LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14341, 10 October 1908, Page 14

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE iMEIKLK CASK. Sir, In yuui" i;sue ol lu-t Wednesday read a sub-leader m wliii.li .van stain In: very little sympathy will In.'" felt lor .Joli James Aieikle throughout liio Dominic in lite diversion lie causal at Wyndhai lust week. \un state ilim- 11 demons! nit ic on my boho-li seems to have been fru tratert, thut my hearers were noc taicin uiu feriously, ,WI(I that the people are in to be blamed <m that recount. ] mn m aivari) lliat I went to Uyndhaiii l<> get u a. demonstration. 1 went to retuie II foul ami 11 ntrulliful charges anil tales tol ill llie House of Parliament by Mr J D. Eraser, M.l\ Why docii not Mr l-'rau admit that liis attitude is duo to pett spite? During tho month of January. 190J Mr I'rasor insulted me in a hotel at Has lhgs, and a few words followed. 1 shou! like to know for what purpose he borrow* Hansard No. 42, dated November 21, 190 i You, bir, state that, Meikle's eonduct hi greatly tended to alienate sympathy, an that this is evidenced with sufficient, signil ounce by my reception in the very distrii where 1 might naturally be exacted t have most friends. Sir, you do "not seei to know anything about the ca.se oT tli district. The meeting 1 had at Wym ham was attende<l by a largo number t respectable people and, I ma.y say, ol residents. Tho. hall was packed to execs, and eonie of the people eamo nearly 1 miles to liear mo refute the charges M Eraser had inudc aeainst mo. With rofu ence to what you say alio tit the somowhii unusual event of a complimentary banf|iie at which Mr I'rascr was the honotire guest of a large number of the electoi of Wyndham, who desired to express the; 'recognition of |he maimer in which iie ha opposed the Moilde Bill, the whole afTsii was a put-up job. Telegrams were ser Ja6t Saturday to Wvndham by gentleman holding a, high ]x>silion: M A. L. D. Fl'aser will arrive eonie lime o Monday. Any litllc kiudnosi you wi show him will be treated as a favour 1) myself." Trulv a nice \mv to get up banquet! You also state that Mr Frasc was horror-struck at teaming that th Meiklc Acquittal Bill liad passed. A nio tale to tell ! Mr Fraser was present, an recorded his vole with the minority. Th bill was carried by 37 votes to 17. and M Eraser's name you will see recorded i Hansard on page 257, Mr Fraser being on of tho tellers. What can you say for th man whom you back up to be it man c purity aiid truth? The, second readin of the bill was carried bv 41 votes to 1( Now, Sir, the well-known British rule i law is that every man is considered innc cent until he is proved guilty. Then w have no. such law not proven. Til judges recommended, on page 4 of thei report: "Weighing tho whole of the ov donee as best we can in circumstances s difficult, wo are of opinion that if the pre eecdings before us had Iwen an actual r< trial of the claimant before a jury upo the charge of sheep-stealing, of which li was convicted in 1887, the evidence of li : guilt is so far from conclusive that i would on such & reti*inl have been prope to acquit the claimant upon that, charge and we should have so stated to the ju'rj We have the honour, therefore, to Tecoir mend that for the purpose of dealing wit the claimant's claim ho. ehould be treats, as having been acipi'ttcd upon a retria before us of the charge of sheep-stealing o£ which he was found guilty in Decembc in 1887./' _ Then again, read on page 6 o the commission's report: " The weakness c the claim of the claimant in the prcsen case appears to us to be that it assume that if the claimant can establish that- jf the ev'dence adduced befor tii bad been adduced before tlie jury oi hi? trial in December, 1887, then that jur would or ouglit to have acquitted liim o the charge of sheep-stealing, a.nd that con lie. has a moral claim, not merel; lo bounty from the State, but to complete indemnity against all lceses direot an< indirect, which he can attribute to hi conviction, and also to a large sum b] way of compensation in respect of what hi; Jounsel calk false imprisonment, in resp.se )f loss of oharac-ter and reputation, and evei in rcspect. of suffering to his family." Sir I'ou state ako ■ that a vote of £5001 in favour of Meikle will excite astonish incnt. In Kngland one named Barber, i [«ondon surveyor, who served four yean Yrongfully, got £5000. Bock, in 1904, go 65000. Beck was found guilty the seconc lime in June, 1904. In July, 1904, lie go •wo free pardons. Ho was jiot waiting 2. r'eare. I could mention other cases. Thei km I no law suits to tight. Meikle fouglv !1 yeite, and had to do what the Orom night to have dune to carry out the pro iecutions. That has been Very costly STour own paper has written, some ycp itron.g articles in support of the Meikli :laim. I could write a lot about this cast o show the weakness of your argument — ! am, etc., J. J. Meixm;. Welb'ngton, Ootober 2. [Our correspondent suggests that Mi Eraser was present in the tfouse of Repre entativcfi duriag the passage of the Meiklc Loquittal Bill through that Ohaiuber. •Mi raiser opposed tho third reading strongly, nd voted against it. Apparently, howover e was absent when the bill came up foi ;s second reading and when it was being assed, through committee.