CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 136, 9 June 1911, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

HONEY POISONING AT. iWATMATE. NTJI. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I hope there will be a thorough investigation made into the actual cause of poisoning in this case, for though there seems, by the report published, no room to doubt that the poison, whatever it is, was in the honey, I feel sure it is not the Waoriki poisonous matter. My belief is that some extraneous substance, in no way related to the honey itself, has become mixed with the latter and caused the evil.—l am, etc., I. HOPKINS, Epsom. MR. NESBITT'S OPINION. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I wish to make a few remarks in reply to Mr. Nesbitt's absurd and scathing comments on the employees of the Auckland Tram Company, who are, from my experience, equal to those of Sydney or any other town under similar conditions. There are -black sheep in every flock—even Sydney is not exempt. According to Mr. Nesbitt's idea there must be an enormous amount of swans, peacocks, and birds of paradise in Sydney. When I was there these beautiful creatures, or the majority of them, were stowed away or locked up. It is marvellous what some persons see when travelling without a gun. Greater Sydney has a population over 630.000; Greater Auckland, a little over 100.000.— I am, etc., G. ELLIS, Remuera. OVERTIME FOR CLERKS. *• (To the Editor.) Sir,—l think with "Clerk" that there are a great many in Auckland not treated fairly in this matter. True many get 1/ and 1/6 for their tea, but I know of vases of bank clerks who work until very late hours, who even do not get this allowance. How is it that you cannot work, say a carter, after usual hours unless you pay him? Is it that the higher we get in the social scale the payment is less? With all our boasted prosperity there are scores of able men who work long hours and give a loyal service to their employers, and yet who get paid very miserable wages. It is about time the knights of the pen and others took matters more seriously and see if some fuller measure of fair play cannot be assured them.—l am, etc., TRUTH. A DEVONIAN SOCIETY. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Might I be allowed, through the medium of your valuable columns, to awaken my fellow-countrymen to the fact that Auckland is among the very few centres of Britain's dominions beyond the seas where Devonians have not clanncd together and formed a Devonian society. These county societies, indeed, help a great deal in keeping one's memory of the Old Country green. I would be glad to hear from any fellow-countrymen who feel themselves interested in founding p, "Devonian Society." Thanking you in anticipation.—l am, etc. PLYMOTHIAN. AN EXCLUDED IMMIGRANT. I (To the Editor.) Sir, —On Monday, 2Sth May, you recorded in your paper the arrival -of the | Drayton Grange from Liverpool, and an incident in connection therewith gives rise to this letter. One of the immigrants, a few, although well able to read and write Yiddish, failed to pass the language test. The Act specifies for proficiency in a European language, not necessarily English. Now Yiddish is a European language, spoken by over nine million people in Europe alone; a language having a large body of literature, its poets, novelists, historians, dramatists and philosophers of worldwide fame. In every large European centre, there is a Yiddish daily press, and contemporary literature is translated from every civilised tongue into Yiddish. Dramatic performances of the masterpieces of the world are daily rendered in Yiddish in a thousand theatres. When you consider that the languages of the Roumanian, the Bulgarian, Montenegrin, and practically all the other minor States of Europe are recognised as adequate for the purposes of the New Zealand Act, it will be apparent that by the non-re-cognition of Yiddish by -the New Zealand Government a grave injustice has tieen perpetrated on an intelligent, educated. thrifty, industrious and altogether desirable type of immigrant. I may state that the South Arfican Government include Yiddish as adequate test. —I am. etc., MACCABEUS.

