PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20512, 31 May 1938, Page 11

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents, whose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write # in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, iheir letters will not appear.

ANBWERB TO CORRESPONDENTS TRAVELLER.—The matter, without any names being 1 mentioned will be placed before the authorities for their consideration. ART 6EOTION •(To the Editor) Sir,~-A brief reply to ••Homo”: If ‘Homo” read and understood the conditions governing any dispute in any section of the Winter Show exhibition he must know that the correct place is the secretary’s office, and if such a protest is lodged the fee is 10s. The Judge at the last exhibition was a well-known and experienced Auckland artist and judge of art, so perhaps •‘Homo’s” opinions may look ridiculous. Twice the size of the figure-head was “the conditions,” and in most coses, both last year and the previous year, these conditions were carried out. The only fault in some of the drawings was that the competitors tried to improve the features of the original, instead of keeping exactly to the copy. On the whole, there was some very clever work. —I am, etc., FAIR PLAY. Frankton. May 28. FOOD VALUES (To the Editor) Sir,—At a very interesting lecture delivered in Hamilton on May 27, Dr. Gregory, of the Otago University, gave an analysis of milk, demonstrating that milk was a perfect food, containing every essential to health, excepting a small amount of vitamin C. Later in the evening Professor Strong professed herself as not in agreement with some of the presentday so-called "food-faddists”; yet in Instancing an expq**iment of the evil effects of refined foods and food deficiencies on human beings, quoted Sir Robert McCarrison. surely a very eminent food faddist. To return to .the composition of milk, I should like very much indeed if Professor Strong would be kind' enough to answer me through your columns just one question. Where did the cow obtain the calcium, protein : vitamin, etc., content that she places In this life-sustaining and bodybuilding food —milk?—l am, etc., NATURAL FOOD. Gordonton, May 28. INCOME TAX (To the Editor) Sir,—ln filling in the Income tax return for the year Just ended a few thoughts suggested themselves. I would be pleased if any reader could supply me with information that would shift from my mind the impression that a few clauses are very unjust. I believe this form of taxation to be a very fair one; the fact of its being graduated makes it so. However, the part that does not appeal to me is as follows—under the heading, "Instructions,” Clause S 13: “Cost of travelling between taxpayer’s private residence and his place of business.” Now, Sir, I pay 4s weekly to travel to my work. I am not ailowsd any expenses for this, and I am taxed on this amount of 4s. The parly tj whom I pay it is also taxed on this amount, as it automatically becomes income to him. Another part that does not seem fair is that a taxpayer must include the whole of his earned income—i.e., 8d in the £ wages tax actually not handled by him; also £1 unemployment levy imposed on every male over the age of 20. Perhaps these items are quite just and fair, properly interpreted, but tq my mind they are just the reverse.—-I am, etc., J. RENDLE. Frankton, May 28. THE NATIONAL PARTY (To the Editor) Sir, —Canvassers on behalf of the National Party In Hamilton have been very busy recently and the method of operation in some cases was as follows : They would proceed to the office of a business man known to be a supporter of their party, and after he nad been signed up and his subscription collected he would then go out among his staff and invite them to come Into his office and meet the canvassers and join up. Now some of the members of the staffs in question have Informed me that they had no wish to join the National Party, but were afraid that if they did not do so when invited by the boss their jobs might be in jeopardy at some future date. This method of securing members of the party is merely a refined form of intimidation, and to my mind proves that the Nationalist are not sincere in their condemnation of compulsory unionism. The leopard cannot change his spots, and it seems that it is just a continuance of the old Tory system of the domination of the masses by a few capitalists and an example of what we may expect should they be again returned to power in this country. I would like io know why the speakers at the National Party meeting last Thursday considered it so vital that the trend towards Socialism he “smashed.” After 1900 years of capitalism thousands of people in this country were brought, during the depression years, to the verge of starvation in the midst of the greatest production of food, clothing and shelter we have ever known, and this proves that the system had outlived its usefulness. Now then ! s it not imperative that the system be changed? Socialism seems to be the best alternative a! the. moment: something must be done, and before the Nationalists decry a proposed system they should have an alternative to propound: but. no, they have nothing constructive, only a reversion to outworn capitalism. i wonder if the electors have forgotten the lessons of the slump years-—I am, etc., LYNEX. Frankton, May 30.

