POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 267, 8 November 1923, Page 8

POLICE COURT.

I (Before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M.) j NOT HIS FIRST TIME. "I might have used the language, but we wtre having a row at the time," sail! John William Anderson when charged with using obscuue language in the bai of an hotel. The barmaid gave evidence as to the language used, and accused remarked: "I have been spending my money witl the lady—that's how good it is. She told mc to go to out of the bar." His Worship: Seven days. Senior-Sergeant Rawle: This man has nine convictions for similar offences. His Worship: Oh, I didn't know that Three months. I ——— — —— ——

CORRESPONDENCE. IRISH OLD SONGS. (To tho Editor.) Sir, —The great singer John McCor mack is the first who has received th freedom of Dublin city under the nev National regime. The charm of the oil Irish songs still retain their hold in hi heart, and wield dominion over a larg circle of Dublin's citizens in proportion t< their merit as regards poetry and music "Jt seems to mc," said a well-knowi critic, "that in this respect Dubliner are far ahead of many others; the; relish a good Bong, even though it bi none of the newest, and yet, strange t< say. there is no city (not even exceptinj London or Paris I whose judgment i more highly respected by the musics artists of every nge." It is, I believe an indisputable' fart that the singer o the actor who finds favour in the eye of the Dublin critics is pretty sure tc succeed in any capital, either of Europi or America.—l am, etc., ERINEEN. KEEP TO THE LEFT. (To the Editor.) Sir, —This subject has, no doubt, al .ready brought fortJh its due quota o correspondence, but T think it neeessan to reply briefly to the letter publisher in tiiis evening" '-Star," written by Mr J. Liddell Kelly. The assertions madi by Mr. Kelly are in essence aspersion* aaainst the" competency of our citj "paters." , Mr. Kelly says that the nev by-law is ''ultra vires and illegal." 1 Mr. Kelly had consulted the law on tin subject he. would have found t'liat it i: neither ultra vires nor illegal. The powcn in pursuance of which the City Counci has apparently acted in making the by law arc those conferred upon it h} part XLlf. of tho Municipal Corporation: Act, 1908. The Act allows local bodiei n very wide discretion in matters aJTect ing property vested in them. (PerhapMr. Kelly dnesa not know that the lc.ga ownership of the city thoroughfares ii vested in the City Council.) The counci has ninple authority to justify it ii introducing bylaws governing the. con duct of the public on its streets. As t( its alleged " unreasonableness '" —tlu ■matter docs not call for argument Suflice it to say, that if the bylaw wa: ns unreasonable as Mr. Kelly's attitudi in regard to the matter, the. court: would undoubtedly declare it to be mil and void. — I am, etc., LEX. November f>, 1923. FThu correspondence ie c oscd. —Ed. VARIOUS EXTRAVAGANCES. (To the Kditor.) Sir, —The ways of our civic ruler: vary in spending the rates. Our worth; Mayor takes down sound iron fences embedded in concrete foundation, whicJ would have served the city for lift; years to come, and replaces them ugly black rocks interspersed with s little soil, in which languish live to si: months in the year a few witheree plants, and are excellent breeding place: for rats. This waste comes under tin heading of beautifying the city. Bu the Auckland Harbour Board thinki differently. It cannot conceive a systcn of incorrectly laid down wharves com plete without a costly 7ft fence of iron adorned with numerous lamps on citlie: side of numerous iron gates. And ye our harbour works, from its first con ceptions, fulfilled its purpose withou a costly iron fence. No wonder thi Chamber of Commerce of London want! to know why Auckland is an expensive port, whereas long ago it was the cheap est port on the globe. The answer, how ever, is simple, for still they borrow.— I am, etc., OLD IDENTITY. THE MELBOURNE ANARCHY. (To tlic Kd'.tor.l Sjr.—May I essay to point the mora' of The deplorable disorder and destructior that have recently been rampant in the leading city of Australia? It. is. briefly to beware of the beginning of evil. The outburst of lawlessness and outrage can be traced to that small, but unruly member, the tongue, which, speaking "great swelling words of vanity," car lead men into ruinous courses. It is plain that the police force of Melbourne had been corrupted by anarchistic talk parading as the embodiment of unity mid justice, by which means a few evil men deluded the whole body. The crucial point upon which the members of the torce were induced to break theii oaths and refuse duty seems to have been their objection to having a check placed upon the men on night duty Would any honest man. sworn to uphold the law, take exception to being watchedt Surely not: he would rathet welcome additional checks that, would insure the better protection of life and property. But evil counsels only too certainly prevailed, and a large body of men. composed mainly. I have no doubt, of people as honourable and upright as any in the community, resolved on a course of action as dishonourable as can be conceived. No one knew .better than they what would be the immediate result of leaving a great city, crammed with wealth, at the mercy of the lawless, dishonest, disorderly and mischievous elements; yet, in spite of this knowledge, they deliberately brought calamity upon Melbourne- It is a miserable spectacle, the result of men being misled by a spurious sense of trade-union loyalty to each other, at the expense of the higher loyalty to the community and to their own consciences. These deliberate oath-breakers have forfeited all claim to consideration. They have mado their bed and on it they must lie. And yet it is pitiful to contemplate the plight to which hundreds of decent, upright men have brought themselves and their families. Tlicv have lost their employment, and whatever benefits they were entitled to; they may shortly be reduced to want, in which many innocent wives and children will be involved: they can have little prospect of obtaining the respect and confidence of employers, and may actually be driven or attracted into the ranks of the criminal class. A natural sympathy for these men and their dependents may induce many trade-union-i ists to contribute to their support; and I this "may easily degenerate into a wave of false sentiment that may lea< to the declaration of a general strike with more deplorable consequences. Ir this way a spark may cause a great conflagration. Hence the need foi bodies of riien acting with caution and gome degree of wisdom, so as not to be misled by specious arguments appealing to their "pride, their cupidity, or a false sense of loyalty. We are living in critical times, when the doctrines oi "force" and "direct action' , appeal tc multitudes whose nerves are "on edge' from various causes, and there is great need for people to be recalled to a sense of reason, moderation and brotherliness, Let us hope that the Melbourne outbreak will speedily subside and leave only its lesson behind.—l am. etc. J. LIDDELL KELLY.

