LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15821, 19 January 1915, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE GAUDIN CASE.

Sir, —Permit me to say that the committee, in view of the published reply of tho Prime Minister that the sentence passed upon Mr. F. E. N. Gaudin is under consideration by the Imperial authorities, is taking no active steps and not replying to correspondence in the press. May I ask that others will adopt a similar course.

Ttiojias G. Prick, Hon. Sec. Gaudin Defence Committee.

ALIEN ENEMIES.

Sir, —I was very pleased to read in last Saturday's Herald that tho justices of the peace in Auckland are making a move in this matter. It has surprised me that so many enemy aliens have been allowed their freedom so long, especially as a few wore interned at the commencement of the war. I sincerely hope the Government will take action in this matter. High or low, rich or poor, the enemy alien is not to be trusted. They all have a set task to perform and will do so, if possible, irrespective of rank or place.

Waikino.

H. Spencer,

TALISMAN MINE ACCIDENT. Sir,— behalf of the family of the late Peter Vocasivich, killed in the Talisman mine on Thursday, January 14, 1 wish to correct an error appearing in the account of the accident. It is stated that Vocasivich was a Dalmatian. This is not correct, as he was born at Stafford, on the West Coast of New Zealand, and his father was a Russian Pole, while his mother was an Irishwoman* He has also a brother with our New Zealand troops in Egypt. Thos. Poland. Karangahake, January 16, 1915.

TnE GREAT SOUTH ROAD. Sir, Will the Herald allow me space to draw further attention to the shocking state of the so-called Great South Road, between Mercer and Ngaruawahia. The persons responsible for these sections can surely never travel over them, or something, I am sure, would be done to improve them. I have just damaged my car to the extent of £5, besides bursting tubes, and being delayed through same. In one place, just past the Rangiriri Hotel, the wheel tracks are so deep that the tinder part of the car scrapes on the ground. In other places the road is so rough that one is afraid of being thrown out of the car altogether. We are informed that the cost of road-making is too great to allow of them being made into good roads. This we all admit, but surely the trenches and holes cnuld be smoothed down without much cost.

Hamilton,

Motorist.

WARNINGS TO SWIMMERS.

