LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1192, 29 July 1911, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

AN UNFORTUNATE TOAST. Sir,—ln your report of Ilio proceedings at Hio l)iini|iici. (o tho "Irish Envoys" surely Hutu has liicn a printer's error. H reads "tlie 'I'cifH! iincl Ilio King were honoured." Jl' this is correct, it would bi! as well for llk.sii present to remember Ili.-it llif.v livi. in a jwirt of the British Kiiipirc! which recognises tho King as Ik'.'kl of Ilio Slflli-. \V« do not live in a Miinilr.y .Milijicl. l<> Iho authority of (he I'ii|hi; mid, i« hiv iiiinil, toasting the linillh (,r 11,,, |,<.,',,| of a ehurck whose iiioinliiT'i iir<i only :i percentage of tho ji'ipiiliilion of this .Dominion is a dowurii;M. in:.nil lo uiir King.—l am, pic, BRITISHER,

THE ANTI-MILITARY TRAINING MEETING. fiiiV-r sec by Mr. Bedford's letter in Im: Dominion that ho states that tho mailing on .Sunday night, in His Majesty'h Thealre, had nothing whatever to do with Ilio Socialist party. Now, Sir, if th:il is so. what was tho'rod cloth with tlii' letters N.Z.S.P. (which means Now Zealand Socialist Party) doing on tho table in front of the chairman, and why did tho proceedings commence with the singing of the Socialist "Song of Revolt, No. 1," and why did tho men at tho doors, and other attendants, wear red ties. I submit, Sir, that I have said enough to show that the Socialists had all to do with tho meeting.—T am, etc. UNION JACK. THE INSULT TO THE ACTINGMAYOR. Sir,—Reading The Dominion to-day, I was glad to see Wellington has protested against the insult thrown at it by a Cabinet Minister, and I trust sha will insist on an apology, as suggested by your correspondent "Pro Bono Publico." Such conduct from any man is not to bo tolerated. I should have been glad to havo heard of tho councillors calmly walking out, and returning only when tho Hon. R. M'Kenzio had taken back tho words ho spoko to Mr. John Smith, the ActingMayor. I quite agree- with tho last letter in to-day's paper, and trust our Minister for Lauds will tako thoso words to heart, and act accordingly.—l am, etc., A. GOl'DEll HILL. Auckland. THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. Sir,—For the past week speculation has been rife as to who will bo appointed tho new High Commissioner for the Dominion of New Zealand. Personally. I incline to the belief that ho is already in London, in the person of Mr. T. E. Donne. It is inconceivable to me that the Hon. Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G., Chief Justice of tlie Dominion, would descend from the highest and most honourable office in the service of tho State to one whose duty it is to write daily and weekly reports o:i the ruling market value of a. quarter of mutton and a sack of potatoes. Both, of course, arc of great commercial importance to tho Dominion. But whilst tho writing of such reports may be tho duty of tho High Commissioner, I am, nevertheless, earnestly of opinion that the high offico should be. held by a gentleman who would do the fullest justice to tho commercial interests, and ,at tho same time, reflect the high literary and social qualities of the people of Hie Dominion of Now Zealand. AVhether or no the ofiico is intended for Mr. T. E. Donne I cannot say. But an incomparably moro 'distinguished ■ gentleman possessing the highest qualifications on the lines I have suggested, aud who would fill the hi«h office with dignity and honour, is the Hon. Mr. M'Nr.b. Thoso rare and hieh qualities so imperatively essential to the welfare of tho Dominion were highly possessed a,nd displayed by tho Hon. AV. P. Reeves during his long term of office. Let the peoplo of the Dominion air earn- , estly hopo that the appointment will not bo one of chum favouritism, but-that.at will, and should be, given to Hie''-best-' qualified gentleman, quite irrespective of party or political creed.—l am, etc.,

W. W. SMITH. New Plymouth, July 25, 1011. IMPORTED COAL. Sir,—ln your issue of March 11, 1911, you made reference to tho hugo importations of Newcastle coal into New Zealand, your attention having been drawn to the matter by a correspondent. I am sorry that nothing further has been written by you on the subject. Might it not bo prontably raised again in view of the approaching elections? There has been a heavy decreaso in tho output of West Coast mines for tho half-year ending Juno 30, 1911, but the importations of Nowcastle- coal continue unabated, I have noticed a considerable amount of correspondenco on tho subject of Newcastle importations in the Westport and Greymouth papers recently, and the remedies suggested aro twofold. First: Reduction of tho heavy charges now-levied by the Government for raiLvo royalty, and harbour charges. ' Second: Tho imposition of a protectivo duty on Newcastle coal. 1 think it. is high timo that something was done to protect such a vital and important industry as coal-mining, and trust that an abler pen than mine will take tho matter up and push it energetically.—l am, etc., LOCAL INDUSTRIES. Wellington, July 27, 1311. CROWN LEASES AND CROWN TENTACLES.

Sir,—lt is to l>o hoped the New Zealand l-armers Union will in the ensuing olections light for the freehold of these leases up lo the last ditch. If tho Government get into that ditch never to get out, so much tho belter for tho tenant farmer. I do not think it is generally known thai, even under tho present law, leases in perpetuity of land originally aetjuirej under Tho Land for Settlements Act cannot bo purchased under any circumstances. 1 have in my mind's eye two leaseholders of such land of tho respective areas of 996 and <75 acres, doubtless the remaining acreage of the largo purchased block not then fit for close settlement or leases of such an area would surely not have been grauted. These leases woro then loaded to tho extent of i:7C'O and XOIO respectively for improvements, chiefly represented by ploughing and fencing, then existing, but lowi since utterly exhausted by the tenants' own work in replacing fencing and reeultivating the land. It will be scarcely credited that after the expiration of eight years these exhausted improvements arte brought forward against tho tenants, totalling ,£I3OO, although they have no existence. Tenants cannot borrow from any private lender berauso of the iniquitous provision contained in the Land Act, l!) 08, which provides that if tho tenants make default, tho Government, in forfeiting tho leases, take the whole of the tenant's improvements, including the land, Hie lender therefore would have no security whntCTor; neither can thrso tenants borrow from the Si-ate Lnan Department any sum beyond three-fifths of Hie value of' their improvements, which, in their cases, are depredated by .EI3GO by the claim of tho Government for the exhausted improvements referred to. How many people occupying under the=o leases are at the present crippled by tho legislation of the Government b-fforo referred to it would be difficult to say. In any case they are all subject -to it. If is therefore not to be wondered at that the union should lake this question so seriously. It would occupy 100 much room in your valuable columns to comment upon other aspects of tho law as bearing on this question, at any rate these cases are typical of many others in the respect j mentioned, and are cmito sufficient to show how badly leaseholders are treated by the Government of the dav.—T am. etc.. X-RAYS.