MR GAMMELL AS VINDICATOR

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7025, 13 January 1910, Page 3

MR GAMMELL AS VINDICATOR

(To tho Editor " N.Z. Times.’*) Sir, —“Observer” is evidently of a ducus a non lucendo origin. Had be I observed ho would have found that I i dealt fully with one of Mr GiamimeH’s exaggerations. Mr Gammell can also minimise and finds himself obliged to minimise or water down Sir Robert Stout’s pronouncement in order that (ho may appear to vindicate the author lof an outrageous statement. With 1 'groat, labour and numerous calculations ho has got together a number of /figures plunging from Year Books into the “huge volume entitled ‘New Zealand Statistics.' ” As if fully con-* Scions that his discoveries are wholly 'insufficient to support the pronouncement he cuts it down as far as he requires and then tries to stretch his (figures into harmony with the hugely 'modified form. He may entertain 'himself with his persistent “HeureJsa,” but ho has far to go yet to get out of the bush, and when Ids chief returns next month the notes of his own paean .“Heureka” will be, heard strangely out of tune ivith Sir Robert’s coming dirge “Apolola.” Tho fact is that statistics 'to prove Sir Robert’s wild assertion do 'not exist.

As to “Observer,” I see no reason wily questions o£ religion should nob operate in the choice of teadbers. Why, for instance, should Christian children ,bo handed over to the influence of ifroe-thinkers ? This may bo what he wants. —I am, etc.,

ARISTOBHHDS, Wellington, January 12th.