CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 151, 29 June 1938, Page 12

CORRESPONDENCE

OTHER LEADERS (To the Editor.) Sir,—'Your -timely sub-leader in Monday's issue under the heading "The Useful People" may possibly servo your purpose in quenching some o£ the fires of frenzied political oratory at present raging, but I doubt it. The period before the election is much too short for Mr. Semple to take the risk of leaving his hearers with the impression that the Leader of the Opposition has*„any of the characteristics of a gentleman—politically, at least. With i all Prime Ministers previous to Lab-J pur's advent apparently the only sav- ] ing grace in each individual instance was that Mr. Hamilton's low standard was not approached by even onethousandth part. And so the worthy men who made New Zealand what it is today fall back into the shadows cast by Socialism's smoking torch. To adapt Burns— O wad some power the giftie gie us To see oorsels as ithers see us. Or better still, mak' ither swells To sec us as we see oorsels. —I am, etc., HUMILIS. "HE WILL GET HURT" (To the Editor.) Sir, —There has been much written about "the insult to Mr. Savage" because of the remark "time's up," which may easily have been made by any person for amusement just to see what sort of a "bite" he would get with his very small bait, the Labour leaders being so easily offended by any ordinary and humorous remarks. For a bite he got what we are all interested to hear, i.e., "that if he, or any one gets in the way (of Labour) he will get hurt."

Mr. Fraser says that the tactics of the National Party "would shame the most reckless and unscrupulous American gangster or racketeer." But I have not yet heard of any of the leaders of the National Party being determined to "hurt" anyone who happens to be in their way. As for a prominent National Party man offering to fight, wrestle, or chop trees with anyone of those interrupters who wished, I am sure it was a sporting offer and at least gave the opposition a choice in the matter, but there seems to be no choice for the person whom Mr. Savage is going to "hurt." —I am, etc., NO GANGSTER.

PENSION POINTS (To the Editor.) Sir,—l would appreciate your kindness in allowing space for ttiis letter, seeking information regarding the social security measure about to be introduced in Parliament and the recent extension said to be embodied in the Bill. The Prime Minister a week ago, and the Minister of Finance, later, stated that those paying into existing superannuation schemes who are on low salaries will be allowed to draw from the intended .scheme allowances to approximately £300 per anum. Although it is rather too much to expect my queries to be seen or heeded by responsible administrators I would be pleased to know whether (a) a civil servant retiring on £208 per annum after 40 years' service at the age of 55 years will be allowed to participate immediately or have to wait until reaching the age of 60? (b) If he happens to be one of those hundreds of unfortunate civil servants of the P. and T. Department who was starred at £305 (£lO increase to meet, in the writer's definite experience, £27 lis increased cost of living since April, 1937, to April, 1938), will he be exempt from part of the extra burden until he reaches the age of 60? (c) Or is he going to be further burdened by the extra Is in the £ on. his pittance of £208? —I am, etc., DISILLUSIONED. sident Loubet at the Elysee banquet. After referring to his pleasure at the opportunity of strengthening the bonas of friendship of the two countries, lie said: "Our great iiesire is that we may march together in the path of civilisation and peace." A WARM RESPONSE. The French public and Press responded warmly. When the King left Paris the route was lined by a "madly enthusiastic" crowd, and where before there had been cries of "Vivent les Boers" there now arose the, cry of "Vive le Roi." "It may seem strange, Andre Maurois writes, "that the journey of a single man could have the power to transform in less than a week the sentiments of a people. It is a fact that the decline of Anglophobia in France dates from this visit." A year after the visit Lord Cromer had renamed Fashoda Kodok, the Anglo-French agreement was signed, and the strength of the Entente, was put to a successful test at the Algeciras Conference. At the beginning of 1906 Anglo-French military conversations were officially begun, and continued without interruption until the outbreak of the war. n , The success of the State visit to France, of King George V and Queen Mary in April, 1914, was a foregone conclusion. The occasion was the tenth anniversary of the agreements which initiated the Entente Cordiale.j Their Majesties arrived at p ala ' s Dover in the Royal yacht travelled to Paris in a train partially converted into a bower of flowers, and arrived at the Bois de Boulogne Station, where they were received by M- ■ Poincare, President of the Republic. They drove along the magnificent avenues which are now being prepared for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT. At the Elysee banquet, the first the King thanked the President for having recalled that the name of m> beloved father will everremainassociated -with this Entente." At the Hotel-de Ville reception the King referred to his father's speech there 11 years ago, in which King Edward said that he "always felt at home" in Pans King George added that he himselffe as much at home in Paris as his father The most modern instruments of war were shown at the review of 12 000 troops at Vincennes in their Majesties honour. A mock fight took Pj*; e between aeroplanes and a dirigible b loon. At the gala performance at the Paris Opera, Saint-Saens c°nducted a duet from his opera £es Barbaies. Tust as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth will visit the Exhibition oi British Art at the Louvre, King George V and Queen Mary paid a visit to the British Arts and Craits Exhib tl The h visit coincided with several lmnortant conversations between Sir Ed \vard Grey" Ih. Foteto Sccret.g, and KreITSSj; IU ; ance Was concluded, En |® te diale was reinforced. Later the famc vear the King was to return to France to encourage the British Armyonthe Western Front. His visits to the J r< f l during the ensuing years endeared hnn to (he French public, which took v genuine share in the rcjoicings at his jubilee and the mourning at his death.