—Ed. U.D.T.j. Sill, —My object in writing you on the above is that I have good ground for claiming that Meilde is fairly- entitled to twofold tho compensation named by the Prima Minister lor him, and that wiien you say in your sub-leader of the issuo of 30 September last, "We must hold that the extent of tho compensation which tho troyernmmt now proposes to give Jiim i 6 entirely unwarrantable," you either speak without knowledge of the whole facts or with prejudice. As to the sophistry a,nd irrational 'reasoning and proceedings of Mr A. L. D. Fraser and others in the Houso in opposition to Meiide's right, time and space are too valuable to bother with them; but when a Leading journal makos statements as referred to, wbioh affeot the welfare and liberty of every subject of tho realm; I claim tie right to say a word in the interests of justice. MeiHe is lio more to mo than any other man. If Lambert can prove to the satisfaction of a reasonable jury that ho is right and Meiklo is wrong, tlien I am as much liis supporter as I am Meikle's. But, Sir, aro you prepared to give facts in support of your statement? If so, send them along. I have made public in as brief a form as possible long ago the facts which justify the claims made for Meiklo, and they have never been questioned by Mcildo's enemies, and why not? Simply bceausD they know tliey cannot l« successfully .attacked. Therefore they 'indulge in mmUhrowing and misrepresentations. At present I refrain from again quoting facts as reasons for the justico of Meikle's pica until I see somo given on the other sido. I have nothing: to hide, nothing to gain or lose, but the furtherance of justice and fair play, though Messrs Fraser, Kornsby, and others have thought it necessary to fay otherwise in the House of Itepresenialives. Doubtless they were in so doing actuated by that principle which makes men judge their fellows after themselves. Be that as it may, I feel proud to say that not a man in connection with the Meikle committee would accept a farthing from Meiklo or anyone else for anything ho has done.—l am, etc., .las, Jamiksox, Hon. Secretary .Meiklo Committer. THE PRESERVATION OF CHILD LIFE. Silt,—When I .read " Hygeia's " philippic in your issue of the Ist inst. against- my " blind and carping attack on tho Society for Promoting the Health ol' Women and Children," I could not. help admiring the ingenuity with which my plainly-expressed opinions were distorted to suit the purposes of the spccial pleader. Your correspondent "Hygeia" is sensitive to critisicm almost to the point of being hysterical, and entirely lacks Ihe equanimity of mind ireoessary to enable her to do justice' even to heiself, not. to speak of her opponent. I am branded in large capitals as a "moralist," 'in flic peculiarly Hvgoian sense of the term, because, for.-KJoth, when discussing an important question I presumed to animadvert, on ihe conduct of a society of which "Ilygcia" seems to be an important, member. Now, if tjiis were all, 1 should quie.ily endure the opprobrious stigma, but when 1 am represented us "denying the best substitute for mother's milk to the very large proportion cf babies who cannot be fed at all or wholly on the breast" I must- enter an emphatic demurrw. In no part of my article did I take up such an absurd position, but. I did deny, and do again deny, that, there ought- of necessity to be a very large proportion of babies who cannot be fed at all or wholly on the breast-, and it is just here that 1 Hygeia' and I fall foul of one another. Mv position is clearly indicated in .t.ho fallowing' extract from my article in tho Medical Journal:— 1 ' What, then, do wc propo>o? Shall wo eUi.nd by in 1 lio presence of a great, and manifest social evil and do nothing? By no means. Lot tho crusade against infantile mortality not only continue, but increase in intensity; at tho same time lot us cease trifling -with »y.®ptOT*3 and forthwi-tt al-t-aok tho seal

can so of Iho disease-i.i\, what I have railed the Ick.=o!io< 1 consciousness <jf maternity. Thn profusion must not merely know, but believe, with a' belief thai wiil Scad ro aciion, thai artificial feedin" is at best a lu'ce.-'i.'ii'v evil, an expedient to lie adopted only when from any irremediable cause natural feeding beiotnes imjiossiblo. It. is not to bo looked upon as one of the 'elementary fuels' in which nil mothers ought to l>o instructed. To I real, it as such and to advocate it and teach ii in season and nm of season is providing means to do ill deeds which, alas, in litis case 100 frequently m>ulls in ill deeds done." From, this it will he manifest thai, the difference between " Uygeiu ' and invself is litis—.site accepts tho present evil condition of tilings as inevitable, while [ maintain that, it, is largely preventable; her method of comliau'ng l.he evil i s t« cure I hat it originates, mine is to prevent |.hc> evil from origina l ing, and here, as in ;i || other affairs of life, prevention is better than cure. Of course your contributor will give all this an cmpliatic denial, and quo(o°in sup]wrt of lior c-onlenlion slaleivetils by Ladv Plunket, some of the mot lots of the society. and a single examination question But, I care not two straws what the creed of tho society nay be, the all-inijiorUi.nl. ■thing is not a mere creed whieh a man rccites on speda:! occasions, but- convictions that irresistibly impel Ititn to action. Can t.ho Society for Promoting t.lie Health of Women and Children bo said lo hay,, s Uc j, convictions on the all-impoiia.nl. question of breast feeding? Is it not a fact, that, in Hie minds of the genera,l community the Plunket nurses are almost entirely' asso ciated with the idea of humanised mill; and artificial fer^lins? Judging by t.he result of their labours on tho community generally. one is justified in arguing tliaii, the monibers of the society aro labouring under an entire misconception of