THE OPEN COLUMN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3789, 11 July 1899, Page 3

THE OPEN COLUMN.

BRANDING OF MEAT

Mr R. C. Renner writes:—With reference to the extract from, the New Zealand Produce Inspector’s report to the Agent-General appearing in the “New Zealand Times,” a method for branding meat for export, patented and invented by Messrs Boyons and Renner, of Kaikoura, is spoken favourably of by Mr J. R. Charlton, M.R.C.V.S.. of London, Government Inspector of Meat, who, in the “ Canterbury Times’ of June 7th says:—“During last week two Kaikoura gentlemen, by permission of Mr Gilbert Anderson, managing director of the Christchurch Meat Company, conducted a series of experiments at Islington abattoirs with a new apparatus for the branding of meat. Tho apparatus consists of hollow letters attached to a tube, which in turn is connected with an exhaust pine. By means of tho exhaust a vacuum is created, and as the letters are concave and perforated on their faces, that portion of the carcase to which tho letters are applied is “raised into the concavities, with the result that a very distinct brand is left. Carcases dealt with in this way were exposed for varying periods in the cooling chamber and freezing room respectively, and the results have been decidedly encouraging to the inventors. The facts that the brand in no way disfigures the carcase, and that it is very clear, distinct and easy of application go a long way to commend this new method, about which, no doubt, more will shortly be heard.”

LAND VALUES AND TAXATIONAL- Geo. Wilks, Levin, writes as fo 1 - lows:—lt has been my lot to moot with a number of single taxers, not one of whom have I found to be sound in his figures: and among them I must class Air F. W. Re veil, whose article on the above subject appeared in your issue of the 6th current. He says;—-“For example. 4d in the oonnd tax on the unimproved value of the laud, without, exemptions or Graduated tax. would yield £100,000,000 per annum revenue.” What a blunder! Fourpencc in the pound would on £84,000,000 produce exactly £1,400,000, less cost of collection. Then Mr Revell proceeds to retail the usual twaddle of single taxers by saying that such taxation would increase the manufacture of shirts, boots, etc., hv thousands. If all taxation were Maced on the land there would be no increase in the number of settlers, and con?--.

quently there would ■ be less*, demand ] lor shirts and boots, for most ot them would have to go barefooted. On tho other hand, if we had truly liberal land laws we should have an influx of settlers with money to buy freeholds and work them, and these would be in a position to purchase boots, etc. The last sentence in Mr Revell’s letter advocates the deliberate robbery of settlers, such proceeds to be given to bis offspring, and to the offspring—“unborn millions”—of all the criminals, the loafers, the drunkards, the gamblers and the spielers who are now in or may come into this colony. The settlers are sick of tho cant about the birthright of tho unborn millions, and some of them have left tho colony to take up land in Queensland, where Henry George’s theories are justly scouted.

THE FRENCH MINISTER OF WAR. “Historicus” writes : —Unfortunately for the Rev L. C. Servajean, my article on General Galiffob contains facts which are absolutely time, and ho it is who has attempted to falsify history. My contribution was based on a history used in the State schools of the Department de la Seine. I refer him to the “History of the Commune of 1871,” which has been translated from tho French of Lissagaray by Eleanor Marx Aveling. Mr Servajean merely contradicts my statements, and it is hardly necessary for me to re-stato them. So far from the Commune consisting of the scum of Paris, it contained men of tho loftiest character. Political bias, class bias, ecclesiastical bias and the bias of patriotism all militate against the judicial consideration of great social events. And it is not difficult to find Mr Servajean’s grievance against “La Commune.” She was no friend of priests, and she exposed too, many of the liniquitjios of the Church in Paris for tho clergy to have had any love for her. The apologist of the Vcrsaillcso insinuates that Paris was in a state of anarchy. Probably so, biib not until the Versaillese entered and commenced their slaughter of young girls and boys, women and grey-haired men. We read on page 182 of the history I have named: —-“The traveller running tho risk of a visit to Paris found the streets and boulevards tranquil, presenting their usual aspect. Tho pillagers had only pillaged the guillotine, solemnly burnt before tho mairio of the eleventh arrondissement. Prom all quarters the same murmur of execration rose against the assassination of the prisoners and Hie ignoble scenes at Versailles.” Galiffefc may have been brave, but so was Napoleon Bonaparte, one of tho greatest liars and one of tho most inhuman butchers of modem times. I might just remind Mr Servajean that tho Communists held tho forts of Issy, Vanves, Mont-Valerion, Ivry, Bioetre and Montrouge. RAILWAY TO ISLAND BAY. “Greater Wellington” writes as follows : —That the extension of the railway to Nowtown and Island Bay is desirable is a fact that I think no one for a moment will dispute; but the question of the route is an important one, and should not be hastily settled, in tho expenditure of the public money on a work of the kind, the question of “the greatest good to the greatest number” should not ■ be lost sight of; but by the adoption of cither of the routes referred to at the Newtown meeting this is altogether overlooked. Assuming that the route via Kent terrace, wore adopted, .who would be most benefited by the railway ? I say, • only those residing near the stations. I take it that there would be a station or siding near the Basin Reserve, and therefore the residents in the immediate vicinity 'of the • station would use thg line in preference to the trams. The same may also be said of the Match Factory station. All tho other Newtown residents as far as Newtown Reserve would avail themselves of the tramway service. Again, for the railway to be of any real use, a ton minutes’ service each way as far as Newtown would be necessary nearly throughout the day, and this would necessitate the construction of a double line, and would mean a passenger train every five minutes through or across the streets. A station close to the Hospital would mean the removal entirely of that institution to a quieter spot. A double line would also mean at least 25ft of land taken all along the, route, and it becomes a question whether the city authorities would bo justified in allowing so large a portion of tho narrowest part of the city to be monopolised by the Railway Department. I would point out that there is another route which apparently was not referred to at the meeting, and which, while avoiding the crowded part of the city, would be of equal benefit to the extreme southerly part of Newtown, as well as Island Bay. It is a continuation of the line from its present terminus at Te Aro to the town belt, either at the top end of Queen, Elizabeth or Ellice streets; thence by tunnel through the hill to North Kilblrnie, with a station near the Constable street cutting; thence on, with a cutting through the . lull near Lawrence street, to the vicinity of Russell terrace, where there is ample space for sidings, goods sheds and all the requirements of a general station ; from thence to Island Bay. At the Constable street cutting station a line should branch off to Lyell Bay. Seatoun and the forts.' This route would also open up and render accessible all tho land at the foot of Mount Victoria. In fact, 1 I contend that a line along this route would benefit all tho district to the south and southeast of the citv. which would not be the case were the Kent terrace route adopted. Why should not Seatoun and Miramar have a railway, when it is possible to provide for their wants as well as those of Island Bay and Newtown by a - very slightly increased expenditure? Both Seatoun and Overton Extension aro far preferable as seaside resorts to Island Bay, and you may rely on it that the residents of these places, as well as Che proprietors of Miramar, will exert all their influence to oppose direct communication with Island Bay unless provision be made for their districts also.