wet, if they escaped. I have only one adequa* answer to that: "Be not decei J Snakes are to be found in every portion of the State of Victoria and in parts of Gippsland it is. every bit as cold and wet as the King Country, and I have been in both places. I dc believe there are quit* a number of persons in New' Zealand who would like to see a snake. My advice to them is to book a passage to Australia—Melbourne for preference take a return rail ticket (they will want a return!) to Swan HiU* Ask any resident there to take them to Rental Island (where the big and little Murray Rivers run round iu flood time). They will, if they arrive in summer, be quite satisfied to return to God’s Own Country in quick time. I have met and conversed with the well-known Australian snake charmer, Morrissey, who always travelled with a sugar bag half-filled with snakes and with two or three in his shirt. He contended that he had the only cure for snake bite in the form of a herb, but he Is long since dead from the bite of one of his pets. Zealand-born people are to my mind not prepared for snakes as the majority of them that I have converse® with on the t object have very little idea what to cio in case of snake bite —except die. W. D. DAVIS. Ta umairunui,