LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 176, 20 April 1908, Page 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

- ENGOUK AGING' SMALL YACHTS. , • Sir,—l noticed in your -last week's-notes on yachting that you congratulated . yachtsmen on tho success of the .sport during tho season.;' and although' thisj. happily, is • true, I would like to make a. few remarks, which lam sui'e will, be.: agreed'tg> by all small yachtsmen.,, .There .does not :Secni to be. enough encouragement given to small- boatowh'ors. v I would suggest that theP.N.Y.C. 'should start a 14fc.. and '18ft.''class immediately;,- with the object, of ; inducing small, . as well; .as-youthful, to: becqiife members;-' .'At : present, -there, is' only -j one points: competition for i4-footers, and it, is ■ iiot;.enpugh.\ I-thinki tha.'two'classes I have raentibtiea might 'very, well' be; sVarted next year, to race,' say, at least-as-' often as t.ho first-, .second; and'third-classes." If'the Club : is: desirous, of. attracting new chums' to take on -the sport, I .don't see how they 'aro going to learii in some of.the bic .lead -keolers at present'• in.Yv'ellington; ' Also, tho-Club cannot'go .ahead without new, members, and : plenty of' tlicm.—L am,' etc.,' ■ " - , BLUIE, ' Wellington, April 16, 1908. : - A,BHIPPINC'.COMPLAINT; Sir, —Your articlo this morning on. the subject of ; trade with. Auckland is indocd ..timely,-not' only as regards passengor accommodation, but also ..with' regard to cargo, as ; is instanced by tho following facts concerning tlie expensive delay caused by tho Auckland boat thi6 day,'which is .8y no means an exception, and i which is also the caso with . Dunedin at times which arc getting more-numerous. At. 11.15 a.m. there, were ~ thirty-odd carts,, with goods for tho Maitai, . in-position on,the wharf. At 1.35 p.m. tliey, were all in the samo position, though' considerably' increased. in numbers. : Eventually', the carters ,w;ere casually informed that lio cargo, would,be.;received to-day, as.the ship was . full- with.- transhipments, so the; nien, had to cart,-back-their stuff to their different- : houses,'after some.of them had been waiting ' since 10 a.m. This is aistato.of'affaii's which, should . not be allowed, to Continue, aivj the companies in . question; not' incanve- ". nie'nee. "the (.public 'generally,; to say. nothingof expense in order to ! insure full boats.—l am, etc., CLERK. -. Ajiril. 14, " , ' THE,MAYORAL ELECTION. . Sir, —I would like to'know. why tho Thomdon footpaths; niore particularly ffiolesworth . - Street, (one of the' oldest 'and niost-used-in ■ tho city), are:in "such' a disgraceful state and have been.so now,. jii?t before. th'e s election of a; Mayor, a lbt of rubbish has been l put on them, making, them alinoSt-liko a dry- river-bed., : Is-it a fact,; sir, that tho Mayor has the power, and' uses it, to reinstate'men; who' hare'been discharged for- , vanoys reasons' by; the heads, ;of, departments? -If so, it is -no Wonder we have rumours- of '.strikes and disobedience of orders. T think, sir, it is'time that a board, . of say three'citizens-(who ~hayo no axes to v grind, and., do riot want to'get' billets' fdr . ' ,th/aiiv- ' relations, arid' frieitds)i= should bojphosento control thetram ways, for. instance. -J'.also-,tlink that 'if. there .is the ' •V'slightnst, truth -iiii.the many; statements' that -. .■. Mr. Fisher..b'a.s:,written,' cdncei-ning Mr.' His- ,; . lflp r that itlwould ba ; a; good deil more pre- •' ferable for th« ratepayers to' elect Mr. AitlcCn ' as ; Mayor, tlougbj' pei'haps, .he may not. .be ' quite so" fefevbr'.'--- as our present Mayor.—l am, etfi.,. ' ■'■''/■ ' > '• . V vx, , 1 - , 'RATEPAYER. - ' . April W/: 1908. . " - 0 :-• 1 . .