the relative, importance of natural feeding and artificial substitutes. To this misconception and its results I drew attention in a oourieotß and dignified tnannVr, and, I atn sorry to «iv. nothing wihich "Hygeia'' has written would warrant mo in retracting from the position I have taken up._ Next week we are promised a. dissertation o.n maternity and breast-feeding subjects, wliicJi were comprisc-d in one of the questions in a 'recent, examination paper set •for Plunket intrees. If it were not 1 ba-fc I Lave no desire to place "Hygeia" in an embarrassing position I wotdd suggest tha,fc. alto might, arrange to have the/remaining question published at t.he stuno time, in order to add an additional interest, to t.he subject. After.all this diversity of opinion it is pleasing to note one sentiment upon, which wo aro in, at least, partial accord 'Hygeia" justly observes "that the babies of io-day have sonic primary rights," aaid had she added that, of all those rights t.ho one, which took precedence over ail the others, was tho right to draw their sustenance from tho mother's breast, 1 should have subscribed without reservation to tho statement. But she did not say that, and jrever meant to say it., because had she said it sho would liavo laid herself open to the oharge of holding a principle which only ■imperfectly aecordod with her practice. And now, Sir, while apologising for the length of this letter, let mc assure you it will he the last. "Hygeia" and I liavo come to t.lw parting of the way; sho turns to tho loft and 1" to tho right, in order that, unimpeded by each other's we may both war against the same great social evil. On one side of her banner aro eitii blazoned ilio words " llunia,msed mill;," wltilo on tho other side, scarcely visible to the naked eye, we read—" Breast-feed-ing is best for both mother and child." On my liumblo and, alas! loss popular standard, is inscribed, both back and front, the legend—"Back to the breast if you would rationally' and effectually euro tho ■evil of infantile mortality." In conclusion, lot me say that I am sincerely sorry that my casual reference to the Taiori and Peninsula Milk Supply Company should liavo so hurt t.he morbid sensiti reliefs of the secretary. I offc.r him my most humble apology, and promise never again to alterant to scon-re for the rompany any further cheap advertisements.— I am, etc., Invcrcargill, October 3. A. HeXDRT. " THE CHRIST OP THE CROSS " : THJ REV. WM. GILLIES'S REPLY. Sib,—l notico in. your issue of to-da; that my esteemed friend Mr Gillies replie to my commcnt on three sentences iha formed the conclusion of his privately circulated review of " The Christ of th< Cross." In his reply Mr Gillies speak of "the little twist" I gave his remarl concerning "hue and crv." Thoso wh< have even a shadow of "doubt regarding this alleged " twist" should again rcat what I quoted' from the review, and ak< what I said thereon. Defence is needless when there is ndthing to answer but ar expression of opinion. I am glad, how ever, of the opportunity this noto gives me of saying how thoroughly; I agree witl: the essential part of Mr "Gillie's review. I have again read his article over carefully, and I am satisfied, absolutely satisfied, that no one in New Zealand see; more clearly than Mr Gillies what the above book does and what it does not do. No criticism that I have road litis been so brief, so accurate, so incisive, as his, and it took no euro to burden iteelf by proving assertion with apt quotation. Mr Gillies 6ays in his review that ''there is much about the Cros6 of Christ whieh is sadly defective and most unsatisfactory"; Ibat our Confession of Faith does not speak of Christ satisfying 'the retributive' justice of God' "; that "we get only a shadow of the Cross, and of Christ's and Paul's doctrine of the Cross"; that Mr Smith has "simply dropped out a portion of the old '(doctrine) and turned the force of hie artillery . . . against the discarded portion" ; that he hopes the author, with his book in cold tjrpe, may bo led "to the conclusion that" there is something more in the Cross of Christ than he has set forth in . his 1 Christ of the Cross'" etc, That is exactly ray view, as it is Mr Gillies's. I would even add to the " hope" a fervent prayer that the author may soon realise that'he offers ''a shadow of the Cross" instcxd of the substance, and that lis "distorts" and "maligns" tho expiatory theory instead of opening out tfie truth and the Scriptures behind it. ' I am entirely ivith Mr Gillies, also, in being " ready to withstand him to his face" who does these things. It seems to me that there is, to those who have read themselves into tho soul of this booli, no other course open. Mr Gillies has not sought the regretful necessity; nor lias any other Presbyterian that I know. The duty has been forced upon Mr Gillies, and upon our Church as well. Tho most ruinous policy, therefore, in the circumstances, is to proceed with cap in hand as if the man (to use a business illustration), who docs away with only £5000 out of £100,000 with which he has been intrusted, must not be told what- his action means, nor bo expected to satisfy Ilie association that reposed confidence in him, or face tho issue. Paul's method is wise and good. Why, Sir, even Mr Smith's own principle of "holy mercy." unfolded in his hook, requires that genuine evidences of -repentance and faith be shown before peace and amity are thought of. And the Master's principle is, "tell him his fault," calmly, plainly, kindly, but, tell him: and if he repent," well; if not, what? Mr Gillies has staled everything in his criticism; I stand by his side, anil fay. " That's right, that's well and kindly spoken." The material facts, and their implications, are all in his review.