LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14491, 4 October 1910, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE RECENT ANGLICAN" MISSION; A WARNING. Sir,—Some of our clergy, with no doubt laudable motives, are introducing changes into the public service of the Church, which are, I think, unwarranted, unlawful, and to be regretted. I allude to the practice of giving an address after iho second lesson, in addition to the sermon, the using of the mission hymn-book, the using of extempore prayer, and holding prayer meetings, in which women, sometimes speak. I think such innovations aro a mistake, and will drive away more of our churchpcoplo than they will attract, and I also consider that they are unlawful, unless specially sanctioned by our Bishop (see regulation 731 in our Digest of Church Law). During a. mission, a certain latitude is allowed, and wisely so, no doubt, but wo are entitled to expect that after such mission ends the sor-i vices as by law established shall be maintamed. Stkodsuax. THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. Sirßecent proceedings in regard tat Government House and the 'Frisco mail must have convinced most people how undesirable it is to have the capital of the Dominion located at a commercial seaport. Preferably it should be placed at some easily-defensible position inland, accessible by rail, a political centre only, not a commercial one. Mr. Glover has moved in the direction of having it restored to Auckland, but however just such a course would be, the Other principal seaports of the Dominion would make their objections heard, thinking that money would be poured into Auckland in the same manner that it has been into ■Wellington to the detriment of the other cities. _ Mr. Glover could scarcely expect that his proposition would bo likely to .receive the support of a majority of the House, but if a resolution were submitted to appoint a Commission of principal Australasian officials similar to that which removed the seat of government to Cook Strait (when Wellington wa.s decided on) to select a location for the seat of government to an easilydefensible inland position on one of the railways, the Main Trunk, the Midland, the Otago Central, etc., it might bo expected to be passed in the House. With the seat of government removed from a commercial seaport and fixed at a political centre it would not take long to determine which was the leading port of the Dominion; but I fear that party" prevents the course indicated being taken; but Auckland citizens of all colours should stir up their representatives. E.T.

THE COST OF LIVING. Referring to a paragraph appearing in the Herald of September 29, wherein the president of the Wellington Industrial Association speaks of the cost of necessaries as being very much less to-day than it ever was before, in Wellington,' it is interesting to turn to a copy, now lying before me, of the New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, dated at Wellington, March 6, 1841, and compare a lis!; of wholesale prices ' current published! therein with retail prices ruling in Auckland to-day:—lß42: Bread, per 21b loaf, 9d; butter, fresh, per lb, 3s 6d; beef, fresh, per carcase, per lb, 9d; flour, first quality, per ton, £30 to £35; sugar, Mauritius, per cwt., £2 to £2 10s; milk, per pint, 4cl; eggs, per dozen, 6s; Candles, English wax, per lb, 2s lOd to 3s. 1910: Bread, per 21b loaf, 3jd : butter, New Zealand Dairy, per lb, Is 2d; beef, sirloin, per lb, 6d; flour, best, per ton, £11 15s; sugar, A 1 per cwt., 19s; milk, per pint, 2d; eggs., per dozen, Is; candles, 'English wax (Price's), 7d. Wages— Mechanics, per week. £2 14s to £3 6s; labourers, per week, £1 10s to £2 2s. Perhaps. some of your readers may bo able to compare rents. K. S. Medley". THE RAILWAY REGULATIONS. Sir,—Mr. Millar is reported to have sai<J in the discussion on the railway regulations that if a man wished sick leave for one day ho may take same, but must, produce a medical certificate on his resuming work. The railway authorities do not always accept the certificates, as the following incident shows. A member of the first division • had occasion to leave work through a severe sickness. I may say that sticking to duty too long aggravated his complaint. ■ As most single young fellows do, he went, homo for treatment. When lie was convalescent a wire come to him from the traffic manager, ordering him to report himself to another doctor at a town not distant. Accordingly he did so, and was advised by that doctor to return to duty, but not when bis own medical adviser ordered, but a week later. This is a fair specimen of the way the superiors work with the inferiors in the New Zealand Government railways. _ I .know one case of a man who, on being transferred from a station, was approached by a superior officer regarding the sale of his houso to himself. This officer would not, soil; he had a warm time in the service afterwards, but. pluckily battled on. Fori.un- • ately, his superior officer left the Dominion, still' not. without leaving his footprints. Some of his pupils arc the class of tyrants that are continually driving good men out of the service. Lover of the Work. PARNELL DUST NUISANCE AND GREATER AUCKLAND. Sir,—Can you suggest a remedy for th« dust nuisance? Watering has only an hour or so's effect. Every tramcar leaves clouds of dust after passing, damaging the stock, and business premises, and giving the tradespeople a task of cleaning every half-hour. Trams and motors, or any other vehicle which creates this dust, nuisance, should be made to pay towards its abatement. Would boiling tar sprinkled on the roadway required keep the dust down, and add to the life of the road? Would the absorption of Parnell into Greater Auckland lead to tho abatement of this dust nuisance?" Do von think it advisable for the ratepayers of this district, especially in Mamikau Road, . to meet and discuss these matters, -which are keeping Parnell back for years? The sooner : - all small local bodies, who are financially ? poor, aro absorbed into a Greater Auckland . .i\ tjie better for them. Why not become V, citizens of the greatest city in the Do» ; . minion of Now Zealand? * R.H. -• • v;;;