PUBLIC OPINION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7853, 15 July 1911, Page 16

PUBLIC OPINION

THE TRAMWAY SERVICE (To the Editor “N-Z. Times.”) Sir, —Though it is refreshing to find our local municipal representatives quite iucrt in their endeavours to protect tno people’s tramway undertaking from departmental interference, the real need lor regulation, and drastic regulation too, is apparently being overlooked in the noise provoked by minor matters. These smaller things wul probably never survive the first shock of criticism, but it will be a grave mistake if the proposed ci am tv ay regulations are too severely m&med by our zealous "protectors ox public rights/* What is the attitude of Auckland s miuuc.pai representatives towards the overcrowding of tramcars? Their bylaws are oi the most drastic description, and are carried out to Che letter. Overcrowded cars are not allowed to move an inch until the ‘‘-overload’* has placed itself on the footpath again. This, be it remembered, is a law made and enforced by the municipality ? U hat happens in \\ eilingtoii ? X nave travelled homo after.work so tired that the uncomfortable wooden car seat has seemed to me a luxury. Generally, however, the car nils up uncomfortably, and if 1 have not given up my seat altogether 1 pass the journey witn no wider view than the waistcoat buttons -of the straphanger who is neany tumbling over me at every curve. Overcrowding is practised in \Veiiington to such a disgraceful degree that it is positively dangerous to one’s limbs to travel on some routes during rush hours. The system suggests a management endeaTounng to cany on witm/ui uie migntest regard for tuo puoiic. Ana cuts same management is actually ina.iguanc when a disinterested autnoruy suggests its responsibility to tuq i>w;pic, tho owners of me system. As 1 am daily subjected to discomfort, and sometimes aanger, in the grossly overloaded cars on a suburban route, 1 hope the X'ubiic Works Department will nurry up with cue regulations. . 1 remember that a tramway accident at Kiugsiond, on the Auckland system, in wiiicn several people were killed, was due to an overcrowded car getting out of hand, the inotorman and conductor being Helpless in that emergency because oi the x j ack©d state of the train. Wno is prepared to justify the absurdly high steps on our palace cars? Of course, 1 hear that tho “design ' wifi not permit of anything else, but X know that they do much better even in Auckland, where a private company runs trams ibi dividends. The point about which I am concerned is that our system, which should bo model, is conducted in some respects on risky lines, with little regard for the public comiort. If the City Council does not realise this, 1 am glad to know that a higher authority is alive to the public interest. —I am, etc., A TRAM SAIiDINE. July 14th. THE EXHIBITION (To tho Editor "N.Z. Times.”) Sir, —There appeared a notice a little while ago that the Exhibition sports committee were to consider a proposed comic singing and stepaancing compettition. Is this "off:/* This kind of entertainment would be a relief from those bowling, hockey and lawn tennis tournaments, and also draw a large audience, likewise a good number of competitors.—X am, eic,, A DANCER, July 14th., MR. M‘LAREX IN REPLY (To tho Editor “N.Z. Times.”) Sir, —I will admit right here and now that oven the ‘‘wo’-' (whoever they’ may be) would never dream of calling Air XTsher "dismal/* He is as lively as a monkey on a stick, and of just as much use. This erudite preacher of political morals tries to take me to task for not having -stated at my meeting what everybody already knew: that the issue of leasehold versus freehold came up on a ao-coniidenco motion of Mr Massey’s. X’heu tliis great teacher proceeds to, tell mankind in general that a no-confiaenoe motion "supersedes nil minor details/* So we arrive at this, that according to Mr F. M. >3. lasher the land question is a minor detail and the'main question is "who will get hold of the cash box?* Mr Fisher knows I was not there when the vote was taken and he also knows that I was attending to important public business at the timer and could not b© in two places at once. Of course, it is difficult for a sprightly person such as he, who can be on two sides at once, and dc it easy, to understand why another cannot be in two, or even more places, at one and the same time. In my experience of Mr Fisher I have known him to be present at four distinct committees which were sitting in different at the same time and he could tell al] of' them what ought to be done better than anyone who had sat all the time through and worked instead of sailing in .and out with all the airs imaginable. As for my being in the waistcoat pocket of either the Government, the Opposition or anybody else, I have no doubt there are some who would like mo there, because a good coin is always of use when found in anyone's pocket, but I am sure that no one would think of putting Mr Fisher into their waistcoat, or any other, pocket who had any regard for their clothing or themselves. It is not the habit of Mr Fisher to rise and speak in the morning hours (because ho is very seldom there), but in the early Vart of the evening when the ladies* gallery is full you can behold him spreading himself, you can hear him roll out words, words; whilst he watches out of one eye the grand effect upon his dear admirers of both sexes. The statement about the Bills Mr Fisher has had passed through the House reminds mo of the man who proposed that a new planet should be created, and when an astronomer told him that there was such a planet as he desired, he replied, "O yes, I know. It was me that made it/* Mr Fisher had just as much to do with some of the Bills ho mentions from time to time as the other _ conceited person had to do with making the new planet. I remember Mr Fisher's "Sunday Labour Bill/* manufactured by Mr E. J. Carey, secretary of tho Cooks and Waatters* Union, and bow Mr Carey asked i me to keep an eye on the baby, and X told him he would be better to keep two eyes on the nurse who had taken ifc up. The little Bill came before the Labour Bills Committee, and the nurse could not be found. This is the person to leave your infant with. The member for Wellington Central says, "he met Mr Andrew Fisher/* and "he wishes'we bad more of his typo in New Zealand/* Personally I do not know* the Andrew Fishers that we already have, but X am much of the opinion that the Hon. Andrew’ Fisher will fully appreciate the patronage bestowed upon him by the member for Wellington Central (that is when the Hon. Andrew gets a little time off from such trifles as governing the Commonw’ealth of Australia). It is both ludicrous aud painful to contemplate tho political conceit and bombast of the great high Don, who reels off his flippant references to men of standing and character as if he was speaking on the subject of "swashbucklers I have met/* I have no doubt that the Prime Minister of Australia is worthy of his name, but it must be remembered that "all Fishers do not go to the same pool/* Instead of spending time on such as myself I would suggest to Mr F. M. B. Fisher that he might make up parcels of his "crisp and up-to-date material** for speeches and send- supplies on to the German Emperor. President Taft, Asquith, Lloyd George. Balfour, Ramsay MacDonald, Keir Bardie, and other groat speakers and leaders. Only such giants would be capable oi

