Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1022, 12 July 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say —

A KINDLY THOUGHT Having read the letter signed • Higher” in The Sun of Wednesday. 1 uni sending a small sum. Will you kindlv ask him to accept it to help him with his rent. Hoping he will soon sue some brighter days. IX MEMORY OF AX UNKNOWN GRAVE OX GALLIPOLI. Our correspondent enclosed a 10s not*.-. Tliis has been forwarded to “Digger.”— Ed.. The Sun. CHAIR OF MUSIC Sir.— Many music students, both past and present, of Auckland University School of Music, will resent the remark passed by Mr. E. J. Gravestock in the interview with your musical editor proposing the founding of a Chair of Music at the University. One realises that entrepreneurs are more concerned with £ s d than with music itself and that they cannot be .expected to judge local appreciation of music by any means other than box-office receipts. Nevertheless, Mr. Gravestock’s ignorance of the existence of u chair of music at Auckland University is unpardonable.. We students have good reason to be proud of Dr. W. E. Thomas and his influence on the musical development of Auckland during the last 30 years. We all realise how fortunate we are in having such a scholarly musician as our professor. C. STUART PAXTIXG. MUSIC WEEK AND BROADCASTS Sir. The attitude of the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand to the efforts of Auckland to popularise Music Week is typical of the company’s demeanour to anything which is in the interests of the general public. When thero is a possibility of getting something for nothing, without necessarilygiving public service, the Radio Broadcasting Company is waiting on the doorstep to clinch a deal. But when there is an opportunity of serving a large body of listeners-in at a modest price, legitimately imposed, the company displays a meanness of the worst type. I think it is time the public had a say in the working of the Radio Company. The contract between the company and the Government is a question of public interest, and the manner in which the contract is being carried out is also of vital concern. At present there are something like 55,000 1 licence holders in tlie country—another

(To the Editor.)

fact which suggests that the public is interested. What of the company’s promise to improve the programmes and the broadcast facilities when the licences had reached a certain figure? Why Is it that everyone who can tunes in to Australian stations in preference to the Xew Zealand broadcasts? The answer is simple. The outside broadcasts are better, despite the fact that the New Zealand company has a monopoly under the protective wing of the State. What is the Listeners' League? Who are its members, and what are li-.t y doing to stand this sort of thing? DISGRUNTLED. “A CIVIC RECEPTION” Sir, — Tlier© lias been some controversy oh tlie subject of hanging:. Some of your correspondents proclaim the rope to be an inhuman and ghastly form of punishment, but I maintain that had any of the flesh and blood of these persons been murdered a different talc would be told. If hanging is such a barbarous thing the best *hing we can do for a. murderer is to give him a civic reception. a medal, a pat on the back and a friendlv admonition not to do it agrain ABOLITION. ROAD ACCIDENTS | Siri At the recent annual meeting of the j New Zealand Alliance a resolution was ! adopted urging the Government to inj struct the Health Department to prepare a statement setting forth the effects of alcohol in regard to motor driving for distribution to motor drivers. May I appeal to motorists generally, and especially to motor associations, to write to the Minister of Transport supporting this recommendation. and suggesting that if the Health Department is unable to finance the production, a grant be made from the motor taxation funds to permit of such a statement being circulated to all registered owners of motor vehicles and to all new applicants for drivers’ licences. I believe that all Will agree that such action cannot fail to help in minimising the terrible toll of the road. J. MALTON MURRAY. General Secretary, New Zealand Alliance. THRASHING OF CHILDREN I*' The aelion of the magistrate in i Wanganui in ordering a whipping to > the two boys under 14 who set fire to

a school will probably '-P* 0 jjr hornets' nest of protest tors It does seem a ' bit ov«^ ; odds” that youngsters can be “w a birching for offence- again* perty, whereas men whofjurhildie* most horrible crimes against , rmt . escape with a year or two of re | tive detention. Time diet judges have issued vanuM? - r gyt bo a flogging next time, but time" has not come in New js. for many years. Yet. which i- tV I more serious crime in llie public? One does not nted w j answer. There is something I with our penal system when tn I is whipped and a man guilt> of ] serious offence escape* with PARENTAL CONTROL NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENT^ T.B.V.—You have not ' j name and address. — Kd- ™ put* i “Wet Blanket.”—lnadv*aM« j lish.