LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17335, 5 December 1919, Page 9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SHIPMENT OF CARGO. Sir,—l notice that shippers of cargo at Wellington, groaning under a grievance similar to what exists at Auckland, viz., the interminable line of drays waiting to unload their goods at the destined steamer, have brought pressure to bear upon the Harbour Board, under which the board receives outward cargo into the sheds, and gives precedence in the shipment to goods I so delivered, some additional charge being [ made for this convenience. Why should J not the Auckland Harbour Board take a j lesson, and save adding to the heavy exIpenso which is entailed by the charges j for the waiting drays, which are sometimes delayed for hours. Tnos. Henderson. EXTREME LABOUR, Sir,— Savage is reported to have said: " There is no extreme Labour Party. Those called extreme are honest workers." How can any sane elector clans Messrs. Holland, Semi-' and Eraser as moderate men. I -.-•as ivourable to the Labour Party, hi" „■; en I found Labour being led by su> a. n.en as Holland, Semple, and Eraser i was forced to oppose them on the ground that it would be absolute insanity t. . commit the reins of Gov - ment to ■ '• revolutionaries. I trust all thinking electors will take the same view and relegate the Labour Party to a j still smaller body than they were 'in the late Parliament. Anti Labour. LAND SETTLEMENT. Sir,—l am one of a number of settlers who took up Crown land under the " Continuous Government," and who were, for 15 years locked in by them with idle Crown lands, which blocked th e only outI let for produce. The " Continuous Government" would neither make a road across the idle Crown lands, or sell the land to a syndicate, who offered to buy it and make a road across it at once. It is reported that the remnant of the same Government are now saying they hate the " go-slow" process. But did not the " Continuous Government" originate the "go-slow," policy, . both by the slow rate they were settling the idle Crown lands, also especially so in making the Main Trunk Railway. It is quite certain if there had been no Government to retard progress during the 21 years they were in power, all, or nearlyall, the idle Crown and native lands would have been satisfactorily settled by private enterprise. " L.T. LABOUR'S APPEAL Sir, Stripped of disguising verbiage and doctrinal sophistry the social policy of Official Labour is communism. Those who approve it as a sound, effective and ' just form of social order will vote in sup- [ port of it. The majority of the people in ! New Zealand who are honestly convinced ! that communism is not a sound, effective ■ and just form of social order, and who disj tinctly object to the suspension of public i law and the imposition of martial law . on the community by the various sections :oj Labour every few weeks will vote j against it. In face of this clear-cut issue mere factionisms are not worth a moI ment's consideration. If we are to acj cept the public utterances of the Official I Labour leaders it is evident that failing control of the democratic majority these gentlemen are prepared to enforce their I will by the use of all the methods of the ! Bolsheviks. If the electors fail to se- [ cure their rights and duties under the | franchise they will well deserve all that is I coming to them. Labour Citizen.

LOYAL LABOUR MEN. —Wo have read of the charges levelled against certain members of the j Labour Tarty because of their disloyal i utterances and actions, and some attempts i have been made to discountenance all I Labour candidates on that account. This j seems to be absolutely unfair. We could I fhow our opinions intelligently by coni demning those who were disloyal, but we | must be consistent and express apprecia- ! tion of those men who have done their duly faithfully during the recent crisis. I heard a Labour candidate speak a fewdays ago. He has an intensely practical policy, and inquiry reveals that he left his wife and child, a s well as forfeited his business, to <; 0 away as a volunteer for active service. He was wounded in France, and now seeks the confidence of hie fellow citizens. Surely we cannot say we will not support him because of the actions of others. Our people should be as much prepared to support the loyal and reasonable man its they are to condemn the disloyal and extreme section. Reason in ale Things. LABOUR LEADERS AND THE WAR. Sir,—lt is well to keep up the catechism a s to how the Labour leaders bore themselves during the war. It becomes I quite amusing to know how they have disi covered their loyalty in so many different ! ways since their speeches and actions were ! set in opposition to anything and everyI thing that spelt of an energetic war effort, ! Loyal men went to the war in spite of the j opposition raised by these self-styled leadI ers. How far Labour candidates are going to succeed depends upon the public j knowledge of their war work ; their attij tude towards the war ; and the real charI acter of some of their associates. Votes ! for men who were anti-British during the | nation's tribulation will amount to an inI suit to those who have fought and died, as j well as to those who have fought and sufi fered. If the lessons of the Great War are to be of any real service to us, we shall have to sink class antagonism and think more of our national needs. The claims of country should have first place on the list of reforms, for never was unity more essential than now, both for the development of our industries and to weld the peace we have secured into days of plenty and prosperity. E.A.S.