Sir, The recent pad drowning accidents in rivers call to mind the warnings in the Royal Life-saving Society's Handbook. Even our shallow creeks hide deep and dangerous holes, hence the necessity for finding a perfectly safe pool for th" younger children. The novice who can swim a few strokes is passing through his most dangerous period, for he is not satisfied to remain within his " depth." Care should always be taken that tliese are accompanied by a competent adult to assist when difficulties arise. The cautions against bathing immediately after a meal and against remaining in the water until chilled, should also be observed. Neglect of these may lead to cramp, the swimmer's most deadly enemy. Owing to their gentle slope, our Auckland beaches are very safe for children, but at the same time every party of swimmers requires at least one proficient swimmer to safeguard the reckless ones. Thanking you in anticipation. Swimmer. SEA GRASS FURNITURE. Sir, —Permit me through your columns to give vent to a few thoughts and facts re the question of '"Imported Chinese Sea Grass Furniture." These chairs are boing brought into our city and into our country in large quantities, thereby ruin ing all branches vi the local wicker indus try. Naturally, in war time, we feel the stress seriously, but ours is not a war scare petition but a petition of all time for the sake o£» the struggling wicker workers. Why can't we get a tariff put on? The goods can be made here, goods 100 per cent, better and stronger than the imported ones. The profit for the store iran is not quite so large, that is the different 1 ;. Examine the chair underneath. A flimsy structure of, generally, bamboo, with holes bored in the ends of the sticks and tied together, and having practically no supports whatever, as against a local-made chair that will last for a lifetime. Please see that von buy a localmade chair and you will heln a- good industry and get a good article. A Worker. EDUCATION OF WORKERS. . Sir,—The provisional committee having in hand the arrangements for the reception of the professors from Svdnev, who are to give .-. course of lectures early in February, on the object and method of the Workerj Educational Association is u.debt-ed to the Herald for the warm commendation given to the project in a tubdeid-r of the 13th inst. It should tend to stimulate to effective action D«inofi and nis well-wishers, who desire to help mm to real, a higher educational plane than that obtained by the primary pick and shovel work—the three R's. Opportunity of higher education in oarly life lias been, and still 'argely is, the class hall-mark ; but it is beginning to be recognised that, for social progress worthy of the name of such, there needs to be an intellectual democracy, and this essential is only to bo obtained by a closer alliance between learning and labour. Fortunately this new method of imparting the higher branches of learning has begot such alliance, slioA-n by the earnest manner all the universities and educational bodies have taken up the work of the tutorial classes, and the heartv response of men and women workers shows how greedily they have seized the opportunity when the means were placed within their reach in popular form and the attendance on university courses did not interfere with their daily labour. This organisation's success in Britain and Ireland reads Wke a romance, and since its inauguration three years ago in the Australian Commonwealth, every State has mad© manifest in no less degree the undreamt of desire among the proletarian for higher educa tion. It remains now for New Zealand men and women workers to get home the meaning and purpose of this intellectual social service movement, full of larger possibilities to make them more useful citizens, of greater service to their fellows. Not 'he least of the manv advantages of knowledge attained in the study of ,he most humble of the sciences is" (he joy it affords through life for self-communing in hours of loneliness. J. F.\wcrs. AMBULANCE BRIGADE AND THE WAR. Sir,—lt has appeared to me that the public of our city and its surrounding districts hr.ve not yet come to fully realise the very important and most humanitarian part which the Order of St. John of Jerusalem is taking in connection with the present great war. The Order has, in conjunction with the British Red Cross Society, undertaken the care of the sick and wounded soldiers, and to enable it to fulfil this important trust, it some time ago mods a genera! appeal for assistance, in pursuance of which the local St. John Ambulance Brigade at once instituted a branch of Queen Mary's Needlework Guild for the preparation of the necessary articles of clothing, etc., and also took steps in the direction of helping the Order with funds to carry out its laudable work. A considerable amount of success has attended the efforts which have been put forth by the members of the brigade and their friends, but when we come to consider the nature of the object in view I am forced to the conclusion that we have not done one-fourth of what we should do for the cause. Although we are here far removed from the scene of battle, many of us have friends and relatives amongst those who have gone from our shores to assist in the Empire's need, and who will, no doubt, ere long be in the firing line. It will, no doubt,

happen that some of them 'will be amongst those who pass into the hands of the hospitals organised and equipped by the Order of St. John. That being the case, does it not behove us to make an extra effort to do something substantial at the .present time. 1 admit that we have had •many claims upon us, but this claim possesses merits which must appeal strongly to all of us. I feel sure that any desiring to assist will be supplied with full information upon applying to Mr. F. J. Hutchinson, corps superintendent, or Mrs. C. Smith, lady superintendent. Red Cross. i - UNITED PRAYER. Sir, —In these days of strenuous living when we had—until the great war aroused us from our almost heedless rush towards the attainment of worldly possessions practically lost sight of our spiritual needs, when we had mostly forgotten that part of each day should be spent in prayer, it is good to see in your issue of Friday a paragraph calling attention to the fact that a practical start has been made in Queensland to utilise a few minutes, at noon, each day for united action in prayer for the welfare of the Empire, and those who are giving their lives in helping to free the world from the assault at present beine made by the mighty forces of evil and hatred. It would indeed be well if the practice could be instituted here in Auckland, and throughout the whole of "God's Own Country." Of course there is at present much individual and some collective daily effort directed towards this end, but the efficacy of the force utilised would be enormously increased by the united effort that could be made " at the call of tho church bells," if we would but take the matter seriously and realise that our world is moulded by thought, that we make it "right" by thinking rightly, and make it " wrong " by thinking wrongly. It is to be hoped that the heads of all denominations will sec their way clear to adopt this practice, when the force generated will be directed to its proper channels by the powers that be, and perchance, the practice once adopted might be continued after the war, the effort being then directed towards the realisation of national and individual ideals based on the simple example of the Master of Christendom. Thus might we help, in a much more real manner than J is usually supposed, to bring the present war to an end. prevent the recurrence of similar outbursts, and also all those lesser but still foreboding, disturbances that are continually showing in our social life.. January 15, 1915. Mystic. EDUCATING THE WORKERS. Sir,—The sub-leader in the Herald of January 13 on the above subject has attracted my attention. The subject matter of the article is, in mv judgment, both sound and sane. It is well known that all may attend the lectures, or at least certain lectures given by the professors at tlu universities in New Zealand. Still something more is necessary to give encouragement to men and women who desire to improve themselves ir ooe or other of the brr.nches of higher education. It is true that our national system of education is free to all. both rich and poor— from, shall I say, the cradle to the crave — but to take advantage of the university course proper the son of the worker must win his place. That is right, but the lad is not always able to devote two or throe years to university study : he is wanted by his parents to help" to keep himself. Here is where the scheme outlined in the Herald would hold out a hand of friendship and welcome to such a lad or girl. If our nation is to make continuous progress then those in control of our educational institutions must see to it that the benefits and advantages of a liberal education shall be placed within the reach of every boy and girl, every man or woman, who will devote the necessary time to study. It matters much to our nation what becomes of our voting people when they have done with the three R's of primary work. There can be very little doubt that a very larce body of them turn their backs on education nnd .-.11 that it Minds for when thev leave the public school. I am strongly of opinion that our university colleges," not only in this city but in the other three, centres of New Zealand, can hold out the hand of help and welcome to thousands of our people who possess intelligence, and are desirous of taking advantage of any opportunities offering of helping themselves to a higher step on the ladder of education. The university authorities only to-day received a letter informing them of the proposed visit to Auckland of Professor Atkinson. M.A.. of Sydney, for the purpose of establishing here exactly what you have described in your sub-leader as taking place in Great Britain and Ireland. I am one of those who believe that much of the unrest of the past has arisen chiefly because the nation as a whole has only learned half the truth. This Is manfiesting itself to-day in Germany. The people of the British Empire and of this Dominion require more than half! They are entitled to all the truth, whether the' subject be economics, history, natural science, or any other subject, and it is time, high time, that the avenue was opened to them. That avenue, so far as I can judge, is to be found in our University Colleg?'. George J. Garland. January 14, 1915.

