CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16962, 11 October 1920, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

PSYCHIC RESEARCH. TO THE EDITOR OP "THE "PRESS." Sir. —I have followed with considerable interest. Mr Peter Trolove's letters on the above subject. I may state that I do not believo in spirit demonstrations, and would- like to ask Mr Trolove, through the medium of your columns, what good has over come lrom spirit communfeations, and why it is that one receives only fatuous replies from a medium. I presume that the little girl referred to in* Mr Trolove s "hill imd water scene"' must have been performing gymnastic feats at the time the negative w:is exposed.—Yours, etc., W. P. FALKXER. FREAK PHOTOGRAPHS. TO THE EniTOlt Or "THE PRESS." Sir, —I knew that 1 would have tho "Amateur Photographer," and perhaps the "No Humbugs'' on my heels. The owner of the negative has sportinp.lv plated no restrictions on.the us? I make of it. I have two letters from him saying ho is innocent of any lake. It was a party of students who took the photo, and" 1 naturally thought that my long logs wore beiug pulled longer than they were sketched in the Diploma Day skit. I have, already got a lot ot fun out of this photo, watching and listening to the comments of tno "A.P.V and others. Now "A.P.,' brace yourself for a further shock. On printing, tho figure seems to be that of a young woman in a bathing dress-, and there are four or five faces round her, one showing on the chest. l.iiJcrtunately. the whole picture is faint, and cannot be published. Spiritualists maintain that manners and morals would tend to improve if the people could be made to realise that we are indeed "surrounded by.a cloud of witnesses." This is the "object of Sir A. C. T>ovle's visit. —Yours, etc. PETER TROLOVE.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THS riUESB." gj r) —In reply to Mr Trolove's query as to why the'picture of a young girl standing Upside down should appear in a negative* of a- pretty hill and water scene, I should like to mention a unique experience that betel mo a few years ago. 1 was camping with a party during the Christmas holidays in a bush-clad valley, and, having my camera with me, photographed a giant of the forest with long and bare trunk, except near the top, where a fow large limbs projected. On developing my negative, the faint, spirit-like figure of a- fine buxom woman appeared seated in the topmost fork of the tree. The phenomenon puzzled me not a littie, and visions of the visitation of some form no longer in tho flesh from the spirit world crossed my mind, until my reflections came back to earth by the recollection that I had photographed tho same buxom woman, who was "much in the flesh,'' sitting on a rock near a stream, and discovered that I had taken the two pictures on the same plate. I therefore venture to offer this theory as an explanation of the phenomenon referred to in Mr Trolove's letter. If my theory be incorrect, and the young girl were a reality, a visitor from the spirit world I would ask Mr Trolove why she should appear standing on her head?— Yours, etc., CANON IyOIL. TO TUX JSBITOR OV "THX PKISS.* ,^ Sir, —Tho humorous letter of ""Amateur Photographer" in your paper this mor.ning is only ono more instance of the depths to which the human mind can descend in endeavouring to reach tho pointed and the pithy. Surely, he does not think that the person who submitted the photograph to Mr Trolove had not consulted an expert (not an amateur) photographer. As I exposed the negative myself, I bitterly resent tho inshraation that I am party to a fake.— Yours, etc., P. D. WOODHAM. TO THS EDITOR OF "THE FIIESS." Sir, —Most people who know anything about photography are aware that the sensitive plate or him of a camera accidentally used twice over may reproduce a composite photograph which might easily enough be taken for a spirit one. As to whether the Lyttel-t-on photograph referred to by your correspondent * Mr Trolove, is a genuine spirit photograph, an accident, or a "fnkp," ono does not like to venture an opinion. It is dou'btful whether tho subject touches more than remotely \ipc-n tho real one of spirit photography, which is conducted by trained experts, who take every precaution known to the scientific mind to avoid the possibility of fraud and self-deception. 1 cannot think that the Stead photograph, alluded to by Mr Trolove, comes into the same category as tho one taken at , Lyttelton. Ono may not be an especial champion of spirit photography, yet may seo nothing -against it as a scientific possibility. "We know enough nowadays to realise that the possibilitir-s of knowing more are infinite, and we do not, if we aro wise, dismiss every new thfng with a smiie of superiority. Tho genuine investigator avoids extremes; ho is neither over-sceptical nor over-credulous.—-Yours, etc.", N*R Chxistehurcb, October 10th. SIR ARTHUR, CONAN DOYLE. TO THE EDITOR OV "THE PRESS." Sii-j—Jn reply to Mr Peter Trolove, permit me.to say Ido not deal in personalities or vulgarity. My idea in vlrawing attention to the book entitled "Is Spiritualism Based on Fraud?" i<, for the edification of your general readers, and, in of the large number of fakirs of thia so-called ''religion" who have been imprisoned and heavily fined, so that they may form their own opinion on the matter. As the writer truly observes:—"To teach one's fellows tho weird ingenuity, tho sordid impostures, the grasping 'trickery, which have accompanied Spiritualism since its birth m America in 184S can hurt only oue class of men—impostors." Mr Joseph McCabe, as many of your readers are doubtless aware, is the gentleman who had the honour of debating the claims of Spiritualism with Sir A° C. Doyle before a vast and distinguished audience at the Queen's Hall, London, with the result that is only 100 welT known. '

