LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1235, 18 September 1911, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THAT PECULIAR INCIDENT.

Sir,—Mr. M'Lnreu accuses rao of desiring to ask my question for the purpose of upsetting Mr. Mills's mooting. This I deny. It was simply to giro Mr. Mills the opportunity of correcting the gravo mistakes ho mudo in his announcements. There were two members of the Executive of the New Zealand Federation of Labour present unknown, to me. One of theso rose at tho same tirno as I did to deny tho statements made by Mr. Mills. Had ho been a moment earlier, I am of opinion that the meeting would have been upset. My mere asking permission from tho chairman to put a question upsc<t Mr. Mills's ocrailibrium instead. The number of people who walked out, evidently disgusted with the stage autocracy of Mr. -Mills and tho weakness of the chairman, show that I at least had their sympathy, Mr. M'Laron. has my thanks for' countermanding the "boss" argument of Mr. Mills, "Officer, remove that man." Mr. M'Laron admits possessing one physical defect. There are others. A short memory can bo added to that of shortsightedness. Both of th«9e I recognised tho whole length of tho theatre. Somo time since I favourably reviewed tile matter contained in tho "Struggle for Wisdom." Tho compiler of that book gave men his "Thank you, brother." 1 was well satisfied. Since then I have driven Mr. Mills into ono or two awkward cornors in the world of ideas. Tho funny part of it is that I used arguments from tho "Struggle for Existence" by W. T. Mills to do this. Of courso this does not stop him advertising his book at his meetings. To bo plain, Mr. Editor, the statements made oy Mr. Mills in his announcements prior to appealing for campaign funds were delightful specimens of his fellow-country-man's native characteristic—blulf. In this week's "Maoriland Worker" is sufficient evideico to prove this. There is a direct challenge from tho New Zealand Federation of Labour lor him to debate his "unity party scheme" with their representative, Scott Bennett. For tho propagation of truth, I feel sure the challenge will bo taken up. Then wo shall seo things, unless mentally shortsighted. Just now I am willing to discuss with Mr. M'Laron tho following"What are tho nccessxry qualifications to preside at a public meeting?" For my part, I will ask no consideration for tho disadvantage I possess of not having been "chairod" at tho mahogany of Now Zealand's Governor. An impartial reporter in attendance would, however, be a great advantage to truth generally and myseJf in particular. —I am, etc.,

FRANK FREEMAN. Secretary, Wellington Socialist Party.

RAILWAY GRIEVANCES,

Sir,—Recent letters in your journal give point to the assertion that thero is a very great amount of dissatisfaction existing at present in the first division of tho railway service. Some time ago the Minister in chargo. of that branch of tho public service informed the world at large that thousands were anxious to join tho Department. Had he said that thero wero hundreds patiently awaiting a favourable opportunity to quit the service ho would have stated 1 that which was nearer the mark. But possibly tlio . Minister does not know this, as he is not in touch with those affected. I would like to draw your attention to a letter which recently appeared in tho "Railway Officers' Advocate." The writer, who is known throughout tho service as a very efficient officer, and one for whom a great career was confidently anticipated, states very clearly his reasons for leaving a servico t which, by tho enforcement of harassing' regulations, had become so odious to him. What amazes one most is tho fact thit, although many complaints appear »in various papers, they are apparently passed over by members of Parliament, who surely must read them. Aro tho members afraid to raise their voices or to make inquiries into matters which are of vital importance to the country? Long hours and senseless regulations are in many cases tho causo of inefficiency, and some day, after an. overworked officer' has committed an error of judgment, and plunged the country into disaster, these members will awaken from their apathy, if still M.P.'s.

In 1907 tho new Classification Act, which was to bo a boon, was passed. Sinco that dalo various so-called regulations have been issued, which have nullified the intentions of those who gave their assent to that Bill becoming law. Now, who issues theso regulations? Wo are not all fools enough to think that with his other duties tho Minister has time to framo these petty and harassing regulations, and it is not far off the mark when it is said that they generally emanato from the head office. Many of those in the liccd office havo been there for years, and aro absolutely out of touch with .the conditions existing in the various districts. This is keenly felt all through the service, and it is high timo changes were made.

It is recognised that wo must havo good control, and that tho Department should pay its way, but not at the expense of those who risk health, and, in some casos, even life; to carry out tho work of the Department. Take the case of the man who is laid up genuinely through illness —should Iris illness bo serious or,not is of little moment—that rnau has his sick leave deducted from his annual leave. I wonder how the Minister would like a deduction made from his salary for each and every time ho attends the races—irrespective of any sick leave lie has? Then what a farce it is to have an Appeal Board, when tho Minister (who is probably primed up by the management— not necessarily the General Manager, mark you—can veto any decision arrived at. Ho is a law unto himself, and all others, too. Tho question of the treatment of the staff is a very serious one, and one that requires the earnest consideration of Parliament. Recently members of tho service had to submit to being practically called dishonest.. Can anyone wonder that thero is littlo sympathy between the staff and tho Minister, when such unfair statements are made, and when promises given are wantonly broken?

