WELLINGTON TVPORAPHICAL UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 101, 22 January 1908, Page 4

WELLINGTON TVPORAPHICAL UNION.

Sir,—Alter perusing tlio report in your issue of to-day (.Monday), of .tlio annual mooting of tlio Wellington Typographical Union, I leel sure that the vast, majority of members of tin- Union will he the reverse of pleased. To those who were there, tho disappointment, was I'ven more Uce.n.' Tho greater part, of the evening was wastr-d in dawdling over routine business. and over business which could vci'v well have been hep! in abeyance until the Union's business proper was disposed of. Tlu-n, when a late hour, approached, : nc.l numbers had left- the nieetins;, lcaviuj.'. only a low present, a bonus of il.o was granted io the retiring President, "as a reco|.',iiil ion of his services during tins past year." to ipiole your own report. Today nothing lull indignation was expressed freely by members of the Vimm (Ml all hands at such an inexcusable use of I he I'nion's funds. The retiring President, who happened to he. defeated on a straight-out vote, had only been six months in olliee, and in that lime had done nothing more than any ordinary Hoard member in (he interests «f i he I'nion. True, helore (hat lie bail lieni engaged iii lifrSit-.in<r for I lie I'nion in the Arbitration Court, but for thn.w services ha was paid las. oer day and all expenses.

Since then his .officii lias been purely an ornamental one. and to pass,such a payment lit hiin as was done iit.a Into hour on Saturday evening last was u misuse of tlio Onion's I'miils. In thi' old days of the Wellington Typographic.-!! Union,'• members.- worked for. the good of tho Union without expectation of fee or reward. Such .tactics are all, tho mure inexcusable when it is remembered that llie retiring President on Saturday night stated thai, the I'niiui had only £101) to its credit which was not earmarked!; A reform is urgently needed ere tlio Union's funds jiro flittered away even more, for recent actions ' of the Hoard, ,or tlio Executive, ,or'both,. have been an insult to the inteUigc.nco of a ' body of men reputed to possess a high order. of intelligence. [ triist that the next report in tlio "Dominion" >vi show that tlio members are -moving in the direction of much-' needed reform. —I am, etc., ' ' : ; . , TWEEZERS. Wellington, January 20. . ' ' SPORT WORSHIP. ■ Sir,—Tlio Australians' and New Zcalanders' predominant failing is too great a love of sport. ; For football and.cricket teams to go to England, or vice versa for the sako of amusement bud enough; hut when livo thoiisaiid to. twenty-live thousand persons go from all parts of tlio country to see such a relatively unimportant event as tho present cricket matches in Australia,- and . tho winners aro treated by their admirers as important persons wlio have tlono their country an important service, it is obvious that tho mind of tho sport-loving people must bo in an unhealthy state. It should bo remembered that football and cricket' are equally as demoralising as races, particularly -so'League'matches, and Cup ties. . Men go in thousands not to stuclv or,admire endurance, but simply to seo!.tlieir team, gain two points, or pass" into tho next round ; with tho result that their passions are excited to such a pitch during tho matches', that thousands of persons torn by - emotions of rago and pleasure, swear, condemn, roar, and applaud to snch an extent- that for tho timo being they seem to have lost their selfcontrol. It would he well for thoso persons i whose names aro daily beforo tlio public as the leading amateur exponents of sport to ,romon;ber that they aro men who could mako hotter uso of their brains if they would play to live, aiid not live to play, at tlio- expenso of tlio hotter work they ought to do.—l am, etc., • M.M.. ; Wellington, January 20.' - . . TRAVELLING ON THE MAIN TRUNK - LINE. ' Sir, —In your report, of an interview with •Mr.' George G. Stead, a statement was mado which may give'tins travelling public a falso impression. that tlicy have no clianco of- obtaining reasonable refreshments after leaving 'iaihapo until Palmej-ston North is readied. This is/not- so, and in- my own interests as well, as thoso (like Mr. Stead .for instance) who have not- made themselves fnllv acquainted with the facilities offered at Marton Junction, it is necessary to point out that tlio Railway. Department' has: allowed passengers sufficient t-imo to get meals- or refreshments at my place." Tho morning, train from Taihape'arrives at Marton at B.<lo, and thd trains going north and : south do" not leave till 0.10 and 9.13 respectively. ' Tho midday train to connect tlio mail train goinj/. south arrives at Marton; Junction at 12.30, and the train south doe. 1 } not leave until a few minutes past 2 o'clock-, Again, tho.evening train from Taihape gives passengers await at Marton of 40.'minutes, so it will therefore bo seen there is amplft timo allowed to obtain meals. \ The publio are well catered for at Marton Junction, so that it- is only fair snch a statement, coming as it does from a well-known New lander, should bo corrected. I should like to add that Ministers of tho Cabinet and members of Parliament have always found plenty of time to have their meals at tlio hotel, and only the, day before; Mr. Stead' passed through, the writer provided refreshments for the Hon. Mr. - Carroll and Mr. Hono Hek,e. Thanking you in anticipation.—l am, etc., ■ARTHUR. PATERSON. 1 Marton Junction, January 18.