LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13886, 25 April 1907, Page 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

A FINAL WORD CONCERNING BLAOKSTONE HILL.

Sib,—The result of the recant ballot can have left no doubt in tlio minds of fnir peoplo concerning the fact that there is a. very great demand for land for settlement in Central Otago, and that, my contentions havo been warranted. I have no intention to ran amok or follow up the matter for tho mere sake of controversy, but I feel that I would not leave my case complete were I not to take this final opportunity of placing (with your permission) tho facts of another very hard caso lwforc tho public of t.liis colony. In. doing this I wish to take advantage of the opportunity afforded to say that in the wholo of my correspondence I havo been actuated by no feeling of ill-will 1o anyone.- If I have criticised strongly it has beon becausc I 'doomed such criticism absolutely necessary in tho interest of closer settlement. I 'nave endeavoured to say nothing save that, which I could prove, n.nd I cannot help it if what. I have said lias been taken in a personal spirit, nor .can I alter my criticism for that reason. , ,

I have already cited a ease of great hardship—viz., that of Mr William Tiiurlow, of Cambrians. Whether tho board has made or is making any provision to assist him I do not. know, but I may point out that the run from which wo wished to give him a piece of land has fallen into the hands of a man of means, whilst Mr Thurlow is left to struggle 011 an. insufficient plrtfc. This is so diametrically opposed to the spirit, of tho Now Zealand land laws that the wonder is that thero is need to condemn it at all. I wish now to place on record another instance—the caso of Mr John' Meade, of Ida Valley. Mr Meade has 117 acres of land. The Land Board, if it is to be judged by its subdivision of Lauder, would call that a.n absurd area, for any man to live on, and so it. is—in that locality. But Mr Meade, whilst the railway,was being constructed, had it for his home, and earned •his living on the wnrks, and mado a nice home of it. When Sir John M'Kcnzie framed the act of 1892 ho exprcfsiy provided classes 115 and 116 to enable Land Hoards to encourage men who had mado such homes by granting them, where available, sii(lieiont land to keep the homes, and thus plant tho proper pcoplo 011 tho soil. Believing that, he was entitled to consideration under the 116 th clause, as ho undoubtedly was, Mr Meade applied for an area on a corner of Blackstone. There was no earthly reason why tho hoard should not grant tho application, and there v.as the provision in the act expressly devised, by the author (and cnforcod during his lifetime) to enable them to grant if, but not a perch would tho board give. It was in vain that Mr Meado pointed out that he could not. sell the small area and go elsewhere, and that if lie had to take liis ohance at ballot it. was like going into Tattersall's. The board was adamant. It could not endanger those " everlasting hills." Mr Meado must stand back ar.d let tho big man havo a show, and what is tho result? Mr. Meade is loft to-da.v on his. 117 acres, worse off than ever, and tie board lias tho satisfaction of knowing that it has onco again defeated an attempt to administer Sir John M'Kenzie's Land Act as its author meant, it to bo administered. Tho" only way to niter tho hoard's attitude on this matter is to kecj' placing such facts as these before the people of New Zealand nntil the force of publio opinion brings tho board to reason, and it is .not for tho purpose of discrediting the board that I do so, but because I believe that tho board itself does not. realise the enormity of tho offence. Indeed, I would go further and say that it is high time the Minister took this matter up and said whether ho was going to allow tho 'board to sacrifice tho pioneer who had proved his bona fides. Sir John M'Kcnzie would have 6poken with no uncertain sound, and one begins to long for fcho outspoken dclivorancca of men who, like him, had a " purpose firm" «tnd "dared to make it. known." The nambypambyisni of to-day will never accomplish anything, and so far as I am con-, corned I am not going to subscrilx) to it. This is, Sir, tho last I nave to say respecting the beard's dealings with ]K>or men's applications in conncction with Blackstone for consideration under tho, clauses I have quoted. I think I havo a right to ask whether tho board has a right deliberately to set aside tho provisions of an act it should administer fairy. It is true it hag ,a discretionary power, but when one can quoto and prove, as I am prepared to do, cases like Thurlow's and Meado's, I think ono is justified in saying that, the law is not. being fairly administered. Tho trouhlo is largely due to want of local knowledgo aild the absurd fear of the inexperienced man for anything that is not mado sacred by wont and usage. The board must be jostled out of the rut and made to do its dutv, and I am not going to bo deterred from doing my sharo 011 every possible occasion, so lone as I have access to tho press and solid facts to place before the public. I must again thank you for the help you have given by affouling me tho opportunity to make those facts public.—l am, etc,, J. J. Ramsav.

