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Letters to the Editor
CHARITIES AND
LOTTERIES
The Lord Mayor has once
again raised the vexed ques
tion of charities and a State
lottery. What he expects to
gain from it is hard to see. .
The Council of Churcnes nas
consistently stood for the pre
sent system of voluntary
donations supplemented by
Government aid.
It greatly regrets that the
appeal for £100,000 has not
been fully realised. Yet the
contribution made is no mean
sum, and Is the result of sac
rificial giving on the part of
many people. :
The churches can bear that
out to the full. Despite a wet
Hospital Sunday, their contri
butions were only /. slightly
lower- than those of the pre-
vious year, and it would be
foolish Indeed to dispense
with such a source of assis-
Friends in those States
where the lottery is in exis
tence are loud in their praises
of Victoria, and strongly urge
us to keep out what they
term "a social blight" from
our midst. This we' shall
wholeheartedly aim to do.
It is gratifying to read the
Premier's straightforward
statement on the matter, and
for it we heartily commend
him.— COURTENAY THOMAS
(Hon. Sec., Council Churches).
Poultry Industry
Mr. J. C. Woodier's state
ment (11/11) that the National
Poultry Farmers' Association
represents only a small section
of the industry is typical of,
criticism made by Irresponsible
people from time to time. The
N.P.F.A. has done more to put
the industry, on an economic
basis than all the other asso
ciations combined.
It would have done much
more for the benefit of pro
ducers had it not been retarded
by the disruptive tactics of
mushroom organisations such
as the misnamed Poultry
Farmers' Protection League,
formed for no other purpose
than to keep producers divid-
ed.
The N.P.F.A. has a construc
tive and consistent policy
which it believes producers will
eventually accept as the solu
tion of their marketing prob
lems.
The NJP.F.A. is financed, and
its officials, who are practical
producers, are democratically
elected by its members. If
Mr. Woodier really desires to
do something worthwhile for
the industry, I suggest he use
his endeavors to obtain unity
among producers, for until that
is achieved egg production will
remain the Cinderella of all
the primary industries.— G. H.
ROADLEY (State President,
N.F.P.A.) .
Clerks' Ballot
We hear much lip service
against Communistic control
of unions, but it will be in
teresting to see how. many
clerks who are financial with
the Clerks' Union are suffi
ciently Interested to use their
franchise in the present bal
lot and spend 2V4d. on a stamp
to return their ballot papers.
The only hope of defeating
the Communist junta in- con
trol at present Is for every
clerk to use, his vote, but I
suppose the usual 50 or 60 per
cent, only will be returned be
fore the closing date on, No
vember 21.— S. W. E. LLOYD
(Auburn). -
BRITAIN' NOT
BANKRUPT
One meets many people
nowadays who are In a de
pressed and pessimistic' state
because they have heard or
read suggestions that Britain
is bankrupt. A suggestion of
another kind restores confi
dence in the majbrity.,
Britain and her people may
never have been further from
bankruptcy than at present.
In contrast, circumstances In-,
side or outside British borders
indicate that her multi-party
political system and her pro
fit-motive economic system
may both be cascading to
bankruptcy.
The British people them
selves have the power, through
their Parliaments, to prevent
or, at least, lessen the effects
of a national casualty, but
while any minority class' has
the ability to place its own
interests before those of the
nation, Britons as a whole
must suffer.
Surely the greatest of all
British businesses— the British
nation— will not be allowed to
endure disaster through fail
ure to use preventive consti
tutional means.
As long as the character of
the British people does not
deteriorate, Britain will always
be solvent.— J. WUNDERLY
(South Yarra) .
Rate Increase
Collingwood ratepayers aro
justly concerned af the adver
tised intention of the council
to increase to. 3/ the presenr,
rate of 2/6 In the £1, at its
meeting on Monday next.
Judging by the present sound
state of the council's finances
this proposed new Imposition
appears totally unjustified, for
ratepayers are well aware that
during the war years and since
the rate of 2/6 In the pound
enabled the council— owing to
shortage of staff and materials
—to accumulate the handsome
sum of £80,000, which has been
invested In war loans.
Portion of this asset should
be utilised annually lor the
next few years to obviate the
necessity for any Increase in
rates.
In view of the facts stated,
it is hoped the council will
defer any increase In rates
until such time as the finan
cial position; actually necessi-
tates it.— a.\ J. DUNCAN
(Clifton Hill).
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