CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17061, 4 February 1921, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

"THE EVER-CAUTIOUS MOTORCYCLIST." TO TOT editor or "THE TStSS." Sir, —In reply to "fin Gee-Gee's" letter, which appeared in your oohmms today, tho statement which he made m regard to motor-cyclists, via., ''That pirate of tho road, tho motor-cyclist, should be prohibited from over riduiß through tffio main streets at all," is, in my opinion, absolutely ridiculous. I shoula just like to ask him how many law-breaking cyclists go through Cathedral square, or any of the main thoroghfares, of this city as slow as tho evercautious motor-cyclist P Practically every cyclist rides through the Square, as it seems, quite" unconscious of his breaking the laws; but should anyone of them (including "Tin Gee-Gee") ever become a motor-cyclist,- ho will then bo quickly aroused to consciousness if ht> dares maintain his former speed. Yours, etc., GEO. T. SOTJTHAM. February 2nd.. CHARITABLE"BEQUESTS. t TO THE EDITOR OT "THE PBBSS." Sir, —I noticed lately a publio refers ence to the fact that a recently-doceused resident of New Zealand had made no bequests for charitablo purposes. .Tho vulgar impression in such cases is, 1 boliovo, that tho ■wiholo amount goes to the legatees, the extent to which tho estate is reduced by death duties being generally quito overlooked. I nin in no way interested, but I reckon that the estate referred to will pay about £26,000 in death duties ana Supremo Court fees, ell of which is, of course, for public purposes; so a testator who has any personal or family obligations may well feel himself relieved of any further obligations to the public. Moreover, tho amount, if any, whidi such a testator might feel he could spare for public bequests would always bo a part only of his estate, and, of course, if it goes in one way it cannot go in another, ;i.e., if it goes to tho general Government it cannot go to local institutions; bo the higher tho death duties, are, the less motive has one to considor other claims. Another point: As the law stands, there is no remission of estato duty on charitable bequests,' and if those are made duty free, the other beneficiaries must pay, and pay at a higher graduated rate than would be appropriate to their total interests. Thus, onr sapient legislators have done all they could to discourage beouests for public purposes. Why should tho beneficiarirs under the late Sir John Logan Campbell's will.have been penalised to the extent of £34,000 becauso of his gift of a park to Auckland, or the legatees in tlhe estate of the late A. H. Turnbull have to pay about £6OOO on account of his having given a library to Wellington P—Yours, etc., TRIBUTE. THE MINING DISPUTE. TO THE XDITOS Of "TUB FUSS." ' Sir, —I notioe that tho Government's latest proposal with regard to the recent dispute concerning the dismissal of a Blackball miner is that the matter shall be decided by an arbitrating Board of three membera. The prins*ple apparently involved in* thip fpodo of settlement would seem to be a perfectly sound one. Under the present industrial system there are three parties concerned' in any industrial dispute—capital, labour, and the general public. Formerly all such disputes were left to be decided by the arbitrary will of employers. This practice not only committed the error of making one party the judge in its own quarrel, but plaoed that party above, justice; in other words, it placed might above right. It is sound economics, as well as Bound ethics, that the second great factor in production, should also be represented in deciding any such issue. Obviously, it is equally' wrong in prin« ciple to make labour tue sale arbiter in any dispute. Might can just as easily display right in the latter case as in the former. Representatives of both these parties should havo their say, therefore,' in the decision of any rack issue. . , ■ . Then again, the general publio i* not only a party oonoerned, but prob< ably tho most important party, seeing that theoretically all economio actintiee in any community are carried Sua, or shou-d ye carried on, for the publio benefit,' and the greatest aggrtaateor disutility Buffered during any inaustnal trouble. is that bomo by this third party. One of the objections urged bj some economio students against the Arbitration Court is thaMhifl third party, the general publio, is not represented, unless we may suppose it to be represented by the presiding judge. If 1 am not mistaken, the), personnel of the pro- " posed Board is truly representative ol these same three parties (although I am open to correction on this point). Any decision this Board may arrive at (provided, of course, that no undue influence he brought to bear upon the matter) is likely therefore to be decided by the principles of justice _ tempered with mercy, thus securing universal approval. —Yours, etc., O. B. JORDAN, For Methodist Social Service . Union. Parsonage, "Wood end, February 2nd. CITY LIGHTING. » TO IKB ZDITOB OP "rms VBBS Sir,— Beading in the paper yesterday that the city expenses were causing anxiety, my mind immediately reverted to the lighting spatem. I notice that the'city Egjite burn till daylight, even when it is full moon, too. Beats * stranger to your city, 1 wondered whether there could be a special reason for it 1 . If not. it would majse a considerable, reduction if the lights wero extinguished, as in Dunedin, about 13 p.m.. especially, during the mourner months, when it is daylight about 3 a-m. Every item is worth considav tk« February 2nd.