WHITE NEW ZEALAND,

Sin, —I am sorry to sco tho superficial view taken by fho Trades and Labour Conference. which sat at Dunedin lately, on what, tho dek-jrates term white New* Zealand. It would appear that f.lieir whole aim was only to keep" the coloured races nut of tho colony by moans of the poll tax, without giving any consideration to tfio thousands of them tlioy yearly employ outsido the colony to supply us with tea; while we could supply our own beer at about half of what tho tea costs, and our bodies would derive some nourishment from beer, not to mention tho impetus .it would; irivo to trade ami labour bv manufacturing -so largo a quantitv of drink within tho colony. Even our Government places its foot on the lever of compulsion bv removing the duty off tea. and retaining it on beer. But the prohibitionist, endeavours to drive it homo by removing beer out- of the country. I trust that tho Trades Conference can sco its way to amend its platform so as to admit "bcor under ocrtain proof, and agitato to get tho duty reversed. Then it shall deserve the thanks of tho community, for the dentist was never so hard wrought (luring the age of beer as during, the ago of ton.—l am, etc., • Worldly-wise. Waihcmo, April 17.

THAT 'BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE. Sin, —It is a disappointment that "Ono of the Doctors" has not seen his way to r epl.V_ to my letter of the s llth inst. 'Tho questions I asked go to tho root of tlw matter, although they do not touch tho point- as to, whether alcohol is a remedial agent. I will now ask permission to place certain statements before tills correspondent and the medical profession of tho city. Assuming that alcohol may bo a remedial agent:—

1. When a medical man orders champagne, port, sherry, brandy, etc., for his patient hp never knows what stuff tho .patient will get. , But ho ought to know tnat great quantities of so-callcd wines, etc., aro simply manufactured with the aid of injurious chemicals and bad spirit. 2. A" prescription of such-a nature is, l therefore, always unscientific, and must often be harmful, even if we firanfc that tho genuine article ordered would bo beneficial.

3. No doctor is justified in prescribing an article tho constituents of which he does not know. This is the ground of objection to prescribing patent or quack remedies.

4. Puro alcohol is as easily obtained as any other drug, and can be prescribed like any other drug. 5. If alcohol is required, tho scientifio method is tint at one time followed by tho into Sir B. \V. to proscribe puro alcohol disguised with other elements. 6. The practice of preecribincr champagne, brandy, eta, is with danger. It confirms patients in the' idea that drinking these liquors as a beverage is beneficial, and it has often been tho means of starting a man or woman on the down grade, which ends in drunkenness. I have known such cases in Duuedin. The truth is that medical students are not taught tho nature and pronorties of alcohol and alcoholic liquors, ancl the prescribing of thom is largely duo to imperfect knowledge. There is a pregnant pasBngo in Dr E.. Claude Taylor's contribution to "Tho Drink Problem," edited by Dr 'Kclynaek: "Recont works on Materia Medica arc declaring that its (alcohol) pharmaccological valuo is illusory, except under rare conditions "; and articles, such 'hat by Dr ,T. Hay (Lancct, June 11, 1S04), are demonstrating that not only does alcohol fail to savo life, but in its "'therapeutic" administration appears often to precipitate a fatal issue in acuta diseases. At present >thoro is not the systematic and thorough discussion of theso matters in the lecture courses that is needed, and .jnost medioal men aro' loft to learn theso truths slowly by experience, or occasionally by articles in tho medical journals. Will any of your medical readers controvert Ihoso statements?—l am. etc., A l"''l iESCDUPIUS.

THE OTAGO_ CENTOAL RAILWAY

CELEBRATION.

Sir,—The smetarv of the Otago Central League publishes his January ■ invitation to mo showing that I had boon asked to attend the deputations of April. That is, I expect, correct.. Rut in the meantime the arrangements had been a good doiil recast, and what I alluded to when speaking at Clyde was that I had not been made awaro at. Clyde of tho matter, nor to!d where to go, and the fiubjoct had escaped my memory. I probably would havo followed tho crowd along to the. place only I was anxious toget accommodation for the night, in which finest I utterly failed, and bad I not ibeen (fortunate enough about 1 a.m. to meet Mr J. ,T, Ramsay, wlio kindly took me in, tho friendly shelter of a hedge would have done service for the night. I may say that when I heard of Uio deputation meeting I went along and stood ill the 'body of tho hall for a considerable time. May I suggest that when tho next, oection is onened some person bo told off to give local directions?—l an), etc.,

Thomas Mackenzie.

