Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 993, 9 June 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

BROADCASTING RACES Sir, — On the front page of your issue of June 6 appeared sarcastic references to the broadcast of the Great Northern Steeples by the Auckland radio sports announcer. You have evidently overlooked the fact that the announcer is doing: his very best to give the radio listeners as good a description as is possible under adverse conditions. LISTEN-IN. NOT YET ENDORSED Sir, Your correspondent, “One-Street Town,” is not to be taken seriously, I know, but I should like to point out to him that the opposition to the Albert Street tramways proposal is not confined to Queen Street shopkeepers. Ratepayers and citizens generally who want Auckland to develop according to a well-considered plan, are strongly opposed to any transport or other civic project that has not received the endorsement of public opinion. And I venture to say that at the present stage of Auckland’s history, when town planning is being taken seriously by the City authorities, universal approval will not be given to the proposed Albert Street tramway extension for the simple reason that it has not been studied in relation to the expected trend of development. RATEPAYER. MR. FIELD'S WORK Sir.— In a recent issue of The Sun, Mr. C. W. Pickering’s letter exhibits unnecessary sensitiveness. It is clear that your correspondent does not yet recognise the methods used in scientific research. So much so, that I do not propose wasting your valuable i-pace with amplifications of this topic, the basis of which can be verified at any proper source of inquiry, and to which Mr. Pickering offers no alternative. It would be strange if he were able to do so l I pointed out the steps that any scientist might take to gain acceptance for his conclusions. Personalities do not count here; the sole question at issue is the value of the work done. Discriminating members of the lay public naturally look to the trained experts for expression of opinion on such matters. Then, why the tirade from Mr. Pickering about amateur status, and so forth? The qualify of Mr. Field’s work and the validity of his conclusions will give him his place in science, irrespective of labels. In-

cidentally, I was pointing out general principles, to which I give no qualification, in spite of your correspondent’s distortions. It is perhaps regrettable that Mr Field’s name came in as an illustration. But these principles apply to Mr. Field as to anyone else. Mr. Bickering's verbal splutterings are, therefore, intemperate and superfluous. I wish Mr. Field every success in bis researches, but I do not take Mr. Pickering’s word as to their value! Partisanship of this kind may be more embarrassing to the recipient than the reasoned criticism which is in store for every research worker. Hence, I trust that Mr. Field, ultimately, will not have to say, “Save me- from my friends!” MOLECULE. NEW MINISTER OF LABOUR Sir.—• The new Minister of Labour, the Hon S. G Smith, has made his first oration on the unemployed problem and states that the Government realises the seriousness of the position and every effort made to meet the situation.” What else could he have said? And the 5,000-odd remain unemployed and patiently await the Government’s every effort.” He ends up by intimating that the Government is not the only body which should use “everv effort” to solve the problem and hints that private employers and mere citizens should do their bit also; maybe view of sharing the responsibihty of possible or probable failure of the aforesaid “every effort.” 7^ le R° n * - A - Veitch said somet 4S *i Similar on man y occasions, but still the unfortunate unemployed remained unemployed. Then Mr. Veitch discovered that unemployed from Australia were coming over and participating in the Government’s unemployed relief schemes and it occurred to many that Mr. Veitch meant this discovery to explain to the simple taxpayer why unemployment was increasing in spite of the Government’s every effort.” Simultaneouslv with Mr. Veitch’s discovery, his own Go\ ernment sent over to Australia for a. master for the Government vessel Mam Pomare when there were manv full> qualified shipmasters unemplovpd m New Zealand. Mr. Veitch has never ex P.^ in f d how this masterpiece of political stupidity came about. Can the new Minister oT Labour explain it. seeing that the vacancy was in the marine service, perhaps the Minisl er Marine can elucidate the mvst^ry. Or will it remain for ever one calsea U ? TlSOlVed mysteries of the politiApropos the Question of unemploved mariners in Auckland: Only last week (Continued in next column.}

a well-known Auckland skipper with an excellent record and still in his early forties, shipped away as third mate on a tramp steamer, glad to get away from the stagnant pool of unemployment in Auckland. He was envied by the many less fortunate brethren who cannot leave their wives and families and who are forced by circumstances to remain ashore—perhaps till the next election—until a job turns up on a locally-owned boat. When the Hon. S. G. Smith sought the aid, of “private employers and citizens” to help solve the unemployment within our shores, it is a thousand pities he did not think of invoking the aid of all Government departments as well. GREY LYNN. PREFERENCE AND PREJUDICE Sir.— Your sub-leader of Thursday last should do much to make housewives realise their responsibilities as purchasers, and point the way to an improvement in our economic position. But, to my mind, there is one important factor affecting the sale of local products which has been overlooked. You state that if women declare and maintain a firm unswerving preference for New Zealand-made goods, the economic menace of excessive importations and crippled home manufactures will disappear. This is true, but how are we to induce women who have a decided prejudice against locally-made goods to acquire a preference? YVant of thought can be overcome by propaganda and other mental stimuli, but New Zealand manufacturers have a more difficult obstacle to face before local industry can receive the impetus it so badly needs. I refer to the prejudice against our products shown by the overseas immigrants, who seem to have a fixed idea that nothing good can ccme out of New Zealand. Whether the purchase is an overcoat or a packet of pills, the overseas product is preferred. When a locally-made article of similar price and superior quality is shown such a purchaser will declare that she desires to buy what she is used to, and openly doubts the value of local manufactures. In the grocery trade this is particularly noticeable and the large number of small groceries stocked with overseas products for overseas immigrant customers is the outcome of this preference. Cheap (and probably nasty) medicines and toilet preparations are displayed in some shops and find a ready sale to the detriment of our local chemists* trade. I am told that one establishment in a wellknown shopping centre much frequented by these biased shoppers intends to stock only the imported goods made by a well-known English firm of manufacturing chemists. Now, sir, we hear and read a great deal about Empire trading, and much can be said in favour of such a policy, but if we are to put our own countlS on a sound footing, to help our loeCj industries, and to do anything worlt while to ensure a diminution in present employment and a safeguard against future poverty and degradation for the rising generation, we must devis# some means of overcoming such prejudice. An appeal to people’s intelligence is futile unless we have tb*p goodwill. How this is to be gainst 2 our problem. I should be glac. ** know if any of your readers can gest a solution. The prejudice the immigrant coupled with the letnargy of the New Zealander has brought about the present conditions, 2-**d both must be taken into considerstion forming any scheme for improvement I agree with Miss Melville that something more lasting and reliable than an intermittent demand for New Zea* land-made goods is required, and hope that her mission will result in the creation of a truly patriotic outlook on this matter from all classes ol tn# community. 21. B. SOLJABi