Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 973, 16 May 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say—

(To the Editor.)

OLD AGE PENSIONS Sir, — Mr. Endean, in the Parnell election campaign, expressed himself in favour of raising the Old Age Pension. As the pension is based on the cost of living, a rise would make no difference to the recipients and I am more than ever convinced, from my own experience, that if pensioners were settled in garden homes prepared by the State no further pension increase would be needed as, by gardening, we could easily earn a few shillings a week and the work would be a healthful exercise for us and would probably assist in reducing the heavy hospital burden we are now carrying. As for the Reform Party, it was given an opportunity to put the plan into operation and turned it down. WILLIAM PERRY. Great Barrier Island. MACHINES AND INDUSTRY Sir, In your issue of The Sun of May 13 you have an article in connection with the Master Grocers, who had a meeting and passed resolutions regarding price-cutting. I see they are asking tor the Government to assist also, in an appeal for the purchase of New Zealand-made goods. For some time past now you have devoted a whole page to advertising these goods and also given reasons why they should be purchased, and in one particular issue was an article in connection with the boot industry, where an emploj er stated that, if a certain extra number of boats could be sold, he would purchase extra machines \t that time I wrote to the Manufacturers’ Association and asked would the machines be made in New Zealand or purchased abroad, but, to date, I have not had that question answered, and one of the main things the manufacturer should do is to look round his own factory to see what machines he has that are of foreign make. If New Zealand-made goods are io be purchased, the worker must have the wherewithal to do so and we find that in over 50 per cent, of the firms the machines used for manufacturing New Zealand-made goods are foreign make. R. F. BARTER. Secretary. Engineers’ Union. We have before us a copy of a letter,

y° u 0,1 s ®Ptember 6, in which Mr * y ’ s f cr ftary to the Auckland Manufacturers Association, points out that a considerable portion of the machinery used in the boot industry is obtained from the British United Company, which is jointly British and AmeriSSEr w £ lc : h appears to have a monopoly of what are called the “kev” machines of the industry. They will not ?PLG thes f rr,achir »es. but practical!v hire them out on a royalty basis. So far as , N t w Zealand boot manufac™rers purchase British machines. Mr. Tmdlay adds: “The policy of the association is to encourage the manufacture of all requirements and although the manufacture of boot machinery, owing to patents and the installation of the necessary plant—-with the prospect of onlv a rather restricted demand—is difficult thiassociation is satisfied that provided efficient machines can be produced, the boot manufacturers would be onlv too pleased to support them, even at a slightly higher price.” Mr. Findlay in his letter to you also said that his association was prepared to co-operate in every possible way with your union in encouraging the production of anv machinery that would be of assistance to Xew Zealand industry.—Ed. The Sun. MR. FIELD’S WORK Sir.A number of your correspondents have written eulogistically of Mr. Field’s contributions to The Sun, and I have heard the same appreciation expressed by many people. I wish to say something of a more practical nature. For several years Mr. Field has looked in vain for recognition of his work by the Government’s scientific advisers. Though local scientists are no doubt willing enough to learn all they can from one who has made discoveries far beyond their knowledge, it is not to be expected that they will help him to put themselves in the shade. However, scientists outside Xew Zealand, who have studied Mr. Field’s work, express satisfaction with it and can find no flaw in it. In Auckland, people interested in tin* advancement of science who have read portions of Mr. Field’s work published in The Sun, and those who have attended his lectures, feel convinc ed that his discovery is the greatest advance yet made in science Such work should not be lost, or even five general announcement of it come from ; nv oth' ~ untrv excm.r New Zealand. Scientific Society be formed in Auck-

land. Others to whom I have mention*’ 1 this matter are strongly of the sair^ members from all over Xew Zealand, probably from other countries. and eventually develop upon the lines *•' the Linr.ean Society but with .• nmn wrid -r . clentffie range. C. 'V. 11. DICKERING.