Now, a few words in reference to tho manufacture of spirit photographs taken under -test conditions." ,The "teat .conditions" are t«)o funny for "Punch V The whole idea of spirits hovering aboiit and making images on photographic piatos because a man called a medium, put Jus hand on the camera, is preposterous. That would be magic with a vengeance! Sir A. C. Doyln is carrying such a spirit photograph at the profißnt tune. He states thai "No hands but mine ever touched the plate." That need not impress us in th (! least AVh-it is important ia that Sir Arthur adds:— "On examining with a powerful lens tho laco of the 'extra' I have found such a marking as is produced in newspaper process work.-' Hβ refers to the multitude of dots, which prove conclusively That the picture must have been conveyed on to the plate from some existing picture. The marks arc infallible. It is quite easy to make a ghost as evorv photographer knows. .Expose a plate for half the required time to a young lady dressed as a ghost, then put tho plate away in tho dark until a sitter comes, and give it a full exposure with him! Buguet got a year in prison for this which for a, time almost suspended the trade! Sir A. C. Dovlo EJid Miss Stead let their Spiritualist zeal outrun their reason.

A certain spirit photographer (who is still at work in London) was offered £5 for a spirit photograph if tho sitter wero permitted to sec every step of tho process. It was refused, with the statement that that was carrying scepticism too far! He had the ghost in his camera! Until the spirit photographer has- been brought to an unknown studio, and not allowed to do more than, under the eye of an expert observer, lay his hand, at a sufficient distance from

the lens, .on the ontsid© of a camera, which does not belong to him, fraud will certainly not bo excluded. This has not been done yet: "Pearson's Weekly" (Feb. 28th, 1920) described an "illustrated printed catalog'to of forty pages, relative to outfits for mediums, including "self-playing guitars, telescopic, aluminium trumpets, magic -tables, luminous objects," and even a "fully materialised female form"' (with faco that convinces) floats about the room and disappears. Price. £10. " For 8s the firm supplies the secret how to turn one's vest inside out, without changing coat, while one is bound and sealed. For £2 10s you get an apparatus which will levitate- a table so effectively that two or three norsons cannot hold'the table down. Exceedingly interestinsr and intellectual, isn't it? Any person who pays attention to such rubbish is not particular whether he- is deceived or not. The production of messages from the dead by chemical means on paper in sealed bottles, the tapping of typewriters by ; 'spirits," otherwise electrical control, from adjoining apartments, and the other 1001 frauds, aro too childish and contemptible to wasto space over. Enough said.—Yw'.rs. etc., 1 NO HUMBUG.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. TO TTTE KDITOr. OK "THE PRXSS."

