LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. Sib,—l read with pleasure the open letter to -Mr Massey by Mr J. MacGregor'in your issue of Saturday last. J trust )t lias Dcen read, by the majority of tlio members of the working olait>,awl that lliey will study it in a unbiased manner. Mr MacGregor has put the wholo question ill such a simple way, that anyone who is not led away by Socialistic leaders will understand it.

The unions cry " Down with monopoly," but what are thev wanting for their members? All the work in tho dominion. Is that not monopoly—just what they are trying to kill? It means that an honest, worker has no right to work nnless he is a member of their body. I say, a body of men have every right to start a union, but let membership of it bo voluntary, cot com■pulsor.v. Tho moil who believo in compulsory unionism abhor the word "compulsory" in connection with military training. ' * . . . I say it is not British fair play, of which we boast so much in our supposed free country. " Free country," I say, yet you are not free to earn your honest living, because some say you must join their union before you are free to work.—l am, etc., , Equal Right to Woiu;. Cavensham, June 30.

THE LOWER PORTOBELLO ROAD. Sir,—Mr Fulton wa 3 a little behind the time in signing his name to the letter in tlio Daily Times of June 23, for Mr Elliott had informed the public through your columns who the /person was that drove a motor car on a road that was not open to motor traffic and complained of not being fairly treated. If Mr Fulton is one of the progressive party on tho Portobello Road Board .let him, with the rest of tiie parly, get the road_.widened first and then open it. to motor traffic. That .would be justice to all those who live down that way and make their living, and would not favour people of means who own motor care in town raid just have n- summer "crib" to visit at their own. pleasure. The road is very much used by children during the good weather, and I think their little !iy?s are more precious to tho dominion than motor cars are, for ive have- dono many years without motor cars, but we cannot do without our rising generation, In another letter in the same issue. of your paper Mr Onkden (another motorist, said that the horses did not pay for the road. Well, no! But the farmers have done 60, for till just a few years back (S'>r« rs always a toll-gate on that road.— I am, etc., Live and Let Live.

THE HIGHCLIFF DEVIATION. Sin,—l should like to inquire through .your, papej- why the Government has not gono on with the inquiry concerning the above deviation. It is more than six months since the inquiry 'was started, and it was to have been concluded a few weeks afterwards. That is the last heard of it so far. If this is a specimen of the present Government's square deal, about whicih wo have heard so much, I do not think much of it. In my' opinion the inquiry should have been concluded one' way or the other. before 'the election of the new board, winch took place some time ago. Now, the Highcliff end of the district has put in a majority against the deviation, and things are at a standstill again. Tho biggest fai;ce of the whole matter is that tho present chairman of -the board, wlio is strongly opposed to the proposed deviation, has to depend on those who are strongly in favour of it to help Jiia milk wagon up the hill of contention nearly every day. Last winter it was the same, or oven worse than this year. I often wonder how he would get on if his helpers refused to assist him up when wanted. He would have to go up the hill for heln,_ ami then wo might not hear so'much ot>jcetion against the deviation. , I would Irlce to know why the first survey bringing tho road out at Harvey's, was dropped, us, in my opinion and that of n jrocd many others, it is the best place for the proposed deviation, and I thoroughly believe that if the old board had stuck to that survey, it would have- put it through .without much trouble. Tho price that was being allowed for overhead tracks and subways would very nearly malcd tho road through by Harvey's. In comparison with

the lower survey it would not cost a third of fclio money to make, and it would 3iiit the Highcliff. people far better. No one can blamo the board for having objected to the other survey, as it would be worse than useleaj to it. Now, I would like to seo the present board take up the shorter route • by Harvey's a3 a compromise, and put the road through. The expenso would be as nothing oompared with the other route, and a good road, which is much needed, would be tho rosult. Instead of damaging the farms it w&it through' it would improve them. I think Iho present board should do' something in the matter, and not lot'the thing fall through now it has gone so far forward.—l am, eta., Saxdyuoont

