LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 93, 13 January 1908, Page 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

; , THE COOK STRAITS CABLES, Sir,—"With reference paragraph api pearing in Tub Dominion this date res--1 peeting the cables in Cool it-raits, perhaps 5 you are not aware that the Tutanokai was j engaged in making repairs before the Christ- , mas holidays, and tho work was suspended so - that tho vessel might bo used as a pleasure - boat by tho Prime Minister. lam ready; to ! concede that tho Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward j i 3 a hard-worked Minister,; who has been I through a trying session, but the same may ; be said of the Leader of the Opposition. The latter has to pay for his pleasure trips; • the Premier escapes that burden. It is tho ' difference between the ins and outs.—l am, . etc., • INDUCTION COIL." , January 11.

' . . s PETONE WHARF.

Sir, —Your report of the Harbour Board's meeting was very interesting reading. The progress of the port during the past ten years must lie a matter of congratulation overi'to tho "outlying"''Petone-ites. There was) however, one feature of, the proceedings, as reported, to which. 1 desire to make reference. Mr. ShirtclifFo and Mr. Fletcher expressed the opinion that the expenditure for the erection of a wharf at Pctone was a waste of money, and that the wharf itself was a luxury which the Board •could very well have dispensed with. .Now, sir;'.if .these gentlemen aro really in earnest in this matter I would like thorn to answer thife' question: Aro they prepared to give hack-to Potono its natural rights on the foreshore—rights which should have been inaljchable—if Petone on its part would take over the contract which tho Board h?s entered'into for tho. erection of tho wharf, which they, look upon with such unfavourable cyos?—l am, etc., J. W. M'EWAN. ■ I'ctone, January 11, 1908.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

/■Sir, —3Jr. Martin is "cry ingenuous in trying ;to draw a red herring across the scent, and although Dctectivo Broberg has. not the same length of tinio in tho Public Seryipe ~as Detectives M'Grath and 1 Cassells, still 1 fancy that ho hilly, recognises the merits of his fellow-officers. Re tho Ellis case: We are all prepared to admit this splendid ofl'ort. . Since so much valuable information has come'to light from your article and various letters, I venture to mention one of tho most barbaric injustices that could be perpetrated on t ; ho Public-Service—viz.', a religious test, and, Sir, I think you will agree with mo that any Government calling itself liberal should abolish such a test. . It occurs in the application forms of both the police and asylums, and should not exist to the time-after-time proved detriment of.officers. A man's.religion qr national opinions aro his own sacred property, and should not bo trifled with at the expense of promotion or future welfare. If tlip Government did not know of theso facts before, they havo no excuso now, and I for Olio will watch the result closely. It is to, bo hoped that they art not afraid to efface this ignoble test from-any ; public record. " A Civil Servant of over 12 years' standing" pointed out a vory startling omission on tho part of tho Government, and also the Public Servico Association re the composition of the Board under the Civil Service Classification Act, and as there aro similar Boards established in tho Australian States, I would feci indebted to you for publishing the following information as to their composition, taken from the Forth "Morning Herald" \ , 1. In the Commonwealth service an inspector, submits n proposal for classification to tho Commisssioner. .Tho Commissioner, with this proposal- before him, makes a classification. There is a right of appeal to a board comprising the inspector, tlie head of tho department, and the representative of the r.ervico, who roport to the Commissioner, the decision of the Commissioner who niadk the classification, being final. . '2. In New South Wales n hoard of three persons classifies, and is - a right of apI peal to' the same board.... : 3. In Victoria one Commissioner classifies, and there is right of appeal to tho same Commissioner. ' •1. In Tasmania a board of three classifies, and there is a right of appeal to tho same board. ' The Tasmanian Act is tho most re- 1 cent pieco of legislation regarding the Public Service in Australasia. 5. In 1 Western Australia a Commissioner classifies, and there is a right of appeal to a board comprising the Commisssioner, a member appointed bp tho Government, and a momber elected by tho Public Service, and tho decision of this board is final. Two members out of the three comprising the board are under no suspicion of being under an obliga- , tion to support the Commissioner's proposals by reason of having been previously impli- ] cated in them." ' —I am, etc., . ' ONE INTERESTED IN JUSTICE. Wellington, January S. ' ' 1

BE CAREFUL WITH THE WATER,

Sir, —I notice in your issue of this morning that attention is drawn to the possibility of a scarcity of water. Will you kindly permit one, who in his time has known what luxury a drink of pure water would ho could lie get it, to express appreciation of any warning to', prevent wilful, reckless waste. Will you . permit me • to point out just two sources of great waste: there aro many others, but not so easily prevented. Tho cisterns are' frequently emptied unnecessarily. Then many go to wash at a tap, leaving it running all tho time, thus wasting, possibly, 20 times more water than would fill a basin, by which they could satisfactorily accomplish their end. Many of our people have never known the want of water. I believe our present supply will carry us forward right enough if householders would place-a little more value on one of tho greatest blessings they enjoy.—l am, etc., E.B. Wellington, January 0.

