LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13014, 3 November 1905, Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

the PANMURE HOWICK road.

Sir,l desire to add my testimony to that of "Rustic" in a previous issue of your journal, re the scandalous state of this road. It is to be deplored that the public spirit shown by the more progressive of the residents 'of Howick, in their laudable endeavour to make this beautiful and salubrious district more easily accessible from town, is not encouraged by a like public spirit on tho part of thoso entrusted with the care of this, road, the present state of which gives ample evidence .of,the most extraordinary neglect. Whether this is due to lack of funds, incapacity, or pure cussedncss I do not profess to know. The fact remains that for traffic of all kinds this road is absolutely dangerous, nor would such a state of matters be tolerated-in any other part of the colony in a district similarly situated. It is my lot ; to travel many of the districts of the road- j less North. I therefore claim.to be entitled to pass judgment on a question of this kind. I have oft-times been deterred from paying business visits to Howick on account of the loss of time involved through, transit being rendered uncertain, difficult, and dangerous owing to the state of this road. Unless immediate action be taken to remedy the \ defects referred to, Howick is doomed to remain what it is now—perhaps the most charming, but certainly the most inaccessible of the beauty spots around Auckland.. Aerial Navigation".

THE AUCKLAND BUTTER INDUSTRY AND SOUTH SEA ISLAND TRADE. Sir,—l have read with interest your remarks under the above heading in'your issue of the 2nd in.st, more particularly in connection with the" South Sea Island trade. I might mention, to begin with, that I have for many years been an exporter of a large portion of the butter which has been .sent to the Fiji Islands, and 1 cannot agree with your remarks in many instances, especially of tho difficulty of procuring good butter in Fiji. I might tell you that during (he -past four years the greater proportion of the butter shipped to Fiji has been of tho primost factory make, and carrying first grade certificates, similar to that shipped to tho London , market, and from our best Auckland factories, nearly the whole of the balance being first grade milled, also carrying first grade certificates. I have not myself, at any time, shipped second grade butter, except where it was ordered, being fully acquainted with the Fiji business, and having been connected with it for over 20 years, and supplying the majority of the business houses there with their general requirements. Many might understand your remarks to mean that tho shipping of rubbish, and in dirty packages, was general, hence my reason for asking space for these few remarks. I might add that wo repeatedly receive orders for second grade butter, this class having a special Use among the coolies in particular. 1 may further state that during my various trips in connection with my Island business during the past four years, I have been able at all times to procure Auckland factory butter on the table, equally as good as that which might be used in Auckland. Regarding dirty packages, soap boxes, etc.. containing cheese for export, your remarks in reference to this 1 consider quite unnecessary, and I feel sure that had you fully understood the Island trade, they would not have been made. For instance, a small buyer in Fiji orders, say, three cheese, and a side of bacon. Another orders half a cwt, while tho original paokage contains probably one cwt. Consequently, it has to be, divided and packed accordingly, in which case tho package would make no difference to the quality. Further, the last two or throe steamers that sailed have carried little or no cheese at all, not only myself, but other exporters, having had great difficulty in procuring any. However, lam pleased' to believe that your remarks regarding the dirty packages have no reference to the bulk of the shipments to the Islands. • •;... Arthur Toohan. ,

THE CASE OF HULSE V. BULL. Sir,As I see- by your report of the proceedings in this case that Mr. Hulso declined to call me as witness," as lie knew "it would be of no use, I know the formidable organisation 1 am fighting against." This, of course, is a gentle insinuation that I should perjure myself to favour Dr. Bull. My acquaintance with Dr. Bull is so slight that; I. should not know him if I wore- to meet him, I think we. mot once in the operating room of the hospital, and that is all. Mr. Hulse is quite mistaken in thinking that medical' men "in the same town) for the most part eagerly, bent on..obtaining practice, arc at.all likely ,to perjure themselves in order to favour a brother practitioner. Even if we wore all brother Masons, wo aro not bound to go so far as that. Of course, we love one another—as' Christians. November 1. R, H. Bakewell, M.D.