—l atn, OtC., J.t'.tnS CI.ARKB. Palmerston South, October 5. ( THE ATONEMENT. Sir.—There lias been a givat deal said and written of lale on the Atonement. As long as we have free access to tho Scriptures and God Himself as the word has it, lie in to bo. his own interpreter and is to malt*', it plain lo all. The people of God do not wajtt a theologian: if Grace and Kailh is used there, is no need for the greater world's wisdom or hi.-jlutr critics to discover needle points lo balance our salvation's life on; wo do not look Id these men who aro not responsible for our salvation life, but God in and through Christ if we obey Ihe Precept. These wise, men are all right and very useful in the material world, but in the Spiritual Kingdom of God's dear Son. God is llis own revealer through the Holy Spirit. When Christ came He was to bring a. greater light and life and lie was to give it to the people, so go to His own Word for it -Scripture is always dealing with the individuality, and it was promised you from tho beginning. 1 would like to repeat a few words of Christ ai the Lord's Supper the last night. He had with His apostles, when lie gave them the wine He said Drink". This is 31 y blood shed for you, awl the bread Ho said, This is My body' broken for yon." The-e aro clear, simple words Gelling forth a reality (it's ' for you); He puts Himself in the position of a substitute for His brethren. There is no room here for disputing the Atonement with a true, honest, and simple mind; all I other disputing is only to mystify. After ] leaving the Supper tabic Ho" went direct to ■ the .Gtardsn of .Gcthsvmapc for the ver^

purpose lo <]elivor ITimsolf over fo 11k Powers of ilarkntfKs |<, fulfil (Jod's wil :m<l purpose, ;\Vlio Was 1o conio there am demand, His life. Christ fa id: " The eu| M.y I'afher liiilli given shall 1 not drink it?' =liowincr t}ie Atonement was ol (iO:l iiml Jcsus Chrisf. and not of man As Christ - said to Pilule, "Thou could'sl iuit !>ave any power ovor Mr .it all. if i ! was not 14'ivwi thee from above." Wlu-i Ihesoldiers came to take ll'iin, lie Paid fioek ye?" They faiil, Jesus o; Nazarclli.' lln said. "1 am lie," am tlicy wont backwards. 'When tliry ciuiu up _ again, 11 l v said I lie second' timo Whom seek ye?" They said, ".Jesn: of Nazareth," mul 110 raid again f am He, if ye seek Me. lei these go their way.' 1 Here wo see Chris was to make it very clear that the powei that was was only to demand Jesus o] Nazareih. and lie said thin is tlio lioui of your darkne??. Hen; we see that (lot only demanded the life of Christ througl (lie power of darkness for an alonemeni against all God's broken laws that man lia< broken. Now Christ made it very clea) Ihat the sacrifice. of JI is life was fo atom for a.U, as lie said when tlio soldiers 'onlj demanded Jesus of Nazareth. He said "Thcso go free.'' He whom the Son shal eel; free, shall be free indeed, fo fays thf Word. All Christians should make (ho words ol Christ final in all disputes, as against al others. For God said in the Mount ol Transfiguration, "This is My bclovet Son, hear yc Him." All true Christian! should obey this voice, of God as against all theologians, and disputors in the whol< world, then the responsibility is of God and as long as file Church of l!cd ir Christ lias acccss to the Scriptures the} have nothing to fear from these disputors. t'hey have no more privilege than you; il is declared i:i Scripture'that. 1 God is nc respecter of any man's person, for God'f words through Christ are very simple, ant Christ, said. "My words and works arc not Mine, but My Father Who livel-h in Me." its I said, " I can do nothing ol Myself." The simplicity of the Cross ol Christ has always been a. stumbling-block and a rock of offence to the wise and disputer. Christ saw it in Ilis days, and said. " I thank Thee, Heavenly Father, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise ami prudent and revealed them un-te babes, nevertheless as it pcemcth good in Thy siyht."—l am, etc.. / One Who Bfathves ik the Sihpmcitv OF TUB GOSTOi I—lo/10/03. THE TAIERI DR AINAGE QUESTION. Sin,—With your permission I wish t< answer the letter of "Old I<leirtity (N0.'.2)" in your issue ol October 2. lie appears tc think Mr Fraeor knows nothing about drainage, and has teen writing in ignorance ; but it saems to me that Mr l'rasoi knows exactly what he is talking about, a? was shown by the succcssful way he handled tlio Momona oa-sa. It is a well-known fact that lie had the best surveyors in Dunedin out taking levels under the dam and all round, and most likely te will have these levels in lus possession yet. Then " Old Identity (No. 2)" goes on to tell us that the Otokia Board built tlio dam. That is not so, as it was built by private individuals up to a considerable bei-ght, after which the Otokia Board quietly took over this illegal work and also raised tha dam a little higher and built wing dams; but this did not satisfy it, and so it went to the back part of the district and blocked i public drain known as Kirk's drain, whicli it. found answered its purpose very well. Il then went down to what is lcnown as C diain and cut a deep ditch across the canal, at the same timo putting a box under the canal. It- also built a dum so that no watei from West Taieri could get out at U drain box, which practically left' West Taieri with one outlet, known as Welsh' 6 box. Now, all the water from Outrani hills rigiht downwards is to ba discharged