Si r> —in connexion with the vote on the question of proportional representation for the 'iramway Board, you inadvertently published a division list on quite another vote. The voting was not 36 to 16, as stated in the report you nublished on Saturday. The voting was 2G for my amendment, and 30° against. An examination of the, dvision list will show that some of the more thoughtful members of the Reform Partv voted for the amendment. Although the Reform Whip did muster some of his party in support of Mr Isitt, it was not made a party question by the Government. Perhaps I might also be permitted to explain that tho Hon. J. Bnrr was heart! before tho Local Bilk Committee of the Representative Assembly on the question of the P.R. clause, before it was inserted in tho Bill, and that the same courtesy was extended to me before the Local Bills Committee of the Legislative Council, when Mr Barr asked for it to be deleted. A member of that committee jocularly informed mo that, as at tho trial before my poors, I had secured a favourable verdict, so Mr Barr had secured the verdict beforo his peers. . I had an understanding with Mr Bannot to block the whole Bill if the Board gave way on the franchise question and the. employees' secretary question; but that wo should each be fre<s in our respective Houses to do what we wished in regard to P.R. Mr Barr fought fairly and eventually won, and I neartily congratulate him. Mr Isitt has told the House on more than ono occasion this session that he is a strong supporter of P.R-., but no objects to it being applied to the Tramway Board, he objects to it being applied to tho Legislative Council, and he objects to it being applied to tho Lower House, so far as larcre country electorates are concerned. Perhaps the moon would be a suitable place for a trial of the principle he so strongly supports.-Yours, dC(MBB^

THE RULE OF THE ROAD. TO THE EDITOR OF "IP* WtU« a '" Sir,—lt has never seemed difficult to mo to observe tho rule laid down m the old couplet:.— "Keep your right to your right when in riding you'meet; • Keep your left to your left when you walk in the street." . And. although I am sorry for Pedestrian," whom this rulo seems to confuso, yet at'the-earne time I f wonder what a Londoner would Bay to nis latter. ... ~ Nothing is sunnier, considering tno population, than walking m London. On the footpath streams of people, meet in regular order, each stream keeping to it?, right. And, in crossing tho road the traffic is so well ordered that you can generally gauge your-distaneo and thread your way witu safely. (I speak from personal experience.) \ou never see anyone walking along tho road instead of the pavement, nor do you see two or throo loafers standing in the road chatting. "Oh," you say, "but that's London!" Yes, and this, alas, is Christchurch! If we would only remember that "Order is Heaven's first law, disorder the devil's delight," there would be fewer of theso terrible catastrophes that have been so frequent latelv.-Your S) ete 6KouT October Bth. OLI> AGE PENSIONERS. 10 THE EDITOR OF "TH« MOWS." Sir, —ISow that tho members of Parliament have increased their salaries, and can onco again look on the bright side ot financial matters —what are tney going to do for tne old age pensioners i , i heir .bread, butter, milk, moat, clothing, and firms have all gone up, just tho same as have these articles m tho case of the workers, who are granted bonuses to meet the increased cost of living, and the M.P.'s, .whoso honorariums have been increased, and if a man in receipt of £300 a year needed a "rise," what of his poor neighbour on £39, which is the maximum pension? There is another aspect of the case, too —at present you are allowed to own a home of the value of £340, and still receive the full pension, which decreases uy £1 for every £10 of property ownod in excess of that amount, until, by tho time your property is valued at £000 —farewell pension! __ Now tho boom in property of all kinds has set off a re-valuation campaign, and because your neighbours have sold their properties at •"boonr , prices, you are Liable to find your valuation raited above tho not very generous figure allowed, nnd your pension thereby decreased. The property is not worth any more to you as a home than it over was, so it Tieems rather hard. Surely it is not too late for something to bo done to protect the aged poor. Where arc the Labour members 'i — Yours, etc.. TREAT US ALL ALIKE. October Bth. BUTTER- A-XD MARGARINE. »'O TIIE EIUTOB Or "THB FBEBS." Sir, —I'uulic opinion is drawn to this owing to tne iu.ct tnat ilew i-calanu piocuiceis can command such exorbitant prices tor uutter in toreign marlcms. iiicse producers in many cai-.ns no cioubt were proud to boast; of the Imvuo iMJ-.v Zeaisuid soldiery m ir ranee. Hie soldier to-day is not proud of the profiteer. 'J'tie \> orthy JtJourd of 'JL'raclo js busj- stipulating wnat certain, nrm-s and inausu'ii-'s sha/i have for their margin oi prolit, but tlioy entirely leave iiiouo iiic pro-fitecriiiji land owner. Why: , The dairy tnier<s,t,3 brought about- the ureseiiii fact iu the Pure U'ood Act. tnat margarines cannot he, made witu milk or butter added, because they wanted the local consumer. Sow they do not care a dump for tho local consumer. Margarine is 'good , enough for him, so he can have it. Therefore they now want tho Government to niter the Act and allow marjptrine to be made with milk, bo they can export all their butter and get the fancy price for it from foreign countries.