using the high-class matter which would be supplied, aud I am sure Mr Fisher is I capable of making the offer. He is capable of offering thunder to the gods and telling fate how to arrange the stars in the heavens for the evening’s entertainment.—l am, etc., _ d. McLaren. 1 July 14th. HEAR BUTTER (To the Editor. "N.Z. Times.^ Sir, —I read with some interest tho report of an interview’ with the manager of a butter factory at Palmerston, m your issue of Tuesday. I am rather surprised that the wage bill should be blamed for the high price of butter. There is a great deal of clap-trap nonsense talked about sweated industries in other countries when the wages paid to men engaged in cheese and butter factories are taken into consideration. In a cheese factory the hours arc seventy for the extravagant wage of £2 2s per week, and remember it is not ten hours per day. A man may work sixteen hours a day and yet by careful arrangement no overtime can be earned. Men. must be at work Sundays as well. It will be said that accommodation is extra, but w’hat good is that to a married man? It will also be stated there is very little to do in winter, but what good is that to the man who is put off directly they got slack and also to all those men employed in factories which clos'O down. The conditions of labour are a trifle better in the butter factories, only sixty horn’s a week being expected, but this includes working on Sunday. If tho industry cannot afford to pay a wage which will allow a married man to live it is time it closed up. There is no doubt 'that this industry is responsible for a large number of the unemployed in winter. It is no wonder that we cannot come up to Danish butter in quality. A fresh supply of labour h as to b© obtained in the busy season, and after these men have learnt some of the duties off they are sent and during the time they are working they get the magnificent and startling w’ag© of £2 2s per week. I was astonished to find such a siate of things existing in Gods Own Country. It is time tuo administration! stepped in and prevented the sweating in this industry. All that is taken out of the blood and sweat of the poor unfortunate worker simply goes towards giving fictitious laud values. —X am, etc-, H. J. ESTCODRT. Wanganui, July 12th. THE TIMBER TRADE (To the Editor " N,Z. Times.**) Sir,—We have recently had exposed tho workings of one monopoly in our midst—that in timber; but there are many others so often illustrated that it is time tho Government, in whose hands the matter lies, should take action aud break up by hook or by crook. What a waste , of money the Timber Commission has proved to have been. There are many ways of breaking up these monopolies—principally by taking the duties off tb© necessaries of life for tho working classes. £n saying the working class I particularly refer to all labourers obtaining less than a salary of .£250 a year. A great deal is being said about the shortage of timber, which is expected to bo cut out in a few years’ time. And, no wonder, when timber is allowed to be exported at the rate it is. l r or instance, this week I read of one vessel leaving Kaipara with close on two million feet, and another recently left Marlborough with over one million feet for Australia, and not long ago a contract was let to one sawrailler or timber merchant for thirteen million feet, for Australia. Aud so the gam© goes on and must ultimately prove disastrous to the Dominion. Is it not time a check was put on this? I notice tho Australian States, notwithstanding their vast forests, are chocking exportation of their timber. Why should not this Dominion do likewise ? Timber is boomed up so that it is out of the power of the working man to build a shanty for himself and family. Yet tho avaricious sawmillor and timber dealer object to a few million feet of American timber being brought into this country, unless penalised by an exorbitant duty. t Let’s have a little free trade for a time in this article, or if wo must protect our timber against ourselves, instead of an "import** duty put on an "'export** duty. If sawmillers and dealers could, to ray knowledge, make fortunes in a short time when timber —the best—was only five and sixpence or six and sixpence per hundred feet, what must they do at the present ruling prices? 1 may bo told that the tithes, etc., are more now. This I admit. But there is little if any difference in wages. Anyway, the difference in cost of getting now is small in comparison with the prices .charged. Timber was placed on the land for tho use of the people of the country, and it should not be taxed, but if exported ifc should be taxed for the good of the people. There are also tho taxes on butter, potatoes, flour, and many other items which I shall note in future letters.—l am, etc., SHAVINGS. July 13th. A JOHNSONYILLE TRAIN (To the Editor "N.Z. Times.”) Sir, —A correspondent (" On Time **) writing to your journal on the 11th, complaining of 'the late starting of the train scheduled to leave Thorndon at C. 25 p.m. for Johnsonville, has a positive grievance which is shared by a large number of people. The inconvenience is difficult to remedy. The late starting of the out train is caused by the delayed arrival of the Napier express, timed to arrive at Thorndon at (5.22. This allows three minutes to get the Johnsonville train away. From June 14th to July 10th (inclusive) the Napier train was late thirteen times, varying from five to fifteen minutes. This is certainly a large proportion of late running, but in passing judgment we must consider the difficulties of running 200 miles on a single track. An accumulation of small delays on tho journey is piled up to several minutes at the terminus. The journey , from Thorndon to Ngaio takes thirteen minutes, and it ia clear for the Napier express to cross the outgoing Johnsonviile train at Ngaio (providing the -Johnsonville train leaves on time) the Napier train must be nearly half an hour late. This does not often happen, hence the keeping back of the outgoing train until the express arrives at the terminus, X agree with your correspondent that the delay is a very serious one. 1 am making representations to the Minister, urging him to remove the disabilities. —I am, etc.> JOHN P. LUKJJS. July 14th. A CASE FOR INQUIRY (To the Editor " N.Z. Times.") Sir,—l desire to call tho attention of some authority to a condition of things which should not exist in the city of Wellington. I refer to the pitiable eight i of a young girl, barefooted, pushing a hand-cart containing bones and bottles, whilst an old but healthy and strong man walks alongside leaning on the cart. they passed their way along the main thorough!'ares many an eye was turned upon the pair, and faces bore an unmistakable look of pity. I think the case is one for the police or truant inspectors. Surely ths_ girl should be attending school receiving her meed of free education which is her just due. Surely, too, her mode of living does not conduce to fit her for the world with its many avenues to temptation and vice. Inquiries should be made regarding the case. I could not help feeling for the unfortunate girl as I saw a body of u ell-dressed school girls passing the couple, en route to the exhibition. I hope the matter will not rest, ns it is a eight we seldom see ia Wellington,