WATER DIVINING. Sir,—The Sa.nitary Record ami Municipal Engineering, a paper which 1 is said to have tho largest circulation of any journal in the world that is devoted to municipal 'engineering and - public health, has just organised and succMsfully, carried out a number of tests of water diviners at Guildford, England. The journal deserves every credit for the unbiassed manner in whicn it approached the subject, courtesy with "which it treated tho examming. body of experts, and also tho;o who. Ji«t.vo_ full faith in their powers of divination, and'it deserves' the thanks bf the civilised world, for putting to flight, for a time at any, rate, the absurd superstition of the dark ages which bote up every now and again, as it has done in many countries since it was first deeeribed by Agric-ola in a work on mining, published at Basle in 1540. I have tested two local "dowsers,'.' and conclusively proved that tho ''influence" on the twig can be mado so -inaccurate, if not' abolished, by the simple expedient of blindfolding the "carrier," that it is practically certain that conscious or unconscious contraction of the musclcs is the true cause of the desoent of the twig.

The "Guildford Committee included Mr Wm, Whittaker, F.R.S. (chairman), Professor Henry Adams. M.1.C.E., Dr Burnett Ham, M.D. (Chief Health Officer of Victoria, Australia!, Dr Herbert Lapworth, D.Sc., F.G.S., M.1.C.E., Dr Samuel Rideal, D.Sc., F.C.S., Mr C. Chambers Smith, ed'tor of the Sanitary Record,' M.1.M.E.. and M.I.C.K, and a Fellow of the Royal Sanitarv Institute, and Mr H. Searles Wood. F.R.1.8.A., and F.R. San. I, " The demonstration was undertaken by us" (says tho Sanitary Record) "ns a consequence of lengthy correspondence which commenced on October 11 of last year, wherein claims were set up by, or on bcihalf of, water diviners whese sincerity was apparently beyond question—while these claims were disputed by some of the ablest geolojrsts and water engineers of the dev. Ardent, belief in tho powers claimed by 'dowsers' wo knew, hold by estate owners, and by some councillors of districts, and others, and the subject being of great interest from the public health, as well as the scientific point of view, we eventually deeded to facilitate a meetins; of scientists and diviners, whereat the latter might be ablo to demor.strate practically their powers." The Guildford diviners were taken to certa\n fields in or near the town, fields whore, ihero were known sewers, containing running water; one contained' a large underground reservoir, from which water was specially allowed to escape at 1 great pressure and in Urge quantitiesanother field contained a known but hidden spring of larpe pressure, and all of tho tests were carried out' on ground which was known geologically, and the committco of experts was quite familiar with the nature of the ground, and by. means of pegs and plans knew whore tho water was. In all fomc seven well known " dowsers" (one a German doctor ivho had come over for the occasion) took part in tho demonstration..

The Sanitary Record sums up: — It cannot' be said, we thuik, by any impartial person that tho summary of results and tho conclusions, for both of which the committee as a body is collectively responsible, arc otherwise than fair and devoid of bias. We we able to state here and now that several of the members were predisposed towards the claims put forward by the diviners, and anticipated that the latter would in 6orne degree confirm them. In this, however, they acknowledge that they have been disappointed. The divineiß have failed to carry conviction. Moreover, as will bo 6een from • the report, the practically _ entire absence of agreement in the findings of the diviners, who went over the 6amc ground separately; their inability to discover the p'rese.nc<? of a large body of water on site No. 2, which contained ail underground service reservoir; thoir failure to discover sewers, and a well known spring yielding 50,000 gallons per hour, have led the committee to report against their claims to be able, to find hidden or underground waters. .Whilst the committee acknowledges that sensitiveness to underground water may exist in certain persons, and of which 6ome'evidence has been given, it is not sufficiently definite or reliable to be of much practical value. Tho lack of agreement with each other shows that it 16 .more a matter of personal mentality than any direct influence of the water. The diviners as a rule confine their attention to small underground streams of water,. and as there are few places where these cannot be found, they may well show , a large percentage of successes. The diviners publicly acknowledged at Guildford the fairness with which the trials had been conducted, and agreed to all the conditions laid down by tho committee of scientists. The trials have shown that the so-called gift cannot be deemed to be an " art" or a " science." On the' other hand it may be acknowledged that certain pereons arc, or may be, physically affected by tho presence of underground water, just as some pereons are physically affected by coming changes in weather conditions. In saying this we are fully conscious of tho sincerity of those who believe they are endowed with