THING 6 POLITICAL (To the Editor) Sir,—As a Hamilton citizen who expected the Nationalists to make a bold bid for this seat I express disappointment on the choice of a candidate for Hamilton. The opportunity to choose a man well known and respected by Hamiltonians, who has lived and served here for years, was overlooked and an outsider was selected. Under the circumstances the sitting member has a big lead over his opponents on personal and residential qualifications alone. Mr Barrell has worked quietly and unostentatiously for the pood of the electorate, and has refrained scrupulously from taking sides in municipal affairs. More important still, he has been a resident of Hamilton, for years and knows its problems. He did not crash in from outside, using the electors as a lever to get into the House. In other electorates in the province the National Party seems to be making the tactical blunder of importing outside candidates with little or no associations with the electorates they are supposed to represent.. True, many people will support the party, not the person, at the coming election, but many other electors prefer their member to be one of themselves. There are too many political .iob-seekers in the National Party. That the electors have little regard for them is shown in the sad history of Mr Doidge, who, rejected by Rotorua and Manukau, is now soliciting the suffrages of Tauranga. Surely it cannot be said the National Party is so devoid of local talent that it has to depend on roving political job-hunters for candidates? — I am, etc., POLITICUS. Hamilton, May 29. (To the Editor) Sir.—l note that the Nationalist candidate selected for Hamilton is reported to have said that he “got the shock of his life' 1 as his selection. I have no doubt that the rank and file of Labour opponents were quite as much surprised. It appears that for some political expediency men who m their public and business life have made valuable contribution to the promotion of Hamilton’s progress and well-being are discarded in favour of one who is not resident in Hamilton and who has not made any conspicuous contribution that would suggest qualifications superior to what we have available right here in Hamilton. It surely cannot in truth be suggested that Hamilton is deficient politically to make it imperative to make a selection from elsewhere, or is it to be understood that the contribution of lengthy public service is to be ungratefully ignored ? I for one believe that political honours should be the recognition and reward for lengthy participation in public life, unless that person has forfeited the confidence of the people. If an individual referendum were possible I have little doubt that suoh would endorse the candidature of one who in the opinion of many with whom I have come in contact would be the popular choice by reason of many years of honourable and meritorious public service to Hamilton. Or is it to be understood that the publio life of Hamilton is such that it renders the individual undesirable politically?—l am, etc., CURIOUS. Claudelands, May 30. (To the Editor) Sir, —It is interesting to learn that the Nationalist Party members have passed by a local man who is well known to the citizens of Hamilton to select an imported one to contest the Hamilton seat in the party’s interests. It is also interesting to consider some of the remarks made by Mr Grant, as published in your columns of Friday, particularly his references to the socialistic evils which threaten our fair land. I assume that the National Party members selected Mr Grant because they were satisfied he was the most fitted from the point of view of intelligence, ability and sincerity to represent the constituency, and such being the case, he would, no doubt, have a thorough knowledge of Socialism, and what it would mean to the people if it replaced our present system, otherwise I feel sure that he would not ■lave expressed uncompromising opposition to Socialism, because no person who claimed to be intelligent would condemn anything without first obtaining a complete understanding of its functions and Now, Sir, I have come to believe, through my studies in my humble way, that Socialism is the nearest approach to true Christianity that man could possibly conceive, but since a man of Mr Grant’s undoubted experience has condemned it as being contrary to mv belief I am sorely troubled lest I have failed to understand it thoroughly, and I would deem it a favour of Mr Grant if he would explain to me the meaning of Socialism as he understands it. Trusting that Mr Grant will be able to see his way clear to do this and relieve my menial perplexity, —I am, etc., SAMUEL THE SEEKER. Hamilton, May 28.