Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 981, 26 May 1930, Page 10

Citizens Say—

(To the Editor.)

HOSPITAL FINANCE Sir, As hospital expenses increase it seems increasingly difficult to devise means to meet them. May Ibe allowed to suggest a means of raising money? It is well known that a huge sum of money annually leaves New Zealand for sweeps in Tasmania. Why not tap this source of revenue and keep the money in the country? If possible get the Government to open a bank in connection with the present Savings Bank, or perhaps the hospitals could combine and run it themselves, money to be deposited and interest allowed at, say, 4>- per cent. At intervals sweeps could be drawn for accumulated inter-'i est: interest, only, to be drawn for: | capital to remain intact, and be avail- |

j able to depositor on giving one month’s i notice Every £1 deposited would j carry one chance a month after one month. Prize money could be taxed 25 per cent, (and this would be less than the t;oces and costs on Tasmanian sweeps). it is a fact that the most difficult money for a person to save is the first few pounds. Once having saved this, he becomes ambitious to save more. The lure of the sweep would induce many to save who would not otherwise do so. Thus we would have cheap money for the hotly running the hank, a source of considerable revenue for the hospitals, encouragement of thrift, and the prizes would be the means of giving manv a man a start in life. EPSOM.

(Continued in next column.)

BUILD THE BRIDGE Sir. Xorth Sl ore residents should not become downhearted at the unreasonable finding of the Harbour Bridge Commission. The commissioners were Southern men, and not thoroughly conversant with local conditions, tie needs and possibilities of the marine boroughs and adjacent bays, and tie large area of land remaining undeveloped through lack of adequate means of communication with the city. In my opinion, the members of tie Bridge Association should have refrained from giving evidence until local commercial representatives were included in the personnel of the commission. Again, considering that the Public Works Department at Wellington is hopelessly behind the time*, it was useless to expect any inspiration or support from that quarter. In gving evidence at the commission, and with a view of reducing cost. I advised the commissioners to eliminate the proposed causeways, that the vertical clearance should not exceed 133 feet, and the horizontal clearance 450 feet. Had the commissioners adopted my suggestions, a bridge between Fanshawe Street and Northcote Point could have been constructed at almost half their estimate. And the Bridge Association would be wise to approach the Government upon these matters when applying for permission to build the bridge by private enterprise. Although a bridge fitted with a lifting span would not, comparatively speaking. be a very expensive undertaking, for obvious reasons that system should not be adopted. The commission’s assertion that the present time is not opportune for the construction of a cross-harbour byidge carries no weight, because thoughtful local residents realise that by creating its own traffic the bridge would pay. However. 25,000 persons differ with the commissioners’ report, and as an experienced bridge builder I have no hesitation in saying that construction of the Waitemata bridge is feasible, and can be accomplished in the near future, with a minimum of delay, if supporters of the project will realise the necessity of providing the committee with financial assistance. Assuming that a Government grant of £250,000 would be available, and a large sum could J>e raised by an art union, the balance of the cost of construction should not press heavily upon the shoulders of the ratepavers. JOHN GUIXrVEN. Takapuna. “THE SPORTING PARSON” Sir, — With reference to my series of races against the youthful Mr. McKinnon at the Domain on Wednesday, I would be glad if you would insert in your always impartial paper two small corrections. It was inadvertently stated that the races were ‘‘the outcome of a bet.” This was due to a misunderstanding, and was not so. It may be added that it was not my sprinting exploits that had been described, but those of a brother, of Remuera. He was a first-class sprinter, and won many valuable trophies, clocks, cups. etc. With reference to the race: Having improvised a pair of running shoes in a desperate hurry, my amateurish attempt at shoe construction was by no mean* conducive to good sprinting. CHARLES ADDENBROOKEMR. FIELD’S WORK Sir,— I wish to coinmend the suggestion of Mr. C. W. H. Pickering contained in his letter of Friday, May 16. This is that a Field Scientific Society be formed in Auckland to obtain more recognition for the valuable work o* Mr. Frederick R. Field. our local scientist. It is now evident that no | assistance in this direction can b* | expected from the Government iis seemingly quite indifferent to the fact that Mr. Field’s work is of inestina- , able value to New Zealand and tn# ; world at large. As Mr. Field hiraseii : states, the credit for at least one OI i his discoveries has gone to a foreign | country—in this case, Japan. Con- ; sidering this, it will be seen that an> movement designed to check such mi - ' appropriation and to obtain from scientific world rightful recognition ~~ I his work deserves th** fullest enrols* ugement and support. A scientiu*. society such as Mr. Pickering proposes would. 1 feel sure, help to make MrField’s discoveries as widely : as they deserve to be —that is. all over the world. For this reason I trust th* i the society will be established. T. L. BIRKS ; St. Heliers Bay. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENT “Ratepayer.”—Your letter has appeared in another newspaper. —Fa The Sun.