THE WAIPORI SCHEME AND-MR

DREW'S REPORT.

Sir,—! have read Mr Drew's report and your leader 011 the same in this morning's issue. Mr Drew states that with a supply of 40 heads 2400 brake hows-power' will be developed by the l'clton wheels at Waipori, but lie considers that the present pipe-line should only be taxed with 35 heads, giving 2100 brake horse-power. In your article spsaking of the policv of the corporation 111 deciding that for the present a single pipe lino will do, you state: "Its determination is due, of course, to a desire to avoid increasing the capitalisation of the fiehemo until it has disposed of the whole of the energy, estimated at 2000 horsepower, which will be developed from the installation already effected." I -would like to know where the 20C0 horse-power is to come from to be sold in Dimedin when only 2400 horse-power at most is available at the Waipori end. There are the following eight sources of loss before the power reaches Duncdin: —First, the generators at Waipori; second, step-up transformers at Waipori; third, high tension transmission line to Half-way Bush; fourth, step-down transformers at substation, Half-way Hush; fifth, low tension lino to Duncdin; sixth, rotary transformer at Duncdin; seventh, street conduits and cables; eighth, consumers' motors. A very high authority in the Engineer, December 21, 1906 estimates the efficiency after all these transformations at 43 per cent., therefore 2400. horse-power at Waipor: will only give :1032 horse-power at Duncdin,. and if wo take Mr Drew's other figures, 2100 horse-power, there will i)e only 903 horsepower available at Duncdin. The losses mentioned coincide in a remarkable dcgrco with statements made some years ago by a local electrician' of repute when interviewed by the reporters with regard to Dee Stream, In view of the great wear and tear of the nozzles and buckets by the gritty water, it is hardly likely that Mr Drew's figures will be reached. Mr Goodman stated recently at the power-hoireo that a revenue of £12,802 was in sight, which would make the excessive cost to consumers £12 8s per horse-power per annum if the larger amount of 1032 horsepower were available. Where is he going to get tlio £24,146 per annum for oporatinp expenses? Sir, I think I have indicated the way in which t!io Waipori bubble will burst, and possibly reputations craok, and it will not surprise me to see before lonff the Waipori plant sold for what it will fetch, and' a steam or suction gas plant crcctcd in or near- town to save the disappointed would-be consumers.—l am, etc., Edwakd RoBEBTS;

April 19.

MR J. J. RAMSAY AND THE OTAGO

DAILY TIMES.

fern,—lt has been said that Britons do not know when they are beaten. This old saying is commonly used to point to a victory won when chances of success seemed hopeless, but always to victory as tho result. If, by the light, of the present, Mr ltamsay cannot read failure in enterprise and issues of the past, is it likely ho will admit of defeat now? In his present dispute with you he is, of course, quite in tho wrong, his evasion, quibbling, and equivocation notwithstanding. You have overlooked tho fact that he is supposed by some, and possibly not quite wrongly, to have had some share in the prevention of tho postponement of the ballot for tho Otago Central runs, were sucli postponement. over contemplated. It I say 110 be impervious to results of pa6t issues, is it likely a sense of defeat can be brought to a mind burning with a realisation of its maiden achievement?

Can you not see that every inch of spaco devoted to Mr Ramay and occupied by that gentleman is merely so much cheap advertising? For pity's sake let him alone! Ho will say he has silenced you. Well, even 110 can only write once to state that, fact, or, to fco 011 safer ground, you aro only obliged to give ono insertion to that statement; this will make another success—two. Chivalry begets its like, or is supposed to do so in normal minds; if by any sacrifice you can silence Mr Ramsay you will win tho prayers of a suffering people. —I am, etc., Weahi Leaseholder,

THOUGHTLESSNESS.