MR. CLAUDE'S BRAVE ACT. (To the Editor.) Sir, —On Easter Monday night a brave deed, accompanied by rare presence of mind and prompt action, was performed at Westfield. I refer to the action of Mr. Claude, which was made known at the time in your columns. Undoubtedly, the Main Trunk express, laden, as it was, with returning holidaymakers, was saved from serious disaster, which would have probably involved loss of life, and certainly serious injury to life and rolling-stock." I understand that the authorities have granted £50 to Mr. Claude, in recogntion of his services; surely, in comparison of the great service rendered, but an inadequate sum. The authorities have declared, no doubt in order to reassure the travelling public, that the driver of the express saw the obstacle on the line before Claude waved the red lamp. Without in any way wishing to reflect on the driver, who, no doubt, acted with due promptitude, I think it only right to render honour to whom honour is due, and to say that Mr. Claude's action alone saved the express from disaster. Your columns have informed the public of Mr. Claude's critical state in the Hospital, and there seems no doubt that what might have only been a short illness has been aggravated, by shock to the nerves, mto a condition of things from which it will take many months to recover. Sir. Claude is a married man with a young family, and I am sure that £50 will soon be swallowed up in an illness such as his. Charity I do not ask for (so-called), but i" do most certainly think that under the circumstances a more suitable acknowledgment of a meritorious action should be made. Mr. Claude is, to mT knowledge, a modest and manly man, who would not wish mc to write thi3 letter, but a sense of justice prompts mc to dc so. —I am, etc., H. MASON. "The Vicarage," Otahuhu. June 7. [Mr. Mason encloses cheque for £1 1/ towards the Testimonial Fund; previously acknowledged £16 10/ C. We shall be pleased to acknowledge furUier conVibutioas.—'E<L|

AUCKLAND'S MORGUE. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Permit mc herewith to relate an experience in this connection. I had the extreme misfortune to be selected as a juror upon a coronial inquiry some time ago. This was held at an hotel adjacent to the morgue, and our first duty was. that of viewing the body. This is, of course, at all times, and under any circumstances a most painful experience, but can be largely intensified under existing conditions. Upon entrance to the morgue—a morgue by any other name would smell as sweet— I found that there were three bodies. There was a moment's delay in connection with the selection of the body we were to view, but it was subsequently sorted out. I noted in one corner a pile of clothing, presumably taken from the bodies. These were in a filthy condition, and apparently no attempt had been made either to disinfect or render them cleanly for purposes of identification. In another corner were bloodstained dressings, presumably post mortem. I could not find that any reasonable antiseptic precautions had. been taken even to protect jurors. Upon inquiry, I found that one body had been there for three days, and the other for two days. Such a condition is an absolute disgrace to our city, and I raise my voice in protest in connection therewith. May I suggest that in all cases of deferred burial a solution of formaldehyde 40 per cent, should be sprayed upon all bodies upon completion of post mortem, and upon each succeeding day awaiting burial. I ask this in the interests of public health.—l am, etc., S. C. PRIESTLEY, Analyst. THE CITY WATER SUPPLY. ifTo the EditorJ Sir, —I wish those ladies who are canvassing a petition re dirty cars would, at the same time, canvass about—not dirty—but disgustingly filthy water which runs from our taps. It is annoying, to put it mildly, when on washing day the "washer lady" turns the tap on to swill her clean clothes only to become aware, when she recovers from the shock, that a stream of filth is flowing over them. My neighbours all around were complaining this morning, and as one of them renin rked, "What was the good of trying to be a saint when such things happen." and the other one remarked "It certainly didn't seem much good going to church on Sunday when such things happened on Monday." I