I regret encroaching so much on your space, but feel that if tho railway service is to continue efficient, and retain the best of tho officers at present in it, n great many alterations aro necessary, and it behoves the people's representatives m J. arliament to be up and doing, and not quietly permit their own acts and intentions to bo whittled -down by rcgu'aw3 f £i lmetl h .v a "y Minister or liead office official.—l am, etc., ANOTHER WHO QUITTED.

IS THE WORLD GETTING BETTER?

Si r ,—Thero is tin idea often expressed by leading men and brought to view constantly; and that is tho opinion "that the world is getting better." Getting better of what, Mr. Editor? Of its moral corruption? Of its undignified crime? Of its immense liquor traffic? Of its natural selfishness? Of its monopolising, grasping, anil condensing of commerce to the injury of humanity? Of its hatred of nation against nation? Of its utter disregard of the commercial interests of any other than its own? Of its scepticism? Of its infidelity? Of its unlimited atheism in its various forms? Of its lovo of pleasure in a thousand ways - Of its pride ? Of its duplicitv? Of'its double-mindedness? Of its ambition? And of its almost unlimited fraud? llien if all this bo true, and can be answered in the affirmative, we can onlv conceive that tho author of the Christian religion made a mistake—a most grievous mistake, when He said that "in tho last days perilous times shall come, for men shall bo lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient, unthankful, unholy, withont natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisors of those that arc good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovprs of pleasures more than lovers of God."

Now, Jfr. Editor, if it is tho general impression among mankind iliat (hp worNl is Retting better, there aro still thonauids of thinking men vot liviiifr who fully and truthfully believe that God has not' slandered the planet at its present slago, for when Inspiration recorded tliceo words tho character of this planet, as presented everywhere to-day, had been divinely summed up and correctly portrayed to a leiter.

To any truo and thinking mind which surveys the vast panorama before it, the tableau presented is a mighty and moving mass of diseased and moral declension. It is a living portrayal of a fast and rapid progress toward corruption and decay. When we glance at it lor a moment, aid

regard the feature of physique and health, 1 it is a failure. Consumption, cancer, immaturity, insobriety, and vico 'have loft their iiuleliklo ami hereditary marks upon tho human masses. Tlic young step into the grave by the thousands. This world has spoiled its own constitution. Its pleasures have corrupted it. Its vices have controlled it. And its passions and appetites have brought it iji a general way to its present existing condition. Ancient Itomo was turned finally into a libertine's and a drunkard'sgravo. Bacchus at last as a gad overcame Jupiter; and the Roman in tho clutches of a I'c-o which he loved, crumbled into ruin What better, then, is the world to-day than Rome? ITas it,a lx;ttcr constitution than the ancients had of old? And dc«. its morality and purity in any sphere stnnd upon a hiirher plane of .existence? It so, whe.ro is (ho record of it? Do our newspapers, as they present their columns of crime, admit it? Do our mighty confederacies, antagonistic the one to tho other, allow it? Do the multitude of our trucc-breakc'is show it ? Do our grasping monopolies, selfish to tho core, show it? Docs our staggering and multi-enor-mous drink bill show it? Does the increase of tho feeble-minded, tho weeds of humanity, and the insane show it? Dora the social evil of tho great cities show it? Getting better. aro we? Who is our physician? Who has prescribed tho millions of gallons of whisky wo have dranK to the loss of intellect, intelligence, anil sobriety? Which god has dosed tho world with narcotics? Who has placed tho pipe in one han<l and tho bottlo in tho other?

This world reels to-day as the result of its own excesses both spiritually and morally. It clutches tho liiedicinc hottlo in its spasmodic grasp. Justice too in a thousand ways has fallen in the streets. Man's inhumanity to man is emblazoned on the planet everywhere. The slums of our large citias co itain thousands of impoverished creatures, crushed, 'all,;u, despised, dilapidated, and poor; and making in the whole a diseased lump of trembling humanity. Polities', too, nre a game of hazard. Parliaments present (he appearance of debating clubs, a.n-1 compose a chapter which is best turned down; while a glance at tho circle of the upper thousands docs no credit to the times in which wo live. Then amid strikes, revolutions, fluctuations, and a universal svstem of boycott, tho whole community everywhere trembles and shakes. Panics take place. Insecurity exists. And national treaties are only worth tho paper on which they are written. Yet wo arc philosophically told that the world is getting bettero nvalescent; on tho improve. If so, Mr. Editor, why do we require so many laws, many of which aro unjust" Why do wo require so main' armies of standing soldiers?' Why do so many _mighty Dreadnoughts rest upon the ocean? Is it localise we love one another? No. Th-'.t is a farce.

The world to-doy is one .vast pi }ure, blotted and falsely coloured, and daubed with paint. The speeches of many aro like splashes of veormilion. But ths truth of God is tho ono outstanding fact, that in the last days perilous time's shall come. Those days are here. The wo'.'id as a whole is in the rapids; the Niainra is near. Division —absolute division -is ono of the greatest 6igns of tho times; and a house, even if it is as great as a palace, under such circumstanccs denotes a fall; and when the division is as general as it presents itself to-day, then the fa!! is more than probable to eircumvolve the nations and society universally. So that with tho events which aro daily confronting us, it is contrary to both common sense and Scripture to believe that the present complex state <>£ society can i in any wav infer that tho world is getting better, and when interference is placed in opposition to reality, delusion and deception aro the result.—l_ am, etc.,