Sib,—You tell us that our worthy Mayor has written in the travelling book of one of our Japanese visitors his satisfaction with the Japanese Alliance with England, I thought (his alliance was made with (he British Government on behalf of England and Scotland and Ireland, and their colonial dependencies. Mr Lawrence so far forgets himself to, apparently, look upon us hero as all Englishmen, and to desiro to carry this idea into Japan. I am surprised at this, and in a ScotsOtagon settlement! Has lie no Scotchman sitting with'him in tho council, no, Irishman, Welshman ? Wliat has -tho Mayor been dreaming about when h9 made that blundering entry ? The Mayor is a friend of some years' standing—nevertheless, he must remember that there are others in the British Empire than mere Englishmen.— I am, etc., Bp.itaxku. Dunedin, April 13. SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT. Sir,—l think tho letter in yesterday morning's Times ro closing of shops on Saturday nights struck the right note, even though it was not. very opportune, A now inspector of shops has been appointed and must be given a ohanco to change matters before receiving the adverso criticism which the office has merited in tho past.—l am, etc., ' Faib Plat.

HORTICULTURE CLASSES AT THE

TECHNIOAL SCHOOL. Sir,—Thero is little doubt that in our young colony, with all its advantages of freedom as compared with those of tho older countries, tho one great want that is felt in tho minds of many 13 the lost association of art as applied to our everyday life, and the reason, too, tho cost to thoso anxious for the' study or pleasure of it. But there is one branch that is within tho reach of all who possess a window ledgo or a foot of spare ground. I refer to tho production' of llowore, fruit, vegetables on tho most approved and up-to-dato methods. Tho Dunedin 'Technical! School holds forth the advantages with open arms and at trifling cost by offering tho services of Mr l'anriock for theoretical and practical work in 'horticulture, The recent report on tho classes discloses the fact that this class is ono of the poorly attended, and I fiol sure that it is through no want of desire to l acquire tho knowledge, but through insufficient advertising; and knowing tho helping hand you have always extended towards both art and education I havo penned these few lines hoping to draw attention to ' tho neglcctcd opportunities offered.—l am, etc,,

Dunedin, April 22.

THE EDUCATION BOARD.

Sir,—Owing to compression -my notices of motion on ono or two matters at tho meeting of the Education Board havo boen made somewhat unintelligible. The opportunity of a. correction will give mo tho desired occasion for calling publio attention the more emphatically to tho objects in view:—

1. Tho Conveyance of Country Children to School.—l am mado to propound what I seek to repeal.; Tho department's regulations on this matter are: (1) Government will grant 6d per day for, conveyance of children by road or water to school; but (2) "no payment will be mado for children under soven years of ago unless they aro accompanied bv at least an equal number of children over 12 years of ago"; and (3) "no payment will lio made for any child under 10 years of ago unless tho distanco from his home to tho school is over thrco miles by the nearest road"; and (4) "no payment for any child of 10 years of ago or upwards unless the distanco from his homo to school is over four miles by the nearest road." I should think, Sir, that the man who propounded this 6chomo for tho conveyance of country.children to iwhool nu'st bo one whoso own children walk, - not eight miles on clay roads, but only 500 yards to school, asphalt all the way, and perhaps volvet part of tho way. Read tho first proviso' along with tho others, and calculate how many families aro regulated lo havo tho same number of children over 10 years of age that thoy have at the same time under seven, while thoso over 10 must reside a good milo farther out in the back-blocks boforo thev can be counted on to assist their younger sisters. Country childrcn must, walk, if under sovoii, over sij£ miles on any sort of roads—in somo placos the roads would hog a bullock team,—and girls over 10 must walk over citfht miles to attend school boforo this precious regulation of Iho Central Department will give any aid, either to help country children or lesson the. number, of starved and ill-oqnipped, country schools. My motion is to ask tho Minister to repeal all that nonsense, and grant the Education Boards power to make their own arrangeriicuts, when their united experiences, fullv reported to him, will enahln him to make regulations that at least will not be irrational.- ■No wonder the great province of Auckland, with, its 400 schools and 30,000 children, drew only a. five-pound note under this refutation in 1905!