have a visitor from Wellington staying with mc, and she says she will be able to tell 1 them now what causes plague in Auckland. Another thing I would like to write about: it is this: Why cant the numbers of the houses be put on the gate posts? It would save hours of wasted time, lots of bad words, and annoyance, such as is felt when, several times in a busy morning, you hear the door-bell ring, and, on answering it, are invariably met with the question, "Please can you tell mc where No is?" The telegraph boys alone would save hours in delivering telegrams as I have often seen them inquiring from house to house, as also would those whose business it is to deliver goods.—l am, etc., A MERE WOMAN. THE PROPOSED EXHIBITION. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I would strongly recommend that every intelligent man in this city gets his name on the Committee already set up, and by their votes swamp the few people who have swollen heads over this wonderful and great city. In reading over the programme laid down by the Mayor 1 made up my mind that Auckland was undertaking a task that if carried out successfully would make the city something that would be worthy of exhibition. Surely we must be mad to invite strangers here while our streets and roads are in such a disgraceful state. i Let us first make the city something that we are not ashamed of, and then give it a boom by holding an Inter- ; national Exhibition. In the meantime Iwe must regularly bathe our heads in vinegar or something to prevent swollen (head and loss of mental control. —I am, 1 etc., A. SANFORD.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Mr. John Fuller's opinion respecting the effect of liquor being excluded as an article for sale at exhibitions does not coincide with that of Mr. Monro, the Chief Commissioner of the Christchurch Exhibition. As is well known Mr. Monro opposed the exclusion of the liquor bar at the Christchurch Exhibition, being of the opinion that its exclusion would be detrimental to its success. The result of that exclusion so satisfied Mr Monro, that on his advice the authorities at Seattle forbade the. sale of liquor at their exhibition. In 189!) we had to light the liquor interest in Auckland in respect to the proposed liquor bar at that exhibition and won, it being clearly and legally demonstrated that there was no power under the Licensing Act to grant a conditional license for more than a week. It will be remembered that a strong deputation waited upon the then Premier, the late Hon. R.J. Seddon, Mr. W.J.Napier, then one of the M.H.R.'s for the city, being the chief spokesman, asking him to use his influence to obtain a bar, but in forcible language he declined to interfere with the administration of the law. What was the Auckland experience of the exclusion of the liquor bar? Beneficial in every respect. On the closing night, which it will be remembered was a highly successful one from the point of attendance, the building being packed, one of the sergeants of police said to mc, "iSee these crowds, we have no trouble with them; my word it would have been different if that bar had been open." Christchurch Jprofited by the action we took. The Liquor party saw that their only hope of obtaining a liquor bar was to get special legislation. They waited on the Premier to ask for it; his reply was that he was not going to bring in a bill to set up a liquor bar. The Christchurch Licensing Committee were the wrong sort to do what the Auckland committee were prepared to do until confronted by the law, viz.. grant a conditional license week by week. The idea that hospitality cannot be dispensed without alcoholic liquor is now a somewhat belated one. The one blot on the hospitality given to the American fleet was that so many publicans filled their tills at the expense of the degradation of so many of the sailors and their local friends. If the sights seen during that week could be vividly brought before the gaze of, voters a week or so before the coming poll, it would win thousands of votes for prohibition. Depend upon it, there will not be any liquor bar at the forthcoming exhibition. The beneficial experience of the past, coupled with the growth of the temperance movement, are barriers that cannot be overcome.—l am, etc, TR. FRENCH.

