LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 497, 3 May 1909, Page 9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

"HASTINCS PLUM-EATING FATALITY."' Sir,—My attention Los Ixxm drawn to a' notice appearing in your issue, of April 29 under tho above heading, and in justice to tho orchard implicated, I will ask you to find spaco in your valued columns, for certain important corrections, In; the first placo, no fatality from-ca±ing plums supposed to bo sprayed ivitb arsenical ; preparations has occurred in Hastings. But during tho past fruit season a. child died in Taihape from tJio eifccts of over caiing plums., which, the father stated, had been procured from Mr. Viokers, of l'aihape, tho fruit, agents of tho Hawko's Bay l'ruit-growors' Co., Ltd., the caso being brandod with tho ■ brauxl of tho w<ill-kiiowu lCaiapo orchard. So • far, no doubt, your story is correct, for wo sont out largo quantities of plumß during tho past season. What is also correct io that the doctor in charge of tho case gavo a oortiCcato of death caused by arsenical poisoning. But tho arsenic, if thero, was not in'.tiio" pluma, for tho very good reason that such a spray is not used'on plums cither at Friniloy ' or anywhere olso. Arsenio is only' used ' against tho codlin moth, which does not attack the plum.: The only spray usedat.Frim!ey on plum trees is lime, salt, and sulpkur for a, winter dressing, ana whalo oil or soap, omulsiop in tho summer for tho red spider. ' ; Therefore, we are inaldng any special . investigations in this direction at Fnmloy,, . as thero is not lib. of arsenic in tho placoJ ' —I am, etc., ' . ' . ■■■•■■■! , W.HENB.Y SMITH, i Manager, Eaiapo Orchard, , -' : ,: .. : ... Friniloy. Hastings, April 30. ■: ' PREFERENCE VOTINC. Sir,—Tho result of tho Mayoral- elcctioq in your city shows tho; urgent noed for eleo< v toral refonn. Tho victorious candidate was* elected by a narrow margin of votes, and ia"under the' systom a minority representative, when the votes polled for the aofeated cau4 didatcß are totalled and Dr. Newman's major-) ity subtracted from it. I intend no reflection) Upon tho latter gentleman, nor do I insinuate : than Dr. Newman would be 'a.minority.' re 4 presontative under a proper elective Tho two reforms;. essential are, first, to ' broaden tho franchise, basis by substituting! ; the parliamentary franchise for tho ono av present ; in voguo, and, second, a more x>f4 liciont elective system for recording an <ttl>. solute/majority of the votes cast. Propor4 tional 'reprosontation hor medium of tho pre-4 ferelitial choico _ supplies that need. Thai elector marks hiß or hor ballot-paper -in ac-j oordanoo 'with their ■ predilection for thoj various candidates. These'preferenoo-choioea, ■ aro averaged. If no candidate receives ani absolute majority of first pnSferenco votes J: the Btiocessive ohoiocß aro oshattstod' until' ;'v absolute, majority candidate is returned-)' This system, has boon established in many» lands ,and i is. found, to yield satisfactory reri' • suits., It is much more equitable even to thai - various ' candidates than the present oneJ which handicaps this, frco expression of ponu-j lar opinion. It is.pleasing to note that MrJ Massey favours tho application of this prin«{. . ciplo to tho Parliamontary elections. Thos«i refoitns ote -Btrictly hon-partisan) and Bhoulil • ; bo supported by all progressives of whatovejf,: Blmdo of political faith,—l am, etc., ' F. ,W. BUEKB.' ■ . Ashburton, April 30. DISGUSTED UNIONISTB. Sir,—At tho last meeting of tho' sWel*,' lington Waterside Workers' Union it was\ pointed out that at the beginning of the yeari the union had a biilanco of £719 at tho bank J and since then about £170 had been, added,} making tho total' funds about £890. An ap->-plication for assistanoo for tlio worisors cnv. gaged in the struggle at Broken liill was! rccoived, and a;member moved that a sum/ of £100 bo donated to assist them. This/ , was .socopded, but an.amondmqnt'was .moved\; in favour of contributing only £20. AftetJ several ! members had spoken dif-J , ferenu views as to what amount of assißtancoi should be' riven, the - BMretary DJ M'Laren, MiP.) spoke of tho splendid fight' tho unionists at Broken Hill wore potting' up and > tho hard time thej;-wore having. Ho; -, was quito oloqnent about it. Then ho went on to say that ho thought £100 was rathorl a largo amount to givo, and ho urged mem-l bora to consider their own funds. Hef ■' thought they might-Bond £10. Tho amende ment (£2O) was carried, but the-movor ofthoJ original motion moved a further amendment! to eend £50., Aftor a livoly',discussion itiraa! dccided that £20" should bo sent -to Broken] Hill, as the contribution of the largest and? hrobably tlio richest labour union in. New; . Zealand, Groat indignation was .expressed, hyp tho minority, who left tho room in<iiegustjU/< such a paltry action.—l am, cic., - UNIONIST.