by tJiic 4x6 box. I may say that, when tic Otokia Board was formed, we had throe outlets to t-h-e Taieri lliver, what is known as Kirk's drain being then open. Then " Old Identity (No. 2)" proceeds to stow lis what was done when the Taieri County Council took in hand the first Henley Drainage Board, Mr Hay being engineer, Now, the drain, leading- from the dam downwards to section 36, which , " QI«J Identity (No. 2)" condemns so much, wat one of the works Mt Hay wanted particularly to make, as the lead of tho wafcoi was distinctly downwards. The late Mi Thomas Sliand objected to this, as t3io la.nd ' b?langod to him. No Public Works Act being then in cxistems, Mr Hay could liof , make the drain against Mr Shand's will; but tiie latter a-g-roe-d to the present crosscut being made by'Mr Robertson's plaeo. At the same timo Mr Hay did not consider it the euro, and would, not build any dan; wliero the pnsent one stands; neithei would he allow anyone else to do bo while he was in eha.rgo of tho drainage. | Again, " Old Identity (No. 2)" goes on to eay that the Momona settlers received full compensation for damage! received, but I do not consider that to bo so, as tnoy wore given compensation only for the 6in that wore taken o£F tho dam, and, if I am rightly informed, they have received veiy little of the money up to the present. But, t-lie dam still stands there, and is as injurious to the greater part of West Taieri and the whole of Momona as ever in wet weather. At the present time the dam is 4ft or sf{ high, and this means that 1000 acres of land approaching what "Old Identity No. 2)" calls the Long Lagoon are seriously affected as far as what is known as G-nanton road on the one -hand and Loch Katrine on tihe other. Being one of the unfortunate endows who bought my land 18- or IE years ago, and paid from £16 to £22 an acre for it, I would certainly never have bought an acre in that locality had there been the slightest evidence of the existence of a dam. At the present time tho Government valuation on my Jand is on an average £20 an acre, wheroaa, below tki dam, it is a .little _ more than half that amount, peT acre, this« clearly showing that there is something very far wrong. According to " Old Identity (No. 2)" Mr Hay has been obstructed in 1m work by a number of West Taiori settlers, the truth being that he tad to confess that lie was interfered with by some individuals aV tho bottom of tho plain; but, as £a;r as West Taiori is concerned, I do not think there was one person who interfered fii tho matter. 'M>ld Identity (No. 2)" would have us to believe that it is just one, or two agitators who have been giving all tlto trouble, but if he had a farm about a mile up the plain, anywhere liear the Long Lagoon, .he woidd, if I not mistaken, bo one of the greatest agitators in, this matter.—l am, etc., s - Momona, October 3. Old Settler. TE NGUTU 0 TE MANU, Sir, —On page 12, column 5, of your issue for September 19 you reix?at part of a story which purports to be tho slory of the death of Major Von Tempsky at Te Ngutu 0 te Manu, near Nornianby, Taranaki, in 1663, as related to a reporter of a northern newspaper by Mr James Shn-naghan, who claims to have been at the engagement and to have overheard a. conversation between the officers conccrncd. No doubt t-hia report will now be circulating in -the press throughout tho Dominion, and it would seem to avail but littlo to remark upon it It is eiiid, "Give a lie or a calumny half an hour's start and -tliero is no overtaking it." However, the last word has not been said on this subject, as you will observe from, t,ho letters to t.he press which have followed Mr Sha.naghan's story, of which 1 cneioso cutting. , "Tread lightly over Hie graves of the dead," "Speak 110 ill of the dead," and such like charities evidently have no deterrent value for Mr Slianaghan nor for his reporter, or they would iiave loft tho memories of those dea-d and gone heroes of our colonial history to rest in peace. This resurrection of the pitiful slory is surely in questionable ta.-ste, birt. it neems to "call loudly for home literary i\«w.iation to collect and sift evidence- for t.he future historian while yet, a few of those who took pa.;-l, in tho wars of the past are with us. Major Von Tempslry was evidently a coura-;,'eons soldier and a gallant gentleman, and charity anil fairness should have suggested that Colonel M'Donnell, his commanding oflioer at Tc Ngutu o to Manu, W';us oqiitilly .so, an, indeed, -his whole military history proves he was. The memory of the gallant soldier who was specially selected to command this expedition, and who was moinnienclcd for the Victoria Cross for gallantry in the, field l>ot-h liy Uener.-Jl Oa.inerou ami again by General Chute, surely needs no vindication, and it will be charitable to suppose that, a»e and time have somewhat dimmed Mr Sha-najhan's memory. It has heconic a proverb t-hat soldiers sec little of the bai-tjes t-lio-y have lieon engaged in, and, taking irito consideration other inacoin*acies in Mr Shanaghau's coininuiiieatiou. such ns t-rie i-rateiiient with reference to tlis deat-h at- Te Ngutu ole Manu of Major Hunter (who wx\.s not killed there, hut elsewhere wmie two months subsequently), the present generation may prefer to agree with i - l6on ' ' a,n lieutenant Taranaki Military Settlers (who knew Colonel MDnnncll intimately), "that, to whatever c.uise the (li?<i:ter at Te Ngutu ole Manu was .-ltrnhniablo, it -was not in any way fault Lioutenant-colouel Thomas M Donnoll, N.Z.C., f-hau wJiotn no braver or finer man ever lived."—J am. etc. Auckland. C. A, Yocku.