GIRL PEACE SCOUTS IN PUKEKOHE. (To the Editor.) Sir, —We wish to form a troop of girl peace scouts in Pukekohe, as myself and : a few more girls are quite willing to form a patrol. I don't see why there should not be something for the girls, as the boys lhave football and all sorts of games, and there are as many girls as boys. Hoping that this will stir the Pukekohe girls to action.—l am, etc., A GIRL PEACE SCOUT ONCE. ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. (To the Editor.) Sir, —It is important to note that according to the Tecent decision of the Auckland Football Association re Pon-sonby-Everton protest, rule No. 13 must | be construed to read that the referee's decision is not final as to matters of fact in connection with the play, and is subject to protest. What Wonderful powers the A.F.A. has got. It would be interesting to know when the A.F.A. had the authority conferred upon them | to alter or amend the laws of the game. I have followed the game for years, and was always under the impression that j the laws could only be altered by the British' Association; however, I must have been wrong as the A.F.A. has done so, and at a moment's notice too. Surely this must be a delusion or a snare.—l am, etc, DISGUSTED SPECTATOR. THE MENTAL HOSPITAL AND REFRACTORY PRISONERS. (To the Editor.) ! Sir, —I was very pleased to find in your issue of the 27th that someone had taken up the matter concerning the building of a place for refractory prisoners near the mental hospital. Why not add to the gaol instead of bringing them there, which, as your correspondent justly remarks, is a hospital for the treatment of the nerves. I know there are many who suffer from that complaint, and if a hcspital was provided for them there would be more room for others who are not so troubled. The Minister spoke of the crowded state of the Auckland asylum, so it is evident they think of I removing some of the patients to work and mix up with the prisoners. Is that right? It will not improve their morals, and the idea of having criminals so near them would not improve any of the patients, especially the female portion and the nervous. I also think that if I the rules of that institution were posted up in a place where the public could see it might do some good. At any i rate, if any one broke them they would know what to expect.—l am, etc.. VISITOR. A PLEA FOR NEW ZEALAND ARTISTS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I have been waiting in the hops that an abler pen than mine would have sounded a warning re the remark made by the president at the opening of Art Society's Exhibition, "that the money given by the Government to the society should be held until they had £ 1000, and then purchase an old master's picture. To do this would, in my opinion, defeat the object for which the money was given, which, I believe, was intended to foster art in New Zealand. We have had too much of the passing over of l colonial men in all spheres of life in the past. Let us turn over a new leaf now, and give the colonials a show. I quite agree with his Excellency the Governor's remark, that we ought to support art and artists, and not allow our best blood to leave New Zealand, which, of course, they will do if the money is to 'be sent out of New Zealand to buy i pictures. I am quite sure that if the Government was asked for what purpose they gave the £500, they would answer that it was to purchase pictures proi dueed in New Zealand by our own artists. Might I make a suggestion; as our Town Hall is nearly completed the citizens j should get up a subscription fund to have portraits painted of the gentlemen who have contributed so liberally to j equip the building. These portraits to be hung in the Town Hall. We have several artists in Auckland quite capable of executing the work with credit to all concerned. I am ready to give my mite. —I am, etc., A.E.S. JOLLITY, YET SOBRIETY. AT LAWRENCE. (To tho Editor.) Sir,—lt has been so usual for a section of the British people to indulge more or less in drunkenness on occasions of jollity and re-union in the past, that somehow an idea has arisen that the jollity cannot be indulged in without the drunkenness. That the one is not inseparable from the other is, however, proved by the experience of Lawrence during the Gabriel's Gully celebrations. In this no-license town (all no-license places are supposed to be dead or dying, according to some people) everything went with a swing, everyone enjoyed themselves hugely, there were no regrettable instances, all were pleased with the accommodation provided, and though there were close on 2000 visitors during the week to a small town of little over 1000 population, and nearly all these were renewing old friendships, there was not a single arrest for drunkenness, and apparently none seen drunk. This is a marvellous record, and shows how completely even local no-license destroys the shouting system. Of course, I do not suggest that the pioneers are not a sober and temperate crowd. I know nothing of their habits, but experience shows that any collection of 2000 or so of old friends, where the shouting system is in force, would be bound to produce drunkenness unless the whole 2000 were absolute abstainers. 