and a sight we do not desire to continue or to be repeated.—l am, etc., "TTTX.” July 14th. PRESBYTERIAN HYMNS (To tbo Editor "NJS. Times/’) Sir, —1 see by your issue of the 12tb iusfc. that at a'meeting of the Presbyterian Presbytery there was a discussion about the several hymn books at present in use in the different churches, i irst ■wo had “Psalms and Hymns/' then *' Church Praise," from which had. been omitted some of the finest. Alter a short time there was another alteration, and the “-Church Hymnary" was introduced. but did not find much favour. Now yet another hymn book is being substituted, with almost half the “Psauns and mart of the good old times eliminated. I would like to know who is responsible fox all these alterations According to the Scotch Presbyterian Church every member- has a v ,°t©. These alterations have never been submitted to the congregations, the ministers and session having apparently usurped the right of choice. Upon what authority?—l am, etc ” "PRESBYTERIAN." July 14tb. THE HUTT ROAD AND CYCLE TRACK (To the Editor "N.Z. Time..”) Sir—l read with dismay Mr J. PLuke’s letter in the ‘"Times' of July 12th to the Minister of Rauways about the very dangerous practice of letting motor cyclists on the track. I suppose some highly nervous individual has apour worthy M.P., and, of course, our obliging M.P. s these days will do their best to pacify their stituentsAs to the track and footpath, I say it is the proper place for motor cycies as well as cycles, tne stretch between Wellington and Kaiwarra excepted. Motor cymes do far less harm to the path than pedestrians or stray cattle. 13 . , thousand times more dangerous to ride a motor cycle in the streets of at ten miles an hour than o forty-five miles an hour on track Why not stop the city trams. They’are very dangerous— they kiU p«)Po every year. A motor cycle on an asphalted track does not make dust, uud in wet weather does not skid. _ A cyme skidding on a greasy road might cause the loss of limb or life, hence tne track s usefulness. Why on earth should etery body suffer for one or two individuals who are reckless and careless of the in jury they cause? They will do harm a °As to accidents, they will happen as long as the earth lasts, a , n d “V 3 t-uiL" row escapes, we have hundreds of them every day in Wellington . On the Mutt cycle track there would be few, if auj. Notice boards. Yes! Something like this: "Motorists’ speed not to exceed

40 miles per hour! Drovers are. to keep th©ir herds and flocks off; the path under penalty!” I say let the reckless pay lor their rocklessntss.—l am, etc., BROADMINDED. J uly 14th.