2. Uncertificated- Teachers.—l ; gave notieo of two motions 011 this, both of'which arc «impresscd. Tho first, pointing out tho inadvisa-bility of allowing 680 uncertificated teachers to settle down on the rural sohools for any length of time, proposed to' ask the Minister to grant the, same privileges and concessions to nncertilicatcd tcachere who are approved, who have passed ■ the Matriculation examination and havo dono service similar to .ex-pupil tcachers, ae are granted to tlio latter—viz., free tuition at the Training' Coliecrc, with an allowaneo of £30 a year, together with the University foes of the university collogo classes attended, with the further addition of £30 a. vear in Ihe case of any student who is obliged to live away from home to attend a training colleen. Along with this I propose to move.that, notice be sent to tho /M tcaehors uncertificated in tho board's employment that the board will advertise their positions in the month of February next, when along with other applicants tliev may anpl.v for the vacant positions: said tcachers to be notified at tho came time that the board will give them all facilities in its power to improve their educational status, any who arc studying for examinations to notify tho board as soon us possible. Unless my proposals aro IhiiG dearly stated thoy arc likely to bo condemned before they' are explained.'

Permit me at the sumo time to make ono or two corrections in tho report of my rmnarks on'technical education, "Thrro pupils were 3000 in ■number" should bo "classes." Also agricultural education got "not more than £100"/ should read rather " not more than a few hundreds out of £31,755."

I am strongly tempted to refer to tho action, of-two or ; three mom-bore of tlio board in. attempting, b.ut for the firm ruling of tho chairman.'to convert a motion " that applications lie invited for a director of technical education" into a motion to eonfer on tho proposal with tho Technical Classes Board. Why, Sir, tho board has alrcadv four members from its own num-Iwra-jHon. Mr Fergus, Mr Israel. Mr Scott,' and myeclf-on the Technical Classes Bocrd. Comment is needless. As more will lw heard of this subjcet. I need not anticipate, lwyond calling public attention to these points.—l am, etc., P, B. FHASER. 1

Lovell's Flat, April 19,

PEATTIE FAMILY DEFENCE FUND. Sir,—Tho following additional subscriptions to tho above fund have been received:—Subscriptions previously acknowledged, £sThomas Hartley, Alexandra, 10s; A Friend, Alexandra, lib; R. Fraser and crew, AVaikaia dredge, £1 ss; D. Hepburn and crew, Koliinoor dredge, £l ss; George Parker, Cromwell. ss; Sidney Jeffrey, Cromwell, ss; J, M'Ginnis, Cromwell, ss; .loh'n Tizard, Cromwell, ss; Alfred Hanson, Cromwell, ss; John Wriphtson, Cromwell, ss; R. Robert, Cromwell. ss; N. P. Kloogh, Cromwell, ss; Hugh B. Murray, Cromwell, ss;—total, £10 15s—I am, etc.. . J. H. Davidson",

Secretary Peattie Defence Fund. Alexandra South.

THE CASE OF D. C. M'INTYRE.

Sip.,— I To-day's telegraphic information concerning the probable withdrawal of tho criminal warrant against D. C. M'lntyro is already stirring up and will, I am convinced,, continue to stir up "feelings of indignation against the authorities. A feeling pervades the community generally that the, Government from the first lias evinced a desire to have the matter of the Exhibition awards hushed up at any sacrifice, as an inquiry into it in the public interest would have been bound to follow disclosures at M'lntyre's Irial. Tho opinion .expressed everywhere, at anyrate on my travels of late, is. that tho Government should have actfepted the responsibility of arresting M'lntyro instead of allowing him to leave in opon daylight from under its nose. And it now its duty to step in and instruct tho police to ensure his arrest. For tho Government to evade, to shirk, its duty at this juncture from fear perhaps of being itself called to account in any way would bo a shameful proceeding on its part, and calculated to convoy an exceedingly disagreeable imprcesion.—l am, etc..

Colonial,

SHORTHAND COMPETITIONS. Sir,-In a letter signed by "Pitman" ill your issue of tho 15th inst. your correspondent. writes:-"As a believer in Pitman's system for all-round use and permanent legibility, it would alford mo great pleasure to seo some cf our speody scribes uphold the prestige of Pitman's method by defeating on .equal terms any champion of Gregg's who might como forward "

