FOOTBALL TEAMS' RAILWAY TRAVELLING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13894, 4 May 1907, Page 141

FOOTBALL TEAMS' RAILWAY TRAVELLING.

Sir,—l am directed by my committee t<j pubjish, per favour of your paper, tho following correspondence that has passed between tho Railway Department and my Club. In explanation, I may say that after arranging and paying for the privilege of a reserved cnri-iare for a certain number, (he department provided accommodation for half that number.

If a merchant agrees to supply a certain quality of goods at. a fixed price lie is bound to keep to or compromise his contract. ' The Railway Department, after taking the fares of some 16 travellers at a higher rate than second class, provided second class accommodation, and when approached without any view of rolmte, but purely for the purpose of receiving better treatment in the future, volunteer neither explanation nor excuse.—l am, etc., C. Bond, Hon. Secretary. Dunedin Football Club.

Dunedin. April 15, 1907. The Traffic "Superintendent Now Zealand

Railways, Duncdin. Dc-ar Sir,—l am requested by my committee to place before you the following details iu connection with the accommodation provided for my olub's team wlieu travelling to Christchurch by the night train on Thursday. the Kill ult.

On Wednesday, tho 27th ult., a reserved first-class carriage was arranged for, and 31 tic,koto at 25s B<l each wero sccuicd. The carriage which had been reserved was found wholly inadequate to eopo with the numberbeing a small one, of soating, with any degreo of comfort, not more than 20. In consequent of this. arrangomont the journey wm extremely uncomfortable. Another torn travelling by (he same train had secured a second-class reserved carriage at Cs Od ljsa per head, and was considerably better catered for.

Teams frcmi my club arc constantly travelling, and this matter ia placed before you with a view of roociving a littlo more consideration in the future. My committee quite understands the difficulties your department had to contend with, and, prior to this occasion, teams from my chib lmvo always received cv«ry consideration and attention,— Yours truly, C, Bo.vd, Hon. Secretary. Traffic Supsrintendent's OiTice. Dunodin, April IG. 1807. Mr C. Bond, Hon. Secretary Dunedin Football

/Club, Dunedin. Sir,—l am in roceipt of your letter of 15tl iitft From your letter of March 18, addressed to Uio stitionmiwter, it was understood that your piTty would consist of about 20 memtars. As a matter of fact, however, two Bmall compartments, capablo of holding 16 each, wore reserved for your team; but, owing to tho shortago of room, tho carriage hod evidently been rushed by other numbers of tho travelling public, and tho "Referred 1 ' tubal ha=» probably been removed from one compartment.

The requests for tho reserving of compartment's for football teams have bocomj too iluuieroufl, and in future tho depa>rtmcnt cannot undertake to provides some. There is really no reason why football teams should not got down in good tim.o to secure acconvhave tc °' tIM P iU^se7! SOT3. —I (Signed) A. Chant, Traffic Superintendent. Mil -M'NAB AND CENTRAL OTAGO I'AND SETTLEMENT. . nm not concerned to defend myself against anonymous attacks, but the attack made upon the Hon. .Mr M'Nab In your correspondent "Centra! Settler" is o such an unfair character that it cannot he allowed to pass. The position was simp'v this, that after years of hard iightin? lilackstone Hill was resumed for settle Went. It was deliberately resumed for smal settlement, yet the 01 ago 'Waste ijands Board set- asido the objcct of it: resumption and iiod it up in 20,000-acr' blocks in two divisions. 12 miles aparl Docs Centra! Settler" reallv sav this v.,v right? He would nol be game' fo do " over his signature, for if he did Jus bor Eces would c-oon bp determined. But no: only was iho position as I have stated. J was worse. The commissioner called meeting at Hill Creek to confer wit) tho people, and a large meeting was held So far so well. But when the lneetinwould have nothing' to do with the groining proposals Mr Barron said the confe: ence could go-no further. I am no: blaming' Mr Barron in this matter, am : indeed it. is almost an open secret- that tlu grouping proposal was not the board's idc at all. But that was.the position, am the board must take the responsibiliiv -because it had not opposed the proposal "Central Settler" says it is not right tho people who are to become settlers shouh havo any say as to tho condition undo which thov shall settle. That is hi* urg;ment locally applied. Where has he lived One would think he was a Centkil Russia settler. At any rite I am pleased that tli exponent of such a doctrine des not ngre with me. Such a do?ma will never' I swallowed by the people cf New Zealand and it requires no refutation, because i: absurdity is written on its fie". What il>Minister of Lands did was his duty. 1 was pointed out to him that the' T,:i« Board, which is. after all. only an advisory body, had no knowledge of local con ditions and requirements, and was a.dvisin; him wronglv. He eame and inspected (Ik land himself, met the people, devoted considerable part of his time to master!*"' details, heard the opinion of men wit! half a century of local experience, all'" formed his own opinion after careful in quiry and study—a thing the board hat" never done. lie then exercised the power vested in him as Minister of Lands and custodian of the people's interests, and cu up (lie land in suitable areas 'for snial' settlement. That he did not flonl tlnboard is evidenced by (ho fact that hset aside part of (he local advice a.w' acted 011 the _board's advice with regard U Iho subdivision of Home Ilills, and ' think I am justified in pointing out the whilst the sections surveyed as local peopladvised -.vero rushed, the result of th' board's advice jc that, rtanite tho demai:-' for land, one Home Hills run rcnw,inef' Unapplied for. So much for the board - advice as opposed lo that of men of nxpop enco. Now, Sir, it seems to mc thai, tiii: question resolves itself into one of righ' and wrong. If Mr M'Nab'fi action in re ffard to lilackstone Ilill was right and ir tho interests of small settlement,' which w.r his proper line of duty— to net on tlr advice of his board when he himself he'' seen lliat this advice was detrimental 'e settlement and for fear of offending th' feelings of that body be a party to a' inju6tioe, or to boldly exercise, as he did his authority as the custodian of the people's rights and do the right thing? 1 venture to saV nine out of every' ten men <n'e with the Minister in his action That he was right will not be seriously denied bv any landless man. and fulure years will demonstrate it. Those. Sir. ar* facts. They aro handv in arrumonf. 7 nrofor thorn to abiise. That ATr M'Nab having cut- tho land up,'should Imj plo-asc' at tho result is only uatur.il. Anv fvion< 1 of nroorcss in Central Ofcajro would rejoic-" with him, and nil who arc actuated, rr patriotic colonist shouM Ih\ hv .* dosiro to sop the peonlo settled nn tho soil should .stand by a Minister who is pra* tinal rnouph and firra enough to fot a«id* advice that is (Mrimontal 'to such fettle mcnt and. thorcfore. to tho advancornp.nof tho country. If "Contra! Settlor" hne ftny to put forward to orovo tin' the Minister was wroup. ho should state i f Will ho say the grouping wlii rl meant that £1000 was needed Ivefore a man could have even fenced a bloc'.' were rin\V' If lie is prepared to ray so. be should d'so openlv over his signature, instead dealing in mere Eentimentalities about th" Mings of officers wdio aro lifelot.tr frWof small settlement and show their frien'' ship in the fashion thev d*d at P-lackstone What, we are concerned a.ltout. is no' whether an officer's felines are hurt in the exercise of a Minister's duty to hi" country, but whether th rt few remaining runs are to be reasonahlv subdivided ie interests of pmeller and "Central Settlor," if his identity were known, would be found to be no friend of the man who has nowhere to settle. I suppose he is one of who want no more land and no more settlers.—l am. pfc -.. J. .T. Ramsay. President Central Otago Land Settlement Clyde, April League.