DESTRUCTION OF SILVERFISH. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Having been overrun lately with ai'verflsh in my house-, I am writing to ask if any reader can supply a satisfactory recipe for the destruction of this objectionable vermin.—l am, etc., SILVER. BELITTLING THE SOLDIER. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Plense allow mc a little space in your columns to air a grievance on behalf of returned soldiers. Being a constant traveller around our fair city, I am astounded to hear the detrimental expressions that are voiced by a certain section of the community concerning the attitude and behaviour of those who have been fortunate enough to return from the Great War. after having nobly done their duly to the Empire. I can only assume that such expressions are uttered by spoon-fed, thoughtless people who know nothing of the hardship and sacrifice that active service entails. If that is the way they appreciate the boys who have fought for the Empire, such persons do not deserve the protection of the British flag.— I am. etc. KX-SGT. M.M., N.Z.E.F. THE AGE OF CONSENT. tTn the Editor.) Sir, —The discussion by the Society for the Protection of Women and Children advocating raising the age of consent would be humorous were it not so pitiably tragic. This measure offers no protection to young girls, but merely tends to increase our already extensive criminal list. This method is analogous to a prohibition order to reduce drunkenness—theoretically good but in practice a hopeless failure. The remedy for both of these curses has been advocated again and again, but while we find those to whom we look for some definite lead in the matter sidetracking the vital point, instead of facing the question fair and square, I doubt but what, we shall make little progress. —T am. etc., JOSEPH E. FLETCHER. THE DAIRY PRODUCE BOARD. (To the Kdl'-or.? Sir.—The farmer producers of butter and cheese will shortly be called upon to elect a board of nine representatives— six from the North Island and three from the South Island. The Minister of Agriculture is preparing regulations governing the method of election. The Act states that the representatives shall be elected by direct vote of the producers, but, so far, there has been no ministerial pronouncement as to the status of those persons who shall or shall not be eligible. From the published statements of the promoters of the Dairy Control Act, it is apparent that a number of the leading men in dairy companies will be seeking election. Most of these men are directors and officials of producing companies, and have been intimately associated for some years with the production and manufacture of butter and cheese. They have earned the confidence of the suppliers to the dairy factories, and, in some cases, they have had a modicum of experience in marketing. It is to be hoped, however, that the Minister, in framing his regulations, will be alive to the necessity of having a board which will command the confidence of all of the dairy companies, both supporters and opponents of the Act. As a priuciole of business, the board which handles the dairy produce of the Dominion should be so constituted that no member of the hoard shall be open to attack, by reason of his connection with any one producing company. If the board should be composed either wholly or partly of directors of dairy companies, it muy well give rise to the suspicion that eonfiVtcntial and exclusive information, which will be available to the board, may be used to the detriment of rival companies. However high the integrity of the members of the board, it is not a right principle that a member s'.iould be placed in such a position, nor can it be for the good of the dairy industry that the Control Board should be liable to be influenced in its operations or its policy, by reason of the private interests of niiy of its members. This is a principle that should be maintained at all costs, and in the interest of business "■enerally throughout the Dominion both the Meat Board and the Dairy Produce Board should be free from attack in this respect. Both the Meat Board and the Dairy Board are politically controlled —the Government has the power to veto the election of any member, and it is the duty of the Government to use its power to secure members who aro able to administer the affairs of the industry without the prejudice of conflicting" interests. Ti.o Dairy Control Act can only be regarded as an experiment —perhaps a dangerous one. ]n view of the uncertainty of success, and the certain disaster which failure would bring to our primary producers, resulting ill a setback to the whole community it is the business of the Government, and of commercial men, to tixercisa the greatest care that the constitution of the board should not foredoom it to calamity.— I am. etc., F. 11. LEONARD. Pnpatoctoe.