■Now, such an opportunity was jjiven recently at the New Zealand International Exhibition, when'shorthand contests were given, open to the whole of New Zealand and to writers of any system. In these contests the writers of Gregg shorthand " defeated on equal terms" tho champions of tho Pitman system, and convincingly demonstrated that tho Gregg was' superior to the Pitman in spcwl with accuracy, and "for all-round use and permanent legibility," by securing tho highest awards in tho following contests: —(l) Highest speed contest- (120 to 150 words a minutegold medal and special mention, the only other award being a bronze medal; (il) Speed (100 to 120 words), for writers learning under two years—first, prizo a silver medal, tho only other award being :a bronze medal; (III) Legibility and accuracy of shorthand—a gold ljicdal, a silver medal, a bronze medal, and two certficatcs wero obtained by Gregg writers, while only a silver medal and a certificate wero obtained by Pitman wrilors, although there wero 60 Pitman competitors and only 14 Gregg; (IV) Senior shorthand, typist olerlis' competition, open to all—tho irold medal and spccial mention. As the Now Zealand representative of Gregg shorthand, I mad© stronjj endeavours to have a speed contest of 200 words a minute included, knowing that the result would bo tho same, but without avail,

If suflioient inducement were offered and satisfactory arrangements made, I should bo very pleased to enter Gregg writets in any contests for speed and legibility, and am confident the Gregg system would again prove its superiority. —I am, etc., ; J. Wvx luwix." N.Z. Representative Gregg Shorthand. Chrislchurch, April 13. CR SMALL AND THE "WARMINGPAN." SlB, —I have been waiting for some tinio to see whether any ratepayer would notice Or Small's remarks on tho above uiattev at a recent, council meotinc. and have purposely allowed tho election to pass in order tlm.t my remarks might not bo construed as detrimental to Cr Small's candidature. In instancing excessivo expenditure 'by Messrs Noyee Bros., it. will bo remcmbercd that Cr Small drew attention to, tho fact that ono of the vouchors showed an item " warming-pan." Now, Cr Small, as an old contractor, must havo, known what a warming-pan is, but for the benefit of your readers I may explain that it is' a contrivance required, by the act to enablo gelignite to be softened during tho winter months with absolute safety to employees. It. is much after tho stylo of an ordinary glue-pot, by which hot water is poured round a watertight enclosure holding tho explosive. Now, _ undoubtedly Cr Small wished'the impression to be conveyed that it was an. articlo of domestic comfort, and his action, in the matter comes as .a shock to one who has hitherto believed him above such, an artifice. It really shows to what an extent come public men will go;and I think, in all fairness, this explanation is necessary.—l am, etc., Sukpbised. TI-lE' FORBURY SCHOOL APPOINTMENT. Sir,-—With regard to the letter which appeared in yours of the 20th inst.. does it not- appear to you reasonable that. any objections which might be raised shoujd not be mado by a rolativo of the defeated candidato? It is admitted that the, names of Messrs Eudcy and Booth wero submitted to tho board in order of merit, and tho board in its wisdom appointed Mr. Eudcy. This appointment is not in accord with t-lio wishes of a portion of the committee of tho Forbury School, but tho objections, I should think, would have oomo with better graco from anothor source.—l am, etc., Justice. 1 THE REV. THOMAS SPURGEON. Sib,—When the resignation by. the Rov ( ' Thomas Spurgcon of the pastorate of tho Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, was announced bv cable it was'stated that there wero dissensions among the members, and Mr Spurgeon's many friends in this colony were led to fear that lie was compelled to retire because serious trouble lwd arisen in tho church. I shall bo obliged, therefore, if you will kindly publish tho enclosed extract from the' British Weekly, just to hand, which proves that tho statement was unfounded. I may say that it lias been suggested, by many that tho Baptist Union would do well to invito Mr' Spurgcon to repeat tho evangelistic tour of tho colony which ho made with so much success about 15 years ago, nnd tho suggestion will no doubt reccivo careful attention. The British Weekly says: —

Wo much regret to learn that the Rev. T. Sputgooii lias l-esigucit tho pastorale of tho London Metropolitan Tabernacle on. account of ilUiealth. This news will be received with sorrow, though hitrd-ly with surprise, by Mr SpurgeonV many frionds in Evglaud and, Scotland. Ho hss never had: robust health .Rinoo ho sulfated somo years ago from an attack of pneumonia, and last year ho was again absent owing to severe illness. Tlitite is no truth 'whatever- in tlio slatenioiit thait any disimion exists, mnong the members of the Tabornaole. The affection for Mr Spuigeon was never mora strikingly Aov.-u than at bis last birthday celebration. Tho dcacoiw aro hoping thati they may induce him to tako 011 extended holiday an "the South of France, and resii-tno hi 9 pastorate when his health is thoroughly restored. It, may bo stated that this was the advice given by Mr , Meyer at. a ween 1 ! T-üblio meeting.- ...

—I am, etc.,

11. 11. Driver.