RECRUITING. Sir, Permit me space in your valuable columns to answer "The True British Woman" on shirkers in Wednesday's Herald. If such women were to offer their services as nurses at the front and show the men an example they would be doing some good. I suppose if our worthy friend had her own ways and ideas carried out she would have everything with trousers on at the front. How would the country get along then? A Stray Shot From Wangaxui. January 15, 1915.

Sir,—Under the heading of " Men for the War," in your Wednesday's issue, there appeared a letter written by one who claims himself an officer. Mav'l ask does that mean he holds a commission in His .Majesty's army ? If so , I think he has altogether a wrong spirit for one in that position, during these troublous times. No doubt New Zealand has helped the Mother Country, both in sending men and money to her assistance, but if 900 men are to be asked per month in the future, it means she has still a good deal to do in the matter of recruiting. Now, if this is so. to my mind the gentleman who says he is an officer, by his address to "Auckland Girl," is retarding rather than encouraging the young men of New Zealand to fight for the .Motherland. Mavbe there are men who would volunteer, but whose duty holds them back, but I do not think for a minute—nor would anv rightminded person—that "Auckland Girl" spoke of these men No doubt the men she met at various forms of ente-tain-ment were men who had no excuse that kept them from fighting for their liberty. Country Girl.

Sir,—Be the three answers to my letter re "shirkers" in Monday's Heru.D I am afraid I must have "stated my case badly to be so misunderstood. First how could I hurt the feelings of mothers who have given their sons when I honour and envy them so; and secondly, I referred entirely to single men, and "not to those who have any ties to keen them at home I referred specially to ab!eb)died young men whom 1 know, whose parents—from a financial point of view-could easily do without them, parents whom I know are making over £500 a year and who have two or three sons at home, helping to swell the family income, strong ablebodied young men. who would very easilv obtain a clean hill of health. In answer to '" Another British Woman's'' question, I may say that, in proportion to my income, I have given more than my share towards the Patriotic Fund, Belgian Fund. Huntly Fund, etc., also stripped myself of every winter garment I possessed to send to the suffering Belgians. I have also sent, and am still sending, comforts in the shape of luxuries to soldiers whom I know at Trentham to be shared with their tent, mates, and have spent the last few months knitting comforts and have sent them to boys I know personally in Egypt. (3) Nursing. I must plead guilty to neglecting not being fitted for it, but should necessity arise I would not be backward in that. (4) Should the