the gift of "dowsing." Filially, w.hilc again acknowledging on our. own behalf and that of our readers, the valuable services given by the committee, we aleo wi6h to thank those diviners who so'chclrfully attended t'o demonstrate their powers. That the subject was one which aroused great interest has been shown by the voluminous correspondence whinh lias readied us, and the attention which has been given to it by the daily and weekly press in this and foreign coun-

This practical demonstration in the " heart "of tho Empire—a demonstration I which was worked up "after six months' notice and preparation, and to which the noted dowsers" of Europe had ready access—should settle the matter, onoe for all in this country, so that we shall have no more abeiird statements by city or suburban councillors or trustees of public bodies as to the advisability of spending money on "dowsers."—l am, etc., Robert Fuitox.

THE UNIVERSAL HALF HOLIDAY. Sir,—We have now the. Saturday halfholiday operating in two of our largest, citics, and according to the opinion of the people, it wilr not. be very long before the fflmc change will take place in the other two citics. As regards Dunedin, there arc ttwo great poin'ts which have to bo considered—the trade of the .place, and the interests of tho workers. These, of course, run oai'ullel, and if the Saturday half-holi-day is earned here under present conditions, the set-back to trade will be very .serious. The old cry that matters will soon adjust themselves, and that the fame "amount of money will be spent, will need a little revision, - for we shall find that the same amount of money may be spent, but not in Duncdin, Already tho cry from Auckland from a certain number of shopkeepers is to go baok to old conditions, or make the closing universal. Why i 6 this outcry made? Because the half-holiday was entered into before preparations had been made for it. In the first place, a universal mid-week pay day must, be' compulsory, so that by Saturday the great majority will not bo inconvenienccd if the shops are dosed on that afternoon. Most of the shopkeepers moke a bold bid for a. Saturday trade by concentrating their efforts upon it. Let then) distribute their efforts right through, the week, and congestion at week-ends will be a thing of tho past. Now a word or two how it will affect Dunedin in a trading sense. We must assume, in the first place, thaik • it.. is the oi'by itself which is in : favour of tSaturday,

and not the country districts. The question next arises, in what outside area should Bunedin claim to have trading intorcete? In other words, where should the

dividing lino bo between city ajid country? A radius of 25 or 30 miles round Dimedin and all dtlior cities, should put this matter right, ofchorwiso t.rado will drift away from the city. If the present- small radius i 6 returned, it will mean being made the centre of trade for the country people, on the one hand; and instead of people | coming to town- from Ravenebourne, Burlcos, and other places. • they will simply go tho other way to Port. Those people who greatly want t.he change of holidays ( g-eneroJly say, "Give ns the holiday at nil I costs," but this will not do. ' We know tho change will oome, but H us prepare the way. A perfect fidjuafcrnwit of tho whole question would ba to mako it, luiiveroil. This, of opureo, will not come, ss tho country districts do not want Saturday at any price, i and if our leading shopkeepers aro building on this way out they will regret it.-I a.m, cto.„ Wouker.

