Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 940, 5 April 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

“DANGEROUS STOPPING PLACE” Sir, I should like, through the medium of your valuable paper, to endorse all that has been said about the dangerous tram stop at the corner of Hemuera Road and Newmarket. On three occasions I have seen very narrow escapes from serious accidents. To my mind the tram stop should be nearly opposite the railway gates, either above or below (preferably below) Station Road. I hope this letter will have the effect of doing away with a most dangerous stopping place. A REMUERA RESIDENT. ESPERANTO Sir,— A visitor from Europe recently stated in the Press that he found New Zealand better known in Europe than Australia is. He suggested that this might be due to Dalmatians, resident in New Zealand, writing so much about the country to their friends. But there a,re other sources of publicity. At the Universal Esperanto Congress at Antwerp I was called upon to give a talk on New Zealand to teachers representing 30 countries, the lecture to be repeated by them, on their return, to their pupils. And once every three months I send to the leading Esperanto weekly, attractive descriptions of New Zealand. This paper has a large circulation in five continents. The next world’s Esperanto Congress is to be held at Oxford in England in August. B. KING. WOMEN ON SCHOOL COMMITTEES Sir.— The annual meetings of householders for the purpose of electing school committees, are due on the fourteenth of this month. I am very desirous of seeing more women members serving on school committees. I am sure that their presence would be exceedingly advantageous. They would insist on a much-needed improvement in hygienic cleaning of classrooms. Generally speaking, women have more leisure than men durin~ daylight, and would be free to make personal inspection where repairs or improvements were contemplated. They would then be in a position to present valuable first-hand reports to their male colleagues at each monthly committee meeting. The services of women members are known to be invaluable when school picnics or moneyraising schemes are planned. Questions are constantly arising affecting the welfare of girl pupils or of female members of the teaching staff. Here a woman’s personal knowledge and experience render her particularly fitted to advise or help. Personally I think that schcfcl committees should consist of practically equal numbers of men and women—joint governance, as m each ideal home. If my fellowwomen share this sentiment it behoves them to secure the nomination of suit-

able women and forward these, on the prescribed form, to the secretary of each local school committee. The necessary forms are obtainable from the secretary in question; and should be returned to him by the seventh of this month. Having done this preliminary work, it remains for all women to do their civic duty, attend the householders’ meetings and record their voteg, so as to secure the return of the best possible combination of men and women. NEMO. GAMES ON GOOD FRIDAY Sir, — I spent Good Friday of last year in •Jerusalem. It was possible to visualise the scene that was enacted nearly two thousand years ago, and further, to meditate upon the tremendous consequences to humanity which flowed from that event. There can be no doubt whatever that from that event a new force was implanted into human civilisation, which has proved itself to be the mightiest uplifting and purifying influence known to humanity. Although the leaven of Christian life and death has not yet permeated the whole mass of even nominally Christian civilisation, yet anything which retards its growth and influence is a serious injury to humanity. The setting apart of Good Friday as a . P ay ? f Remembrance by Christian civilisation is a testimony that, in theory, at least, the obligation is recognised to keep the day as a Holy Day, and to keep it as a mere holiday is to flout it as a Day of Remembrance. It would be infinitely less harmful not to set the day apart as a Holy Day than, having set it so apart, to have it turned into a day for sports competitions It is good to know that many of our sporting clubs have protested against the misuse of Good Friday, and 1 have reason to believe that very many members of clubs are most reluctantly compelled to fall in with those who think only of their own pleasure If members of clubs could r ? a .,? e the injury they inflict upon our civilisation by doing, what is an open and public repudiation of the claim A, laEl ,,?. ur civilisation has recognised by settling the day apart, they would surely make a stronger stand against mko present . da Y trend of things—to take care of our amusements, first uist, and all the time. GEORGE MACMURRAY.

FORECASTING Sir,— der;°^\ h th S r 1 i mpo r tan" & ° p h e° wh?c e h na 'b lnStead ° f “rthquakes, etc :sr-» a—nf is ?:■

rua on January 23. It was then that I wrote the forecast which appeared in The Sun on February 11, and which was supplemented in The Sun of March 11. The dates specially mentioned were February 11 and 12, and March 4,5, and 11.

In local newspapers we find that earthquakes reported from all parts numbered 70 for February and March; February 12, four severe shocks in Hawke’s Bay, preceded by several milder tremors (apparently two on. the 11th); February 13, two sharp shocks in Hawke’s Bay, up till 7.45 a.m.; February 28, heaviest earthquake for many years in Opotiki, 12.35 p.m., and 2® severe shocks in Imperial Valley, California; March 7, shock, fair degree of intensity, located near East Cape* 3.38 a.m., and one at Panama, the worst since 1914; March 11, 20 earthquakes at Atiamuri, 9.35 a.m. to 2 p.m, some severe; March 13, early morning, three severe shocks at Karachi; March 25, severe earthquake (in New Guinea?) recorded at Wellington, 6.51 p.m.; March 27, early morning, slight shake at Wellington; “for about a fortnight’* up till March 28, daily alarming earthquakes in S. Japan. Thus there we b a very pronounced period for earthquakes in many parts of the worli, and of the 31 shocks reported in New Zealand. 26 occurred upon the days predicted, two others within eight hours of such days, and three up(B days not specially mentioned. Because of the association I find between earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, I predicted both for the same period. On or about February Messrs. Piper and Kay, airmen, found great discharge from Vesuvius, and lava flowing from Etna. Aboat the same time the “Manchester Guardian” spoke of renewed activity at Mount Pelee, and mentioned an earlier outburst of this volcano on November 22 last—a time fitting my previous forecast. On March 5, Suva reponed eruption at Niuafou Island, and abent the same time Falcon Island (as leported by the Tofua) was showing increased activity; and on March* If there was a discharge of dust from White Island. Mining explosions were mentioned, because for a very obvious reaio* these are commonly found to foliar seismic disturbance in parts of -he world affected. There were colli ‘.rf explosions in Lancashire on February 27. The Dobson mine was closed for a time in March because of the in’*sion of gas, and on March 29 ther® was a colliery explosion at Kyisliia, m Japan. My statements may all be readily checked. The evidence, I claim, still supports me so persistertlf as to remove any suggestion of my merely guessing. To explain fully how forecasts it® made is a large c rder, for no one can understand earthquakes without understanding in turn the workings of the earth’s interior, the history (or development) of a planet, the workings of the sun, and the law relating universal rotation, which I say is allimportant. However, I will now gladly follow up this letter with a few direcj Lons which will place all The rfu* readers in a position to do what not yet been done outside New Zea.and—to prognosticate many earthquakes. F. R. FIELD-

LIFE-SAVING DISPUTE Sir.— I am reported to have said that f* the Life Saving Society had receiveo one -third of the proceeds of the union it would have built baths ana taught swimming, and that this really the duty of the clubs. I actually said was that if PonsonbT Swimming Club received that tuni h would probably build a swimming and teach swimming with the raone* and that this was the duty swimming clubs and the Auckianu Swimming Centre, and nothing to 'vith the constitution and aims of Royal Life Saving Society. R. MOOR, hon. secSurf