CLERGYMAN ATTACKS POSTAL AUTHORITIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3137, 16 July 1917, Page 6

CLERGYMAN ATTACKS POSTAL AUTHORITIES

Sir,—lt is a very sad, serious, thoughtless, and uncharitable action for a minister of religion to accuse tho postal authorities of tampering with correspondence, for political or other reasons, and I feel sure that on reflection Hie reverend gentleman will withdraw his allegation. Has it occurred to the rash accuser that there may bo an explanation, and that the fault, if any, may lie at his own door. To show that such may bo the cusp, I will relate a similar occurrence which happened to myself. Recently a patriotic society, of which I was hon. secretary .had occasion to send by lost ii number of circulars. Several very charming and accomplished ladies kindly volunteered to write the addresses and attend to 'the distribution. The result was that many circulars reached their destination, and many did not. How many landed with contents intact T hflfl no means of findimr out, but of the large number returned to m<? per dead letter office some envelopes bore imnorfect or wronsr addresses, and many others contained no enclosure. It is to be presumed, therefore, that many of those which landed all right ivpre also pmnty.. In this case the ladies had omitted to enclose the circular. T wonder if the i minister's assistant has done the =aiiie'— I am, etc.. STILL WONDERING.

WAR PROFITS Sir,—A letter signed by "Second Reservist" caught my attention in your edition of July 7. He takes Mr. I?. A. Armstrong, of tho Second Division League, to task over his figures in. regard to fat stock raieers , profits, and not knowing Mr. Armstrong (although by his name he seems quite capable of looking after himself) I feel constrained to take up the cudgels for his assistance. I would first ask friend "Second Eesery'iet" to let us know who and what ho is. I never like the, beggar who plays the "ostrich act" and puts his head in the sand and writee under a nom-de. plume. I havo formed my own conclusion, and probably most of the othera who read his effusion have formed theirs, likewise. Hβ appears to me to be a representative of that body in. this Dominion who is so persistent in goading every v fit man, either married or single, to the front, irrespective of circumstances. Quito right, but may I pertinently ask what is his object in standing out for the class that are making all tho profits in this Dominion from the dreadful world war that is raging to-day? Being a Second Division reservist myself I am anxious to ask my friend a few questions, and will enumerate them as under:—

1. Has he heard of any cases of the primary producers in this Dominion having bought motor-cars and other

"essential comforts" in rural life in exchange for original cheques from auctioneers or agents?

2. Has ho satisfied himself that tho excess profits tax has been extracted from those selfsame members of tho community on their cars and their profits? 3. Has he ever known these members of our population to bo having such a lavish existeuco as at present?

i. Does he uphold thoso who can sell butter at Is. per lb. to Australia and have it retailed in the country where it is produced at Is. Bd. retail (to-day it dropped to Is. Gd.)? 5. Is ho in favour of lamb being held in cool storage in this country until it becomes "mature mutton" whilst the people cannot touch it at the price it is at?

6. Does my friend "Second Reservist" think that cheese should be held in store until it has to be disposed of at a destructor to prevent any epidemic of disease springing up in our midst through its consumption, in preference to its being sold here at a price somewhere in reach of tho general community?

1 will leave my friend with these few questions to ponder over, and may ndd my sympathy to him and those of the same ilk who are feeling the ''dreadful strain on their resources" in purchasing fencing wire, galvanised iron, champagne, and other things at war prices in order to cover up their war profits.—l am, etc., ALAN C. DUNN.

Napier, July 9,