THE CATLINS-TAHAKOPA RAILWAY. Sni,—l have just iiad the opportunity of reading Mr It. At. Lawson's .letter on tJie abovo subject, and the letters of two other gentlemen in reply, aud if you will grant me space I will try to explain tho lacus. As chairman ot the local Railway League I have been iu close touch wit/h tho progress of the line lor many years, and the action of the i'apitowai iolks oame as a fcuriir:so to my league. The meeting held l at Tahakopa, .oompiainwl of by Mr lara-aon, did not comprise six settlers, as he says, but numbered 14. Tlieao sottiers form tho iooal league, and from them almost alone has our Duncdin League been able to ob- . tain information as to the progress of the line. Tho rceidoirts of Papatowai, Burnt Flat, lautulcu, and Chaskick, who came to light in your oolumns last week, have been "'dead'' all these yeaxs so far as ]assisting in the furtherance of the welfare of this important district is concerned. This indifference has thrown on the settlers of Tahakopa all the activities in connection •with tlio advancement of the railway for the :pasc live years. Therefore, when I received a wire from the Dunedin Leaguo to send a resolution concerning the terminus to the Prime Minister, the local league promwly 'met as usual, and sejit on the resolution. Papatowai residents not living at the terminus wero not thought of in connection with the meeting, and this is what Mr Lawson takes exception to. The gathering convened by Mr Lawson in Papatowai station yard was not notified to tile people of Taluv kopa, and was planned to rush_ through a resolution that the active section of the valley -would promptly have vetoed in the interest of public welfare. The statements of the Dunedin and local leagues as to the potentialities of tlve respcctivo parts of tho valley may bo accepted as accurate. The people from Owoka to Chaslands have all 'been benefited by the earnest- andi impartial efforts of tho Oatlin6T&hakopn Railway League to advance tho construction of this railway, and for a meeting of excited persons, actuated by the narrowest of parochial views, to condemn the league of misrepresentation was an act of shameful ingratitude. Regarding the petition of 70 6ettlere to have Papatowai made the terminus, it is well known locally that such a number of residents will not at present be served by this station. I was told that many had signed this petition who are now served by the Caberfeidh Station, or will soon be served by tho station they appliwl for, and had 1 granted, at Stuart's corner. I have thus shown how unfair and improper are the tactics that ihave been adopted to mislead, tho Government and public. At the public meeting, at"K.ahudia on Saturday night MiMark Cohen very temperately and clearly showed how tho Duccdin League had always urged the construction of the lino into the heart of the valley, not to tho foot of it at Papatowai, and how ministers and leading officials had supported the league in this. Residents tin tho valley maintain that a daily train service to Tahakopa terminus, or Stoddart's as it is sometimes called, would not dtprive Papatowai of any ecryices or benefits, and when Mr Lawson admitted on Saturday that all they wanted at Papatowai was a stationmaster, to act as postmaster, and that the terminus ,w«6 welcome to tho terminal buildings necessary to tihe proper working of the lino ho showed how unjust they liad 1 beon in applying for what they now say they do not want and in causing all this disturbance for nothing. Mr Cohen and the Tahakopa settlers heartily agreed that Pawatowai was deserving of evory facility that tho trade of tho place would warn-nt, and that at its best Papatowai would prove a useful source of supplies to tho train as it. passes to and fro from the terminus at Tahakopa.—l am, etc., Juno 30. Claude G. Mabtin.

"AN EXAGGERATED GRIEVANCE." Sir—My attention has just been called to a lotter in your paper of June 23, headed " An Exaggerated l Grievance," in which 'the writer, Who signs himself "Law n Order," expresses satisfaction at the tone of your sub-leader in a previous issue regarding the dismissal of Constable Smyth. Ho docs not, however, go the whole way with you, for he evidently does not believe Smyth to bo "qualified for different employment from that the had recently been following." I can quite understand his reasons for doubting the genuineness of the composition by ex-Constable Smyth to which lie refers. One of the sentences certainly looks very unlike what one would expect from a constable, but when I tell " Law 'n Order" that Smyth knows as close acquaintances Macaulay, J. S. Mill, Carlyle, and all the lessor lights, for 15 years or so, and that he hoick many prizes for composition, he will be glad to acknowledge that Smyth knew the meaning of ''Oligarchy" and all the other words he need for even longer than " three weeks," and; willingly admit that in writing letters Smyth needs no assistance. —I am, etc., Ex-Constable Smyth's Father. ■ Oamaru, June 26.

REGISTRY OFFICE FEES. Sir,—l am glad to see that Mr llaesey means to Sivo" the workers a square deal regarding, the registry officc fees. There are two officcs in Dunedin which do not clwrgo the employers. It is only right that the employers should pay at least half of the fee—l am, etc., A Squake Deal.