[Our correspondent encloses letters froir 0. iS. O'Hallornii (lalo sub-inspector Armec ConsliibnJary), who was close by M'Don nt'll, Von 1 omjJrjky. and Hunter, and win did not lioar Hid conversation referred lob; Mr Sliauay ban; ]'. K. Cheal, who asserlt that Von Tempsky v.as picked off bv s sharpshooter before the alUiek hewn; am: V. J. Hutchinson (lata lieutenant Taranak Military Settles), who alleges thai, I.ieu tenant-colonel .M'Donnell was in no waj to blame, and that probably the order t<: cease liri was because the'party in front was firing into its own comrades in the rear. All these accounts concur in extolling Lieu tenant-colonel M'Dounell'.s courage, and tin love in which lie was hold by his men. It. would tlms seem that, no two jjorpon; who were present at the disaster Can saj exactly what lio.ppened.-Kd. O.D.T.] VOLUNTEERING. ( ( remarks of your contributor Sentry" in your issue of oven date are interesting. He credits Uainaru with precipitating the downfall of tlio Volunteer system, in which he is quite correct. Oainaruvians tight liko tomcats for their own side of the fence. When absurdities in the shape of district ofciers aro foistoi upon them thev object strenuously. "Sentry" opines that there ' will be some interesting revelations. From what 1 can hear there may be, but they will not all l>e in oamaru. If the.pe is wool to bo pulled it is highly probable it will bo at headquarters as well as here. Up here wo consider tho Volunteers are acting in harmonious concert with headquarters, as it is the general belief the intention of headquarters is to smash the Volunteer force, and Oamaru is doinj wlmt it can to assist. It is very peculiar that in Canterbury every man who attended the Easter camp was paid in tho camp whether half his company was present or not. It is also peculiar that in Canterbury Volunteers are encouraged to do their class firing whenever tliey cm get the time. In Ot&go they aro hampered by all sorts of restrictions, Euoh as—" Class firing must bo done in uniform." A nice chance a nun lias who goes to work at 8 o'clock. lie may have to go two or three miles to tho range, then homo to change his uniform before getting- to his work. It is rumoured that headquarters has been using: a, system of espionage which would make a. policeman's hair stand up, and this is not quite the stylo of thing to encourage men and officers to givo up their spare time to serve a grateful country. ' This sort of business Oamara object.? to; henee the dust.—l am, etc., Sitting Back. Oamaru, October 3. |0n being questioned as to what amount of truth ttaro was contained in the concluding -paragraph of tho above letter, Lieutenant-colonel Smyth stated that ho preferred not to say anything by way of ■reply. He had made it a rulo to treat .misrepresentations, which always emanated from the same source, with tiro oontoinpt they deserved.—El). O.D.T.] | WORKERS AND THE LICENSING ISSUE. Sir.—On reading the Rev. W. Thomson's letter of October 2, in which he tells of the underhand, dishonest, and cowardly falsehoods that have been ,circulated about the party of which lie is such an ardent advocate, it seems obvious there has been a most unhappy misunderstanding about the aims of that organisation. It would appear that malignant fate lias dogged their steps, and that lying rumour has cruelly ( bespattered them. We novy know that, instead of being lione ready to rend tho labour organisations to pieces, they are in reality gentle doves, whose soft, mild cooing lias been unaccountably mistaken for iicr<fe and bloodthirsty roaring. In daring to hint that tlioy were opposed to labour,' a grievous wrong has beon indiet-ed upon them. They are only opposed to a section of it, and that section is tho Socialists. It would appear from this to be a very proper and popular thing for a self-respecting organisation like tho trado to be opposed to the Socialists, for the good and sufficient reason that tho Socialists have no direct representation in Parliament, But their wrongs do not end here. Never were men so misunderstood, never were aims so foully distorted, actions so oruelly misrepresented. We find that they were aroused of the fearful crime that a certain paper was the official organ of tho trade. They have long suffered Bib malicious slander in dignified silence, too proud to refute tho sliameless accusation. Here, than, for tho first timo the public can scjO the reason, why tho trade has been so misunderstood. It has suffered for tho silis of others. The disrepute into which tho Liquor party has fallen is entirely due to the unauthorised and wholly inexcusable conduct of a paper with which Mr Thomson says it is no more connected than it is wrth the Otago Daily Times. It is difficult to aeoapt this simple truth, for I oannot reconcile Mr Thomson's illuminating explanation witih the following, 'which appeared in tlio paper directly above the offending article with which he so feelingly disclaims any connection: "We ask for tlio undivided support of all those connected with the trade, for- without it it is impossible to do justice to our patrons." It would appear that Mr Thomson has got out of his depths. He says: "To> provo that the article made no attack' on tho workers it has only to be stated that it strongly supported Mr Millar. . . . The article in question was one approving! of Mr Miliar and supporting his action as Minister of the ; Crown," Now, it may be news for ..Mr Thomson to know that although the trades unions did elect Mil Millar in the past to represent their requirements that gentleman deliberately refuses to represent them any longer. The very pioposals he so vigorously denounced in the Garrison Hall emanated from t'lio trades unions whioh put him in Parliament, and not from the Socialists. Tlio Socialist party was only one month old when Mr Millar assumed an ill-judged attitude of hostility to the proposals that emanated from-the trades unions. The Socialist party never sent any proposals to Mr Millar. Mr MillaT, having considered the proposals Erom tli/S trades unions in an unaccommodating spirit, now finds that excessive oombativeirese on his port > inevitably brings trouble iu its train. For, not content-with refusing 1 the