1 have the very best authority for saying that members of the Committee at Lawrence, nearly all, if not all, acknowledge that no-license had a great deal to do with the success and splendid sobriety of the gatherings. A letter sent from a tradesman in Lawrence to a friend in Dunedin has been placed in my hands. | Perhaps I may be allowed to quote from it: "The jubilee here (at Lawrence) has been a great success. Splendid weather all through, and a record crowd. The old 1861 pioneers turned up in great force, and stayed* on right through the week. Over 2000 visitors came to Lawrence during the week, and a more orderly crowd it would be hard to meet. I did not see a person during the week showing signs of drink, and I made inquiries of a few of the hard old stagers that you would think could drink t bucketful, and they said it was an impossibility to get even a smell, let alone' a taste. Lawrence rose to the occasion., and gave the good old-timers a real royal welcome, and treated them to all that was going. Both Town Hall and the Volunteer Hall were crowded each night the concert was given; the first half of the programme was given in one, while the last half was Jlven in the other;, then the doors had to be closed,

and crowds turned away, it being impossible to squeeze any more in." All the above is good reading for the prohibitionists, hut it has no more effect on those who are tinder the domination of their daily—maybe, moderate—drink than water on a duck's back. Why will men allow their sense of right and wrong and selfishness and unselfishness to be dominated by a drug'!—l am, etc., G. B. NICHOLLS. Dunedin. SHEFFIELD CHOIR CONCERTS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —May I be permitted to ask whether arrangements have been made to provide adequate means of exit from the Harbour Boajrd building in case of fire! Understanding that these concerts will be held on the upper floor, it seems to the writer that the present stairways are altogether inadequate to allow quick egress of a large number of people. Commending this matter to the proper authorities.—l am, etc., H.C. RATS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —A case or two of plague, and the mountains are moved—inspectors issuing absurd regulations. In regard to rat ' extermination, there Is wit one method, i.e., poison, and to make the rat eat the doctored food, see that the rodent can > obtain no other. To put people to the expense of rendering their domiciles ratproof is absurd, and only profitable to the brick or concrete layer. What are a few cases of plague compared with ' those of tuberculosis, cancer, or rheumatic fever? Are there any building regulations to prevent houses from being erected on disused tips or dumped within an inch of sour water-holding clay?— I am, etc., H.J. iTo the Editor.) Sir, —In regard to the Health Department's efforts to clean up our city, and the utmost stringency adopted, for which they have the best thanks of the majority of the conjnunity, and may they succeed in their very important mission. But it appears to mc that the Health Department reminds one of the old yet sometimes true saying, viz., "Don't do as I do, but do what I tell you," for the premises which they have their office in. to my mind, requires immediate attention. In its present condition I venture to assert that it is one of the worst ratinfected places in Auckland, and the amount of debris allowed to lie about the back portion of it makes it a splendid place for breeding first-class "plague carriers." So far as rats are concerned, the building in question was bad enough ,in the days when it was the Court. The writer has been informed that the prei miscs in question belong to the City CounI cil.—l am, etc., OBSERVANT. _ ■ CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. "Australian" thinks the cheer given by the young New Zealand soldiers at the Domain on the King's Birthday lacked heartiness. He says they ought to learn how to give'"the good old British cheer." .T.C.S. (Ellerslie) remarks that the reports of City Council meetings shew that the Councillors have more to do within City boundaries than they can attend to properly, without craving continually to get control of the suburbs. j Mr. Arthur Combes writes a letter supporting Mr. Poole's statement with regard to the condition of Waihi before No-License was carried, and Mr. Byron Squire sends another letter reiterating his protest, which has already appeared in our columns. Mr. J. D. Lowe strongly recommends lime and scoria mixture —one of lime to five or six of fine scoria—as a roadmaking material. This to be applied as a top-dressing, nine inches thick to the existing roads, all holes and ruts in which should be first filled up and rammed. He thinks the cost should not amount to 9/ a square yard. He also considers that in the interests of the ratepayers sanitary plumbing should be undertaken by the Council. Mr. E. Packington Hall, referring to the correspondence relative to a reverend gentleman who had gone to a mechanical occupation, remarks that "it would be worth while for the public more gener- ! ally to know that the adoption of the prefix reverend does not necessarily imply clerical qualifications. "Observer" writes: "Ou passing through the picturesque suburb of Mt. Eden, one must be struck with the many improvements now going on in the way of forming up roads and making them look quite respectable to live in. One very noticeable thing is the erection of readable street names, which we all look on as a blessing from the "Powers in Charge" and might well be a pattern to our adjoining brethren."