CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9039, 27 April 1888, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE SAILORS' HOME. TO THE editor.

Sir, — the undersigned, am a. sailor. I came across from Sydney hoping to get employment here. I put up at the Sailors' Home, and paid a week's board (fifteen shillings). My week was up on Tuesday at dinner time. I told Captain Moss, the superintendent of the Home, that I had no more money to give him, so he told me the orders from the committee were that any man that had no more money to pay his board had to go. I asked Captain Moss to ret me stay in the Home that night, so he let me stay, but he told me I would have to go after breakfast on the following morning. So I went, not knowing where to get a feed. 1 left my clothes in the Home, having no place to put them. I write these few lines to let the sailors that are visiting this port know what sort of a Home it — when your money is gone you go too. Hoping' that some better arrangements will be made in regard to destitute seamen.— am, &c, Charles H. Dick. [We are informed that at the Sailors' Homes in England they keep seamen for a week or so when they have no money, and assist them to get a ship.—Ed.] SANITARY MATTERS. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The ever-recurring water question is again on the tapis. A knight of the lancet now couches his lance that, perad venture, he may transfix our agile follower of Hahnemann ! We are afraid, however, that the gorge of "Dr. Parkes and his editor," under which Dr. Bakewell now is suffering so seriously, handicaps that expert in " eruptive fevers," so that the issue can only end in his defeat. It is said that an eel must be swallowed thrice consecutively by the heron, before death and assimilation takes place. We commend this fact for the careful consideration of Dr. Bakewell in connection with the classic work of Dr. Parkes, and of which he is only an interpreter on crutches. Dr. Parkes is a medico, but he is also a chemist. Men of real ability are slow to air their ignorance even before their equals, much more so under the eyes of their superiors. Let Dr. Bakewell rest assured that his letter only evokes the contempt of those who are accredited chemists and sanitarians.—l am, &c, D. R. Shirreff Galbraith, Bell Road, Remuera. F.C.S., London. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Your versatile and ingenious correspondent, Dr. Bakewell, seems to be intent on forcing the hand of our Government and Colonial Analyst, Mr. Pond, in connection with the city water analysis— suggests that independent analyses should be made by Mr. Skey, of Wellington. Does Dr. Bakewell mean to put a fee in the way of the Wellington man ? or does he mean to dictate to the City Council who is the man of authority in such matters and who is not ? Would it not be more becoming to approach our own chair of chemistry, held as it is by a gentleman of at least as good attainments as Mr. Skey—nay, only to put it mildly, any man south of the line! The chair of chemistry in Dunedin is the recognised agent of the Government there ; how is it that Auckland holds such an anomalous position ? Dr. Bakewell seems to be ignorant of certain facts, or guilty of most uncourteous conduct in more particulars than one.— am, &c, Householder. A QUERY. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Many years ago, between 1864 and 1868, there was discovered on the west coast of the South Island, south of Hokitika, and in the vicinity of the Haast River, the wreck of a vessel, situated a considerable distance inland, and between it and then high water-mark, a quantity of growing timber. The suggestion was made that it was the remains of a French vessel—one of the La Perouse fleet. The distance inland, half a mile, and the intervening timber, caused much speculation as to the date of the wreck. Can any of the many Hokitika men now in Auckland furnish through your columns any information beyond what I have written ? and where, when, and in what newspaper the discovery was first printed.—l am, etc., 26th April, 1888. West Coast.

ONEHUNGA RESERVES. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Mr. J. D. Jackson is evidently unaware of the boundaries of the County of Eden, which the Counties Act, 1876, define as follows : —" Fden County is bounded on the north by Waitemata harbour and Tamaki straits to the Tamaki portage, towards the east by the Tamaki portage to the nearest point of Manukau harbour, towards the south by Manukau harbour to the eastern boundary of Waitemata County, and towards the west by Waitemata County." Clearly, then, the city of Auckland and surrounding boroughs are within the Eden County, and entitled to participate in the benefit of all county reserves. Cities and boroughs, for rating purposes, are exempted from county rates, but that exemption does not deprive them of their right to the reserves.— am, &c., AUCKLANDER.