Germans land here, I don't think we should get much help from the particular class of young men I mentioned; I am afraid we should have to look to others for it. No. 5 hits me the hardest, as I have no male relations old enough to send to the front, so, when any of my friends' sons go, I am doing my best by seeing that they get extra comforts now to make up for what they will have to put up with by and by. Again I must remind my kind critics that it is not the married men, not the young men with ties at home, not the ones who could not pass the medical examination that 1 write about, but the ones who have nothing to keep them here, and they remain to add to their " pile" behind the lives of the brave ones who have gone to the front. A True British Woman. Sir, —I have seen various suggestions and opinions of people re enlistment and the call to arms of our sons to strangle the German monster. I would, with your permission, place my case before you and your readers. Some say every man, able bodied, should enlist. Very true ; and I am with you in your views of the sth inst. re the art of recruiting, that every man who offers his services should be welcomed and enlisted providing such man is medically fit for service. All this red tape business should be wiped out, lor we shall know very soon that every man will be wanted. Now for my own case. Early in the war, I think September, at the first call from Kitchener, I sent to headquarters. Auckland, placing myself at Uieir disposal, at the same time stiting wy previous service at Home and in Egypt, I received a reply I would be notified if wanted. At the second call I sent to Wellington. They did not deem it prudent to acknowledge my letter. Still seeing the cry for men, I paid my own expenses to Auckland, stayed there three days, which I could ill afford, saw two commanding officers of different corps, and the reply I got was, "We are full." In fact, it was more like an act of charity to pet in tlian a man offering his lifa for his country. I have come to the conclusion that I am not wanted, and I am thinking that if this sort of thing continues it is the way countries, battles, and good soldiers are lost Ex-Field Engineer. APPEAL BY SOLDIERS DAUGHTER. Sir, —Although wo have to reluctantly admit that a large factor of our male community are taking a long time to think about answering the call for their services in our nation's hour of peril, there are many willing recruits in tho public service and elsewhere who are only here today because they cannot be released from their duties without seriously disorganising the inner workings of the country. This is a difficulty that could be overcome if those who must stay are willing to give tangible evidence of their patriotism in offering to relievo willing recruits by working extended hours among them to keep the work up to requirements. We all have given 'ibcrally as far as monetary help goes, but after a month or so we are not any worse, off for our little sacrifice and our convenience and pleasure have been ;so far little disturbed. An offer of our i time would be of more value in our country's present interests. Let pleasures go while our nati in is mourning her thousands of dead (lives given for our safety and peace) and give the time in the country's cause. The girls of the Government Departments aie already making a move in this direction by offering to learn and undertake the duties of willing recruits going from their Departments, in addition to their cwn duties. Let others follow this example and get olive to the fact that we are at war and want men. The apathy existing amongst us regarding the nation s critical position is simply appalling if anyone stops to think at all. Content to stand by and take our safetv for granted and applaud toe heroes who are daily sacrificing their lives to ensure that safety, our nation will have little to thank us for as individuals when her fierce struggle ends in the victory we all look for. Who .-re to fill the gaps of the 80.000 already lest, and the inevitable gaps that etill must come? If the men we look to as defenders are going to turn a deaf car to our cry we women must rouse ourselves to what is our bounden duty under the circumstances and be prepared to make our sacrifice for the tibertv of our nation. Mothers proudly give your sons, sisters your brothers, and wives, even you if need be, give your husbands, and be satisfied to put the.n in God's hands. Let it not bo said that colonial women are lacking in those British qualities we are proud to boast of, that have made the nation what it is to-day and what we are fighting to maintain. The dearer and closer'our 'men are to us the more noble the sacrifice for peace, liberty and justice. I feel handicapped by my sex in not being able to do what I would ike at this time, but with many other girls I am prepared to do my utmost in whatever diieclion I may I*. called upon, even i.o enlisting myself, though I would fain hope it would not be necessary outside a woman's office of nurse. Time alone will show whether girls are inheriting or developing those qualities at one time onlv looked for in men but now often looked for in vain

A Soldier's Proud Dauuhter and Sister.