The labour class will demand an increase in wages to meet the- increased cost of butter. What about the middle-classes? They get no advance. They have been pinched throughout the past six years, and arc to be pinched again, and told to cat margarine. If the New Zealand Government allow margarine to get a hold in this country, which abounds with plenty of bnt-ter-fat, it will be a crying sin, and future generations of under-fed children w ill bo the result. So rauco. for the greed of the dairy farmer. One other point and I am finished:;

—The butter factories, of which the, dairy farmer.-; aro tho main sharohold-* ors, can add to butter 15 per cent, of water. They charge tin* public, on to-day's market, -s lid for this 1/j pop cent, of water. The nii(ldlc-cin?s boycott and refuse to buy any bintcr, and oat jam for the next four tracks. They can live without eakea and pastry- This way bring the ercody dairying interests to reason. An export tax should be put on Imttor. or else the local price fixed at Is l>d. and producers may then export any surplus for -what price they can got. We are not concerned with the world i.sniily outside of Now Zealand. -We cerned for our own f ami It inside "\ew Zealand. Let the midiUo-e!asse< organise, and no longer bo pinched by the rich on one side and oxtr< , mo Labour on the other. Get together and assort votir majoritv.—Yours, rlc. .MIDWAY. WOMEN'S PROGRESSIVE CIXB. TO TJTE KDITOR OTT "TOE TOES?."

Sir. —Will you permit me to correct. a- slight error in the report of Thursday's date, re the Mount Herbert County Council meeting? The letter sent a>sking the- Council to erect- bathing sheds on the beach was written on behalf of our Women's Progressive Club, whoso motto is "Freedom to £>erve-." There is no such body as tho Governor's Bay Progress League, and I think tho women members of our club deserve all the credit that is going for trying to initiate ii better condition of things on tho bench.—Yours, otc, ANNTE WYLD PAIR-MAN, President, Women's Progressive Club. ! Go\"tfrnor's Bn;", J October Bth. THEFTS OF CYCLES. TO THE EDITOR O>" "TUB TRESS. r ' J Sir, —Tho epidemic of bir'velo thiovin* has become so great in the city and suburbs of Christehureh, that, there are very few cycle riders who haven't been victims to this wretched state of affairs during tho last few years. The police seem to ho helpless in the matter, judging by the results of their efforts to bring some of tho culprits to justice, and. to ho fair to our guardians of tho pence, it may bo that they are understaffed. _ • In my opinion, if additional assistance was given to tho police by the proper authorities, the cleaning rut of I the parasites who are at work day and night would be very soon brought about. —Yours, etc., ONE OF MANY VICTIMS. THE BUTTER QUESTION. TO THIS EDITOR OF "TKB TRISS." Sir, —I would like the watcrsiders to "know that thero is ono clerk who appreciates their attitude over tho butter j question. There was general satisfaction among a large part of the community in tho belief that tho watersiders would refuse to handle butter for export if tho price, were raised (I admit I have* caressed the belief with satisfaction myself). Tins same part of the community was not interested in tho losa of wages the watersidera would incur, nor would it even think of making an effective protest against the rise in flrice itself—it, was too law-abiding for that. »p il pmnetl Uβ hopo to those dreadful "direct antionist" people, the watersidors, ami that hope has been dashed to tho it must bo nice for tho watersidera to know how warm many people a hearts were towards them, oven for so short a time.-Yours, gL , NGER