LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 274, 12 August 1908, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE REV. J. GIBSON SMITH'S SERMON. Sir,—ln your issue of yosterday thcro is a report of a sermon by tho Rev. J. Gibson Smith, which is largely devoted to tho criticism of a renew of his book that recently appeared in the "Outlook." As many of your readers aro awaro that I am tho writer of that review, I ask space to express regret that ho has thought fit to deal with my review in the pulpit, and thus liavo tho matter brought into tho ■ newspapers. Tho review in question appeared in tho "Outlook," and tho columns of that paper aro open to Mr. Smith if lie thinks it unfair. When ho does reply in. tho "Outlook," as I expect ho will, I will be ready t-o defend my review there, but I must declino to do so in tho secular Press. Here, I will only say that, having read what Mr. Smith has said about it, I still hold firmly by tho views expressed in my review. But may I ■ be permitted to add that 1 deeply regret that charges of treachery, etc., have been made by others against Mr. Smith. I strongly wish to dissociate myself from such charges. While differing most strongly .from the views expressed, in Mr. Smith's book, I do not for a moment doubt that he has sought to act in a conscientious spirit in this matter. —I am, etc., ISAAC JOLLY. The Manse,- Palmerston North, August 11, 1908. - ' OREGON PINE PRODUCTION. Sir,—Permit me to reply to a letter appearing in your issue of August 5, 1903, signed " Yankee Method." This writer endeavours to show the public some reason why duty should not bo placed upon Oregon pine timber. He states the paid in tho production of Oregon' pine are 50 per cent, to 100 per cent, higher than wages paid in the production of' New Zealand timbers. Tho latest editions of the "American Lumberman" make quite a different statement, and tho contention of New Zealand sawmillers that this, timber is produced by Japanese and Asiatic labour has not been disproved, but is backed up by John Foster Eraser's book, "Canada As. 1t.15," and by letters received from New Zealand sawmillers now there, who visited a mill with 99 per cent of coloured, labour. Until " Yankee Method ". can give us more proof, his statement can only be looked at with suspicion. " Yankee Method " then compares the distance as another reason why sawmillers hero should not bo protected. If timber can be brought 7000 miles at 2s. Gd. per 100 feet, andthe Now Zealand Railway Department extract 2s. 6d. from sawmillers to rail timber sixty miles, and ss. for 250 miles, tho conditions on this score show conclusively that sawmillers here aro entitled to protection or a considerable reduction in railway freight. As regards the Shipping Acts of our Dominion, if wo revcrso tho position and wo here endeavoured, to ship cargoes of timber to America we could not load more than 400,000 to 500,000 feet of New Zealand timber on a vessel of the same tonnage as brouglitr-800,000 feet of Oregon timber hero; because, first, our timber is double the weight, and even if it was the same weight, our dock load restrictions would prevent such a cargo being sent from a New Zealand port, and any vessel that proceeded to sea with such a load could lead to captain and owners being brought up for manslaughter. On tho basis of freight and the Shipping and Seamen Acts wo aro clearly entitled again to protection. , " Yankee Method ". now endeavours to show wo have no up-to-date sawmills and lab-our-saving machinery, compared to. sawmills in America. ; We are prepared to admit that our sawmills cannot work timber anything like as cheaply , as tlio leading mills in America. Wo. again claim wo are entitled to protection upon " Yankeo'Method's " own argument for a number of reasons:—

(1) Our present Government or Labour Department would not tolerate sawmills run in, this country on the same lines as in tho Pacific coast mills. If " Yankeo Method " will read up the State Forest Regulations of our Dominion ho will see upon application he can get 200 acres of forest, and by special tc■quost ho may get,|6oo acres.,. Now, .can "Yankee Method" tell us what kind of American up-to-date mill lie. would j adviso a New' Zealand sawmiller to put into this bush, which just about represents one year's work for a mill like the Pacific Lumber, Company's at Scotia? '

(2)_Sawmillers in New Zealand cannot get sufficient area of bush to enablo them to put in labour-saving plants. Ono of the great losses to New Zealand sawmillers is the continual shifting and orecting of their mills in small areas of bush.

• ' (3) Oregon pine or Douglas fir can be sawn at from's inches to 6 inches to the revolution of the saw,. while New Zealand rimu, matai, and pine can only bo cut at tho, rate of 2i to 3 inches to tho revolution, there being so much difference in tho texture of our wood. -Allis. Chambers, and. Reliance. Pacific Coast benches and band-saws are now being used in our Dominion, but they cannot cut within half what they can cut in Oregon or redwood. Tho comparison oE the timber is just this. Oregon lias tho advantage in overy way except strength. Half tho cost to handle, half tho cost to saw at mill, half tho cost in freights, half tho cost to work by builders. New Zealand rimu can easily beat it in strength.

(4) The builders aro all in favour of Oregon timber purely on account of tho saving, in handling and working, and they know American Diston. hand-saws cannot work rimu and matai half as fast as Oregon. " Yankeo Method " says that the architects are in favour of Oregon on account of the up-to-date method Americans have in seasoning and preventing from warping. Oregon pine and Californian redwood do not require, any method to prevent, from warping. It is natural for these timbers to keep from twisting; and the cargoes landed in New Zealand lately .were sent from the log to the ship as fast as mills could cut them, and they- aro now being seasoned in Wellington. " Yankee Method" would gain a lot of knowledge if he gets fully acquainted'with tho legislation and conditions under which sawmillers work here beforo condemning Now Zealand sawmills and timber industry methods. I am, etc., SAWMILLER< August 10.

THE HUTT CAS QUESTION. Sir,—You Teport Councillor Ward as having said at last night's meeting of the Hutt Borough Council that the Petone Council reduced the price of gas by 3d. to the Hutt and Is. Id. to Petono consumers. Permit me to say that, so far as the reduction to Petone consumers is concerned, this statement is entirely incorrect. The truth (for which I have some regard) is, that the price was reduced by lOd. to our consumers. The reduction was the rosult of the saving effected of 3d. in manufacturing costs and 7d. in distributing costs. Wo gave tho Hutt tho whole of tho saving in manufacturing cost. They could not reasonably expect any more. Let mo state in conclusion that our distributing costs are very much lower than those of Lower Hutt. Let tho Hutt people consider whether their distribution of the gas purchased from Potone is on a satisfactory footing. I have no time to bandy words about a "dog in the manger," or any otlior kind of policy, with Councillor Ward. It's a "sair waste o' time."—l am, etc., J. W. M'EWAN. Petone, August 11. THE TOWN BELT. Sir,—l understand the Mayor is intending to put a Bill before Parliament this session regarding our Town Belt, to enablo the Council to givo portions away, at a pepporcorn rental. I think the citizens- should strongly object to this. If anything is done with samo tho portions lot should return a fair percentage of its value. But it is tho samo with each section of city property, the last thing the Council thinks of is to lessen tho rates which boar on tho rents. Notice tho continual largo increase of officials' salaries. The condition of tho Belt has been a sad disgrace to tho city for a number of years, and I would like for tho Government to tako possession of samo. Then thp prisoners could beautify and mako it useful. —I am, ete., CHAS. SIMMOND9.