A REMINDER TO CITIZENS. -Sir/-AUc»7. mo to- remind-all interested'in' • educrtioiia.l '-mattersthat' .the •election. •.".'of scbiil, committees .takes .place: on Monday,. - . Ap'il -27. They are. urged to rcturil mem- • . b©s who favour,thd following.reforms:— . 1. The placing of the .'-'Ten ..Commandjients", wall,chart in:■ each class-room:-- •*• , 2. The,,.reading:' of \,a, Bible;;lesson, ■ by-,scholars, under, the":' supervision of ■ the teacher.: /; ._/• ■ t 'IW. . Wellington' -Education.Board vhas ' allowed- the Ten! CAmmandipents to ! be placed ' on the' TO]ls .of : their schools.';. In Ireland and Oritarip ' (Canada),- the •;Ten<':.Command- . ments'-'are 'exhibited, 1 :. ,;;ln..the .latter .'pro'vihee they> are repeated.:-once ': a . week ■ by ; scholars. •*;■' : •;■, l ffV-",;'-: r>>. v; Iti is>felt that our; children's /education ;isnot- complete .without :some definite 'kiiovv--, ledge of tho great: moral laws laiddown in . the-Bible,- which :is,,the' best. text book of morals,' besides,beingour. greatest classic. It/ • therefore, rests with . the school committees, of this Dominion'-to say :if>tbey- want this V reform.'' Kindly 'attend;'election .for; the '.children's . Bake.—l am, etc., 1 -: - i PEARSON. 1 Ap.-il.. 18, 1903. ; . WHARF ARRANCEMENTS AT- PICTON. Sir,—On April M' a passenger: b'oundfrom Nelson .to .-.Wellington states , that the* Periv.,. gum- arrived, at Picton Wliarf at^'.2s : ip.m., ; and , under 1 ordinary ■circumstances \sliou|d • . have. sailed;-agaih:' at' 7 -plm.- for, 'Wellington., : --.The-. 8.8'.' Rakai'a ~wds; laying -at .the '-wharf,' affcr,-having -'iidmplriteli' but', the master,.of; this',.iVess'el, r >a 1 stranger-to the port,. did- Mt .care to'-undertake l ' the,removal of his'vessel in the dart. The " Harbourmaster" :(?)/.at :this N primitive 1 :port/' beT •.;. ingja■ railway porter,' 'was; not' qualified -/to' -.renfove the . vessel; hence,"one\side ..of,- the : at wiich • the: Mapourika -coiald" have, ,berthed,';- was :-occupied by'an idle ship.-' , The lastnatoed ,vessel was ..bound for . Nelr .- soii and the- -.West, Coast, a '. .having -to .catch the tide at- the ■ first-named - place,, was given preference';.to;'the', berth:.^occupied'- by the Wellington-bound stealer,.ivhich conse- : ?uenpy,'d!d:not.'get'away'till; 3.30 a.'m;, rer suiting ,in. several passengers ;missing :the ~ • north-bound train's. It appears to .meJ/Mr." •" Editor; that,' '.with .the;, growing.' importance : and increased;trade-of, the ..port of' Picton . v the - Minister; of ~• Marine -.. is' adopting' a rpplicy: iii' regard ,to riot havjng a, duly.. qualified harbourmaster in;charg« of . tnG. port, arid I.trust-that iD\iho'near future ■' this matter.will be etc.,' , , " MUCH TRAVELLED.''-' ■ April- IS. - ,}\. : ,. '• ~ A BUSHMAN'S OPINION. r . , , . ' Sir^l: : read The Dominion -.with, .great pleasure. .You.open your paper for ;.i|l-man-ner of discussions. In .my opinion , that ,is right. But .I say .it is not right- for- iny man to call our beautiful New Zealand ,a Godless'country. Let such men look about a' bit. . Let look down deep'.within , themselves, and if they are not blind' ihcy will feel, very humble. - A;man:.lives hio'.beliefs. If he is not truthful;in little'.thincs a °d tng every day ,- and' all day,- well, he'dots , not believe .m ; tho .Crea'tivo.'Power we call i • .W let such men remember : that' in the; Godless ■ atmosphere of ' Wellington js a. noble lady, at'the'head of a Catholic i institution, -who takes in -all' regardless of. 'creed. '•« "I maintain , this lady, .is': the.fsort '0f settler we want here, who shows her'faith • by her, work, . and her 'belief in the Christ' by walking m.His footsteps. ;. , , v . Good men and Women.don't- leave a couu- . r tTy because its'too wicked., They stop there and; try-to make it better by .their example'. - The, ma:n who has, learned; his duty 'knows -that a, duty, done; holds,-its .own reward; andthat sin and a|l evil is sure to bring,retribii.tiori as, sure as night" follows day.' 1 There- ' i :.:fdre '.it .'follows' that..:no .'life; oth'er:' than":a . manly .and righteous one. is worth' living. -1 ' have -reared, nine children-in'the. bn'sh,-,up ■here, :-and •taught .them;the abave.^-Do' you :. think that..l f'am the only father 'in' this country children ; that hapbiness -, ; hinges -. on integrity -'.We ■ have.- to', live :a long time' before we know" how. to'live A man may -be very' honest* very- earnest, and very wrong. ' If.this, thelfirnt.letter!,have ever written to_ a . poper, is; published, ,1 ' write in. all charity. But when a man. csJls this a Godless country he pains. . !• ■ ,:V A .BUSHMAN/; . Mangatainoka,;April 12.