LETTERS CONDENSED.

Evening Star, Issue 13091, 26 October 1908, Page 8

LETTERS CONDENSED.

“ Reduction ” suggests that the Rev. William Thomson and the Rev. L. M. Isitt or the Rev. Mr Hammond should publicly debate License v. No-license. “ Querist” wants someone to give a satisfying reason why, if No-license be a failure, the No-licenss areas are so greatly extending. “Wherever No-license has been fairly tried the people are so satisfied with it that they hold on.” This can only be supported on the ground that the reform is an undoubted success. "A Supporter” wishes “Elector” to , understand that while be bad a perfect- : right to put any question to the candidate, he was not justified in following his question up with a speech. He defies “ Elector ” to show in what particular Mr Fleming is at variance with Ministerial policy. The latter does not offer himself in the interests of any party, but in the exercise of his undoubted right as a citizen of New ■ Zealand. Moropver, Mr Fleming was re- ; quested by 200 of his fellow-electors to offer ’ his services to the people of Caversham. If “ Elector ” wants questions answered at any ; future meeting of Mr Fleming, all that he ; has to do is to avoid using insulting teims ; and refrain from speech-making. “ A Worker ” warns the majority of his ; fellows against being misled by the specious ; arguments of the candidates endorsed by the Political Labor League. This body is i controlled by an Executive, who are elected : by delegates, who in their turn represent a i very small section of the working class. 1 The workers as a whole should make a clcse study of the different policies laid before them. If they do so they will learn that the League’s “platform” is closely identified) with the policy of the old Gcnservutivo Opposition, especially in regard to the arbitration law and the Government’s borrowing policy. Under the present Arbitration Act the workers practically enjoy the benefit of preference, for in all awards of late a clause has been inserted enjoining ' that “ preference to unionists shall be given where the entrance fee to the union shall . not be more than ss, and a subscription at 1 the rate of 6d per week.” Repeal the Arbitration Act and the workers will be face to face with the old system of strikes, whiie the employers will enjoy “ freedom of con. tract,” and then be able- to have matters ' pretty well their own way, in addition to ' paying what wages they think fit. As to . cessation of borrowing for public works, if that were to be the policy of the country, the present deprestion would be intensified, and the spectre of bankruptcy would stalk : through the land. If the extremists succeed in establishing a third party. New Zealand would become like one of the Australian States, where confusion reigned supreme, where public works had to be stopped, and where the men employed on public works bad to go without their wages for thiee months, because the Government of the day could not command a majority to put their Estimates through. A split between Liberalism and labor at this juncture will spell disaster for the latter, and put th^ ■ cause of Labor back at least a dozen years. The secretary of the North-east Valley , Orchestra explains that at the end of September the band engaged the North-east Valley Town Hall, through the town clerk, for the 29th October for the purpose of holding a concert. The mayor, in arranging a meeting later re water supply, ' seemingly without consulting the town clerk, fixed and advertised it for the same date. A deputation waited on the Couni cil on Friday evening, but without success. No other hall is available. The writer asks Who is to blame for this seem- . ing breach of contract? i “ Sunny South,” writing in reference to ! Mr Barclay’s telegrams to the .Minister of | Works, as to the employment of Austrai Hans, says that surely there is plenty of ; work for everyone in the Dominion, seeing ; that men are being brought out from the : Mother Country. The Australians are not i assisted here, and have no wish to be. If ; a New Zealander wants work out of Ids ' own country, let him try Australia. Unlike New Zealand, he trill find no prejudice there against strangers obtaining employment.