SHORTNESS OF WATER, ETC.

Sir,—l notice that the Council has called ( attention to the possibility of the shortness ] of water. I only wish that the Council would cease watering such streets with fresh water as are reasonably get-at-able with salt water. It is all very well for drapers and others who expose, their goods outside to complain of a so-called injury if salt water was used, as it- is used in plenty of other places, and with success. Let them keep their goods inside, and think that there aro plenty of people who have to go very, short of water, being dependent on tanks.' . ] It is high time something was done' to put . on t-lio supply to houses at Kilhirnie. There j aro residents in that locality who have ap- , plied over a month ago to havo their places i connected, but nothing has been done. I , grant that there may havo been a rush at first. Why in tho name of common sense r cannot a. licensed plumber be allowed to con- , licct with the main direct, and not have, to j wait until the Corporation plumbers do it? Why, also, cannot the necessary pipes for j eonnc-etions ho put to the mains, when the mains arc being laid, instead of having to j. tear up the streets and footpaths again!' How is it that some people are allowed to f erect houses on "land which they own with , a private right-of-way only a few feet wide, \ and others not allowed, even with a 20ft. right-of-way, or even to dedicate that width j, to the public? How is it, that the building inspector does not trouble to visit many of tho houses that are in course of erection, j and worries other builders?| Is it right that J, sons of councillors should be allowed fo hold j. positions in the Council? It. is time this t kind of thing ceased. Hither let, the son not t bo employed, or the father resign his seat, i No great harm would bo done if lliey did.— I am, etc., TOO .MUCH NEPOTISM. a January 9.

NURSES AND MIDWIFICRY.

Sir—Might 1 as a nurse claim the indulgence of spnee to bring under your readers' v notice one or two things that may be worthy r of our Government's consideration, interest- r ing to those of my profession that are in £ practice, and beyond dhubt of greater jm- l portance to those who arc, or ere long in- 1 Mjid to, take on this study. Possibly, noncjj

of us tlcsiro to lie in tlio roar.van. of progressivoness, and this. Dominion, and its Government can, I fcel'sure, afford to give some thought and further'action in the interest of earing for the folk, the - mothers of the future, the race that is to - ' ,0 - . - 8 First, I consider the time is opportune for ' a conference to he hold in Now Zealand of registered nurses' from our hospitals, - asylums, ami'midlives, .with a view of ah 3 interchange of thought and the discussion of 3 matters of great and grave importance to , our suffering sex. The Government could , give reduced fares to all those in different parts of tlio Dominion who so desired, to 1 attend. Our scientists, medical men, r teachers, and ministers regularly meet in' . conference, and great are. the results at-. . taincd .by their meetings. The New Zenj land branch of the British Medical Association could ho approached, with a view of ob- > training some of their leading members to attend .-and.'deliver lectures oil 'midwifery, ■ embracing the physiology and pathology of pregnancy, labour, and tlio puerperal: state, preceded, by an account of the. anatomv and ■' development'of women, besides dealing with 3 some of the diseases of women and the cares > and troubles of children. Our Government., i should, at its earliest convenience,, procuro, , everything of the latest for instruction, » illustrating purposes, chart's,- drawings,..aiicl . manikins, for no hospital for- instruction-is » complete without these.. Basins of wonderful exhibits should also he procured froin-a . Paris firm which supplies tjic.m. I firmly , believe our local St. Helen's Hospital, for iii- , strnction purposes, stands badly in need of [ these. Let us make an effort to be in the fore, and the poorer section of this Do- , .minion will bo much better attended. The . cost, would not exceed as ,a total sum £100. Nature has, fortunately, a valuable habit , or-.writing her own history, which women . are beginning to spell out and read. In this book of Nature nothing is too great for'her' to inscribe, nothing too minute for her to note. She records there equally the overwhelming of the world by ice, aiid the footprints of a bird, thousands, perhaps millions, of years after it lived on earth'. . On each frail form she prints, the past history ■of mankind, and we have the long ages, of mail's evolution recorded and recapitulated in the nine month's' life of'the foetus before .birth, Wo see tlio various-stages repeated, thrrtugh which life made its' way, upwards and'omvarcjs; growing ever more" and more 'complex,-.the stage of the fish, amphibian, reptile, and mammal. Like fossils in the rocks these, early stages of man's career are preserved for lis to see, and in seeing learn to read and understand. "Science," savs Mr. Bagehot in his hook on "Physics, "tries to read, is beginning to rend, in tlio frame of oach man, tho results of tlio whole liistorv of all his life, of, what he is, and what makes him so; of all his forefathers, of what they were, and. what made so . . if. wo could but see it.' In conclusion, tho whole matter seems to be that those who really care' for the welfare' of mothers and infants,' those, that desire that the many ignorant mothers should bo instructed in the proper feeding and care of their children, and who hope, to diminish both ipfaut mortality and deaths in childbirth, should'realise that now is tlio time to claim help from local bodies, and last,' but not least, our Government. ' Possibly you can clothe my humble thoughts in the advocacy of the cause that lacks united assistance in the columns of your paper. Will our Government make' the effort, and organise, in this direction? ..Then will we know that tho conditions and interests of the mothers that are, and tho race that is to he, besides those unfortunates in our asylums, are having tho latest and best methods of treatment.—l an;, etc., ■ NURSE MARIE JONASSEN (Regd.).