request- oS the trades unionists, he deliberately challenged those who believed in the proposals to run a candidate against him. So when tho workers aro, in a. bitter and brutai fashion, acoused of ingratitude, it is well to remember it was Mr Millar who threw tho gauntlet down, and metaphorically challenged the workers "to tread on the tail of his ooat." The Trades' Union Conference which urged the workers to vote no-licienso is acting consistently and! wisely. How can the workers support on the one hand principles which aim at securing comfort and improved conditions for the masses, and on tho other faster a trade whose avowed, purpose is to stand across thei.r path and prevent them from gaining those principles? Mr Thomson's letter, it is well to .remember, is an attempt to justify a. bitter and uncalled-for attack made on a body of men who find themselves in this position—that the only war they can constitutionally carry into effect tho principles tliey believe in its to, run candidates. Thoy have no other means. The Government has refused to act, so they must act thetpselves.—l am, etc., J, E. MacMakus. THE LIQUOR QUESTION. Sis,—Noticing in to-day's Daily Times matter as regtu-ds the H-year-old boy and the no-license district of Ashhnrton, 1 may state that I have been a bit of a boy, too, myself, although really having no love for tlied-rrnk. 1 have thrown all 1 earned aw«y on it, always having earned big money, bill, having spent as much as £10 or £12 in a day on it, and sometimes moro when 1 got- out, as tho saying is, which was only for a day at a rimo perhaps in two or three weeks from time to time. Although I have a large family, they have had to sutler for it. About, six months ago I took out a prohibition order against myself, and , 1. as well uf, my family, loel the benefit of it. 1 have done well since, and liave gotwork I would not otherwise have got had IR'ople not been able to depend ujkw me, ami X urilH'situ.tHig-ly eay that were tlio open bars closed, for one who would seek tho sly grc.g shop there are 1000 who would not trouble about it. As a working mall, I say it is up to all (lie lalwur unions to go strong far .prohibition; it is one of tho tirst things wihich will give the workman the chance to come out on top, for ho will soon find how, with care, oven on" a small wage, lie will bo ablo to lay a little by. when it. is not going in drink, to help to tide over a stormy time. I know what I have done myself in this way ii) a short time. I also think when the Government is kicking up such storms about health and ■ the regulations, especially the dairy, it should introduce inspection of tihe open Ivirs. In Alexandra (fist-riot them arc consumptives very often in tlio bars drinldng, 1 also some with cancer or something sim Mar oil their lips; wlien drinking I have drunk with them. Now there is generally a i bucket of water kept, in the bar which all glasses and pewters are dipped into, and very often that water may not be renewed for a whole day, or perhaps more, for i somo publicans are far from particular. : Tho same towel' Rometijjes wipss them all 1 for lato or throe days, or noritaps more, i

in without being- washed. They -ialk about d the microbes in tho dairy, but what. about i- them in the .hotoi» ,Si.il! wo think liotiiin" [« of iheso when wo are having a day -nut. l", iy is for every woman, who wo say bus the Is destiny of man to a certain oxl-oiii in hor a hands, to vote for prohibit ion and stamp out d drink from the land. The Mayor of Alexii umlrit iSimtb Kiiil to mp when 1 look cut .1- the prohibition order that hp was glad y to see 1 bad fonie sense left. The pub iias o n<>» troubled me. If the order was out tO' it. morrow I should lake another out against r. myself. I know which i A hi.t-t. With reu. gsml to Mr Thomson, he, cannot see very ic far. or has not Keen much of the world i, or ho would not w.rilo a-s ho <loes, or else is he was born in a brewer's vat.—l am, pic. ,y PP.OIiIMTION* EVKTIV TIME.' NO-LICENSE IN ASHBURTON; Siii.—l noticcd in a recent issue of .yonra >r a letter taken from the Ashburton ■e Guardian, signed "The lioy's Mother."- I h was not altogether surprised, but I was 1. highly amused; it is just what one might 1. expect from .tho liquor party. I think ; r that it would ho well if wo could know ts something of the fact® of that case, and of d the state of affaire in Ashburton. I have lived in Ashburton for nine years, both e under license and no-license, and I know t tho boy fairly well. His mother gays it in her letter that, ho.r son, never tasted beer o before uo-Jicaiuc was carried. Ho was o then 14 years old. Ju.U fancy a boy e of frequenting a public bar. ' The law ti does not allow it, ajiyhow. iiut she says, a further, that since the advent of no-license if and of those terrible things, tho sly-grog r shops, which never exist without it, her n son has been convicted for drunkenness a few times. Just so, we know that; but, y Sir, do you think peoplo ever wonder what p would have been that boy's condition now s had licenses existed in Asltburton, if there 0 had been a place lawfully soiling beer not e more than 300 yards from his own hoite - and three more such traps for him to faJl a into between, liis home and his work? I •• venture to say his condition would havo e been 100 times worse. Further, no one s disputes tho fact that there are some slyy grog shops in Ashburton, but their owners Q airo so afraid of the sergeant of polioe 1 that they have to be exceedingly oareful whom they servo and how much they', s give. I don't however, believe them, are i 40 or 50 sly-grog shops in Ashburton. r • Now, Sir, I Iniow of people living in Ash--3 burton today who were once the victims c of drink. Those people would not see . license back again for untold gold. They i have been able to overcome their tremendous craving for drink sinco the open bar has been removed. I could ■ teJl you of a family which used in years gone by t borrow tho necessaries of life from our . house on the "never-never" system, while t the parents spent their money in the hotel 3 on beer. Those people now have pronertv f in Ashburton worth at least £500, and the t mothor has been to tho Old Land. The 1 no-licenso party up there has a list of t some 48 prohibited portions which was taken from theba.r of tho Somerset Hotel on the last night of license, and can account for most of them still. Some 80 per cent, of them are totally reformed, , some are partially reformed, about fouT , are dead, some have left tho district, and ) ft few are still as bad as ever, and they always will be. I have not seen more [ than six drunken men in Ashburton during | tho last five years. Ashburton is going . ahead. _ Building operations havo been [ very brisk up there. There aro plenty I of new houses being ereoted, and a good , class of bouse, too. For the sake of the , young people and tho . children, I would bo very sorry to see licenso back again, and I trust it will never come. These, Sir, arc a few truths about Ashburton. and I trust you will publish them, to let people see both sides of the question.