LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2764, 6 May 1916, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SUCCESTION FOR CITY COUNCIL.

Sir,—You published a. letter a few days ago from a correspondent who ad* vocated altering "The Terrace" to Anzac Terrace. I think the following would be . more useful: —A few years ago the City Council performed a useful work in abolishing duplication of'street names. By somo strange oversight Tainui Terrace, off Tasman Street, and: Tainui Terrace, Lyall Bay, escaped their, notice. If they would now name the latter street Anzac Terrace it would not only prevent confusion at present exist, ing, but would perpetuate the famous name in a 6treet that is not unimportant, at any rate as regards length.—? I am, etc., PRO BOKO PUBLICO, j "REQUISITIONED" MEN. 1

Sir, —To Ee satisfactory, the point made by "Returned SoWier" and tha Departmental renly.in The Dominion of Thursday must Tie carried a step further. According to the regulations, "officers performing technical work who are requisitioned, such as selected tele-, graphists, are to be allowed half public service pay and'military pay in addition." The Department says that of 787 officers who have enlisted from tha Post and Telegraph service, 180 hava been so "requisitioned," and enjoy, half-pay in addition; to military pay. Will the Department say what work these 180 men, are doing, and in what way it is move arduous, "requires greater knowledge," or is more'deserving of special remuneration than tha duties of their comrades who have enlisted of their own volition ? Is it not a fact that many of these "requisitioned" telegraphists have gone into tha Signalling Corps, and have there been engaged alongside equally qualified men from the same Department, doing precisely the same, work, and yet drawing their half-pay,_ while their less fortunate unrequisitioned mates have merelj had their military pay? It is thiG tljat has caused grave dissatisfaction. Ia there any just reason why two men with equal qualificatfbns should thus be differentiated between? The Government i'lias admitted the principle that certain Civil Servants should not bo allowed Ito suffer financially through their pat-riotism,-and th 6 public would heartily endorse the general'application of that principle.—l am, etc.,

CIVILITY IS CHEAP. Sir,—ln your issuo of the 4th instant a correspondent, "Country Visitor," reminds us that civility is cheap, but lie does not seem to know that when it costs an effort to be civil, only a spurious imitation of civility is'the result. ■ The samo applies to truth.When it costs one an effort to tell the truth, the only inference which can bo drawn is that such a one,'has but. a very hazy conception of true morais. However, your correspondent cannot bs accused to have made an effort in this direction, inasmuch as what he terras "true facts" do not contain even a substratum of truth. With your permission, Sir, and in fairness to the subjects of your correspondent's strictures, I will state tho true facts: Neither the officer . responsible for tha dispatch of recruits "from tho Garrison Mall, nor any of his subordinates were approached Cy'"Country Visitor" for information in respect ,to recruits from I'aratiaki. It . would; be well if yiur correspondent understood that every irresponsible person in khaki is Lot necessarily an, animated information bureau. As to the , "important official" whose office was supposed to have been locked; I may staio that he was bujtily engaged all day with the embarkation of troops 1 . . I am certain that {he embarkation is of somewhat greater importance than, attending to the inquiries of bucolic gentlemen who may . lose their way in this great city 1 Tho ''important official" referred to v-i.s the self-same officer who was so "courteous"' to your correspondent at the iailway, station. I nm sure tho transport officer must feel rather "elated by the compliment'paid him by'our friend from the backblooks. \ 1 But, alas!; Since it takes a gentleman to recognise a gentleman, the compliment is shorn of its value in this: case. If "Country Visitor" is the least bit ambitious to becomo a gentleman, I would adviso him to try r.nd i.cnie more into contact with\the officers ha decries. To assail others from behind ,a pseudonym is utterly repugnant to all true Englishmen.—l am, etc., . J.M.CAMPBELL. Wellington, May 5, 1916. '