AN INJUSTICE TO FIREMEN.

Sir, —Whilereading your paper of January 2, 1 notice it is stated that as tho Maori was leaving Picton Wharf an inebriated fireman, belonging to tho ship, 101 l overboard. I wish you to correct this, as it was a sailorwho fell in and another sailor tried to res-, cue liiui. It is not always firemen.—l am, etc., - • A FIREMAN. January 6.

THE TEST MATCHES.

Sir',—Surely you aro mistaken in stating that Australia defeated England at Konnington Oval in 1890. My' recollection of the 1800 team is that, with the possible exception of that of 1836, it was the most unsuccessful combination that over toured England. J think, if you refer to AVisrlen, you will find that two test matches were, played in 1.890, in both of which the. Colonials were soundly beaten. A third one which had been arranged was not played owing to rain. Since 1880, when the first Homo test match was played, tlio two great'rivals have mot in England on thirty-four occasions, and only on six of tlicso has tho Mother Country suffered defeat. In 18S2 there was the historic seven runs defeat, and in 1888 the late P. S.-' M'Donnell's team' won oiio of their engagements by a small majority. Fortune did not. again smilo, on Australia until 189G, when |Tro(t's !toani. secured a three-wicket win at Manchester.' In 1899 England lost once, and in 1902 twice. Amongst the full strength, of England that is all Australia can claim, but, of course, against the many nondescript combinations which have visited Australia and played what have been termed test, matches much better results havo been obtained. 1 think 1 will not be accused of over-stating things when I say that only four, at the outside, of the. team now iii Australia would he selected to represent England at Home. An English Eleven minus Jackson, Fry, M'Lnren, Tyldesley, Arnold, Hayward, and Hirst just looks as silly as Australia would without, say, Armstrong, Noble, Hill, Tnmiper, Cotter, and Carter.— 1 am, etc., CUMBERLAND. Foatherstou, January 8, 1908. (Our correspondent is correct in stating that,' England won at Kennington Oval iu 1890. Tho Australians were beaten by two wickets. —Ed.)

THE LABOUR, PARTY.

Sir, —In accordance with the wide latitude that you allow contributors to your correspondence column to discuss public questions, 1 venture to submit the following friendly criticism of the proposal to organise 1 an Independent Labour party and the aims ! of that .organisation the Political Labour 1 League, which is the moving spirit in the J movement that is disturbing the political j quietude of the Protectionist-Socialist Minister for Labour, Mr. Millar, ami of your morning contemporary. Even if the forma- ■ tion of an Independent Labour party split the bogus Liberals who aro under the domi- , nation of the most Conservative. Premier j that, has ever occupied the position in this , country, even if such an event resulted in j tho accession of 51 r. Massey to power, the honest radical could welcome such a change ' as a desideratum to tho. ambiguous platitudes of so-called -Liberal politicians. The. situation is complicated by the attitude of the Labourists towards that form of economic imbecility, Socialism. It is evident that they, are doing the cause of social pro- ■ gross an injury by identifying themselves with tho hair-brained projects of State omnipotence when so many urgent measures of practical social reform are possible of attainment. The Labour party can never hope tp accomplish any permanent good until they ' rid their minds for ever of the delusion that they can increase wealth, create a demand for'labour, and make the toilers happy, prosperous, and contented bv taxing their food, clothing, and shelter. The sooner they yi abandon that silly shibboleth protection the ' ■ better it will be, for their own welfare. In conclusion, I suggest, tho following democratie reforms as worthy of adoption:—(l) A return to the Bill lance non-borrowing , policy. (2) a sufficient .increase of tho ordinary land tax to finance this scheme; (3) the'lnitiative, anil Referendum, coupled with ' the. right to recall the representative; M) J the Hare, system of preferential, voting in its entirety; (•")) an elective Executive; (6) the abolition of the Vppev Chamber.—l am! etc., F. W. HUIiKE. January 9. '