—l am, etc., Young Ashbuktonite. THE SEPTEMBER DEINK RECORD. Slß,—Attaohed herewith is the list of results of drink for September. It will be noted that whereas tho usual total is about ' 180, this last month it lias fallen to 132. 1 This shows that the trade can temporarily reduco the arrests for drunkenness when it is frightened enough to try. That it. is not very frightened this 1 election will bo plain when I say that tho offences and accidents through drink for the last six months have been 1064, as compred with only 414 similar mattere for the samo period for. last year. It considers itself safe to-day, and badly wants a serious fright. As the No-license party will havo to poll 12,000 votes to 8000 cast by the Liquor party to carry r.o-Hoensa in Dunedin, this leaves ample room for tho6e who wish tho behaviour of tho trade to improve to vote no-lrcense in,order that "the trade" may behave itself for tho next three years through fright, if for no other reason. Septeueer Record. Dunedin , and Beyond Suburbs. Dunedin. Drunkenness .. n ;.. 77 4 Delirium tremens .... 2 ... — Prohibition order .. 6 — Breach prohibition orders 10 t ,. ; _ Assault, etc.. .. ... H ... — Danger to life a 2 ~ — Ruined life .. ... i~. 3 1' De&'th ~ ... i j_ Obscenity, etc. r.-.j 10 . — j Suicide .. :.. ... .. i Lambiug down • _ i Theft, etc. .. ~.. .. 4 j Vagrancy », » r , v 2 _. Sly-grog ■ .. ..' .. i Habitual drunkard ~i ... 1 i Sunday selling — .. j Total .. .. .. .. 132 14 Total for last six months, Dunedin and suburbs only .1064 Seeing that "the trade," being most frightened just before an election, will behave itself well now if ever it can, the above record should convince its teat friends that it is entirely bsyono the {Jower ef the sellers of alcoholic liquor to prevent their goods destroying their customers, body and soul. Therefore, there is only oil© course left, It is evident that as the trade cannot be mended it must be ended.-4 am, etc., G, B. Nioholib. TEE DAIRY REGULATIONS. Sib,—That the dairy industry has reaohed such a, plow' of importance in the commercial world is cause for congratulation, and we ought to be proud of it, but the proposed regulations will strite a blow which will go far to cripple this important industry. The number of oomplaints appearing from ono end of the Dominion to the other attest tho feeling with which they have been received. Tho class most affected is that most deserving; it is those who, taking up Crown lands, build up their sheds of scrub anfi thatch, which make splendid sheds. How are these to be whitewashed. We see from time to time a ' • raid made on some settlers whose buildings, are not up to Government standard, Plough reliable witnesses prove that they are quite sanitary., One case some time ago of a poor woman about Waitflti caused great comment—poverty was a. mitigating' cause ' n . 'his case,—while at the same time a. grievance of a far woree kind existed in the Government's o\v»i buildings—tho shed "used for tiio- dairy branch on railway ground and used for storing produce for shipiiient. On the foresliore immediately opposite lay a punt used for -the conveyance of nightsoil— not 30 yards, but about as many feet from the door. Imagine such a pesti-lent-dealing receptacle being allowed to remain in front of a depot used by our paternal Government, which requires such exactions from a class which would not tolerate such filthy conditions. I suppose it was thought, that being out of the way the insanitary conditions would be unnoticed.— I am, etc., Faieplay. I'RAMS, MOTOR CARS, AND BICYCLES AS AGENTS OF DISEASE. Siii,—Since the introduction of elcctric trams, mqlor cars, bicj-cJes, etc., I have ( observed that tho dust nuisance has enormously increased. Let anyone watch these vehicles careering ''along the streefe, and notioe tlio clouds of dust left in their wake. i\ow, town dust is a great, nuisance—a narmfid, dangerous nuisance,—as it is more or less laden with disease germs, which in turn produce sickness and disease in weakly, susceptible persons. "What is the remedy? Littler lessen speed, keep the surface of tho streets damp, oil or pave them, erect Irish bridges, abolish dust, or pay tho penalty in hum aii lives. ' Here is a nice problem for our city fathers, and health authorities, and I command it to their careful consideration. Mere or Jess dust we must havo; but. a. wise solution of tho cause and prevention of its superabundance will diminish sickness, save hospital ami charitable aid rales, improve the lemper and goods of housekeepers and shopkeeper, and promote the general good.—l am. etc., Gop.do.v Macdonahi.

MAYOR. AND CITY COUNCILLORS. Sin,—Wednesday night's meeting •aluci* date one of my littbj questions asked of the Mayor in my fir.it letter—viz.; "Who Finaneo Committee information 'Way. I can now understand, Mr Mayor, why this question was shuffled in your reply! Ihe ratepayers will still find their useful Or small on top, I am thinking, when the truth conic* out, instead of as was attempted saddling him (Ur Small) with the business. iNow, Mr Mayor, seeing this question is being answered, without you, I would ask for a sfraightout answer to tho ottter questions asked in caso they also coito out in another way. Nevor mind askm(f \eritas" to reply, as Ido not heed ins correspondcnco.—l am, etc., Lover of Sincerity,