LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14465, 6 March 1909, Page 12

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

AN KOHO OF THE PAST. , Sin-In October last Mr J. C. Thomson delivered l.h 0 presidential address of tho hnililnyers' Association, and ladled out some etronsj Bluff defamatory of tho unions. Amongst, other things, ho slated there was a conspiracy in the bricklaying trade that, men should only lay a certain number of bricks per day. Compared with other "rash assertions this was a mare detail—assertion? which involved the accusation «f lying and thieving. You will possibly remember Unit I said a word or two in reply to Mr Thomson, ivhich you published- on Novombcr 3 last.

I see now from it tacal published in jour llmnday's issue that you, Sir, have made inquiries itilo tlio bricklaying yarn, and stale, editorially that Mr Thomson's statement regarding those men was a pure fabrics! ion. I've- looked in vain for what the Frenchman calls tJio "amende lionorable," but it I'.ocsir-t eccm to 1» forthcoming. Is Mr J. (!. Thomson dumb, or quite callous as to what slanderous statements he makes? Speak up, Mr Thomson!—l am, otc, Dmicdin, March 5. W. Belcher. WHICH CLASS OF LICENSES SHOULD BE REFUSED. Sin,—" Dou'J ful" desires .from us a definite pronouncement as to whether, if elected, wo pronoso to refine licenses of hotels I hat do a large accommodation business wilh the travelling public or of these that do net do much of that clues of business, and are mere drinking houses. Until wo hear ths evidence of the police wc cannot, oomo to any definite decision as to which houses wc should refuse licenses to. However, other things fccing equal, we- are of opinion that it will ho in the lxyt lntofasts of the oity to refuse licenses to' those hotots which are situated in the residential areas or a-ns away from the centre of the city, and thus not convenient fo:' or much used by travellers. Special reasons may weigh with us to vary thiS opinion in one.or two instances, hit, until we hear the evidence, that is what we think. Wo wish to make it quite clear, howover, that wo have not decided which licenses shall bo refused, and shall not decide this point until we have heard all the evidence and madn full inquiries.—Wo arc, etc., George Cai.okii, Bertraxd K. de Lautoue, S. C. Pmuirs, William Kino, J. A. WILKIXSOX. LICENSING COMMITTEE ELECTION. Sin,—l have read with interest your mild chastisement of some of the intemperato leaders of the Prohibition party. Of course, they don't like it. When did extremist, of any section of socictv liko to l)c told of their faults and fadings? I look upon an extremist as one who either has an interest—porhans a pecuniary one— or who has seen but little of this world outride his own little parochial circles, therefore extremists are narrow-minded and ignorant of the many phases of this complex world of ours. 'Did tlicy travel more, say, for a few months, in Australia, Europe, or America, mid mix with others outside of their own particular section of society, they might find there are as good, and perhaps better, and moro intelligent men than themselves, though these men may hold opposite views. Mr Wilkinson admits that he ivas born and brought up in Duncdin. Perhaps he does not know it, but it 16 a small place. Travel might enlighten him.—l am, etc.. March 5. J. B. K. THE BURNING QUESTION. Sin,—Police reporw about hotels havo often puzzled me, and ought to be taken with a grain—indeed, many grains—of salt, if what they contain is correct as to Duncdin. How is it that tbe inspector's report tells the Licensing Committee, and, through that body, the public, that hotels are well conducted, while in his own official records for drunkenness and kindred offences they have increased. Why this discrepancy? A reason has been given. Whether correct I do not know. It sooms, such as it is to be not far astray.—l am, etc., March S. Dosedijc.