LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20702, 27 April 1929, Page 24

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE WAIPORI SYSTEM. TO TUB EDITOB. .. Sxk,— - K Taihoa ” will see by my letter in this morning’s issue that I am far from being opposed to linking up. There are three distinct types of hydraulic electrical generating plants contiguous to each other. Linked together they will give a perfect safety factor. This linking up is just as important to the other t-wo systems as it is to Waipori. Hence, as I stated in my letter, Waipori will be linked up, sale or no sale. As to a leap in the dark, I have carefully read all the published details of the negotiations and have discussed the pros and cons with those who are fully acquainted with all the essentials of the big deal that is proposed. Fourteen years ago, when I was chairman of the Electric Power and Light Committee, I brought forward the suggestion of a second power station lower down the river. I was twitted with being a visionary. Even so late as a few years ago 1 was assured it would not be practicable. Now the idea—modified, it is true, and made into two small stations in place of one large one—is being carried out. If this had been taken in hand before the question of the dam was considered, the department would be in the happy position of having some 6000 additional horse-power available without using any more stored water, but would simply use the same water twice. Let me assure “ Taihoa ” .that I will only oppose the sale of Waipori until such time as I am convinced that the sale will be in the interest of the city of Dunedin. ■ —l am, etc., James J. Marlow. April 26, TO TEE EDITOB, Snt —l notice that.Cr Black, at hie meeting at South Dunedin, took the Electric Power and Light Committee to task over the sale of light and power. What Cr Hayward .has said about the restriction of the sale of light and power is quite correct. The writer went personally to the city electrical engineer, Mr Henderson, and wa s “turned down flat,” when making application for light and power for a new factory. I was told by Mr Henderson that there was neither power nor light available, and that he , could not in any circumstance take on any new consumers., It is high time that the Government bought' the head works at Waipori or that the Electric Power and Light Department bought some extra power from the Government.-—I am, etc., Progress. • Dunedin,,April 24. ' THE BUSINESS TEST. TO THE EDITOB. Sib,—l, notice'that Mr John M’Donald very wisely says to his letter in your issue of Friday, “That the trading activities of ■ the Dunedin City Corporation require the careful attention of the best business men available.” All the electors will agree with this sentiment. Now comes the matter of choice for the mayoralty Messrs Hayward, Black, and M’Donald are , all citizens of good standing, and experienced to municipal affairs, but let us apply Mr M’Donald’s own test, .Which is the best business man-of,.the three? Judging by results, where will you place our voluble friend who hasi Veen good enough to give us half a column’ on the subject of hjs own qualifications? I fear that on the business test this candidate would come off rather badly as compared with Crs Hayward and Black.—l am, etc., Accountant. Dunedin, April 26. TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —Mr John M’Donald in his eulogy of himself, in your issue of to-day rather snsgests that he is a Triton among minnows, in so far as business ability is concerned. Would Mr M’Donald kindly inform the public what business enterprises he has _ engineered, and which of these enterprises he has carried to a successful issue?—l- am, etc., . " ■> ' " SCANDIA. - April 20. THE HALF-HOLIDAY POLL IN MOSGIEL'. , V r TO THE EDITOR; Sib, —It was most gratifying to read in your paper to-day that someone had taken up the cudgels for the small 'shopkeepers in Mosgiel. “ Ratepayer ” writes that it would be a ! distinct hardship for those shopkeepers to close their * premises on Saturday afternoons. May I add that it would be nothing short of criminal if it came to pass that they were - compelled to do this. Shopkeepers are depending on Saturday afternoon to get a little bit extra after the larger places of business are closed. As far as I can see they are doing no harm, and. it is quite an advantage to have a few; shops open on Saturday night. In my opinion “Ratepayer ” has explained the position very clearly,' and I heartily join with him to asking the electors to vote for the Thursday half-holiday. Then, if any shopkeeper wishes to close his premises on Saturday, all he has to do is to notify the l Labour Department that he wishes to do so.—l am, etc., Resident. Mosgiel, April 24.” THE ETHICS OF SPORT. TO THE EDITOB. Sir, —Like “ Pro Bono Publico ” I did not intend' to associate myself with the controversy now raging amongst the piping and dancing fraternity in' Dunedin, but, like him, would take the opportunity of addressing a few questions to Mr K. Cameron, which I have no doubt he wilj answer with a view to the betterment of piping and dancing. It must be ad' l mitted that there is something very wrong ■with the control of the Piping and Dancing Association for, as far back as it is my lot to remember, it. has been one long wrangle. This makes one ask if the association is correctly constituted—a matter of which I have my doubts, for if it were things should have run more smoothly then they have. I have conversed with many people about the rights and wrongs of the association, and have been informed by a large number that there is friction all over New Zealand to connection with piping and dancing, and that it has originated from Dunedin, because of the attitude taken up by Mr K. Cameron.-the Dominion president, and because of his dominating manner. Mr Cameron claims to he the founder of pip. ing and dancing in New Zealand. Since its inception, however, there never has been peace in its ranks. On the contrary, men have been disqualified and committees have been removed from office because Mr Qameron’s authority has been questioned. “Pro Bono Publico” is quite justified when he asks what the Goverjito«it Registrar ia doing when the Piping and Dancing Association can collect fees m the manner stated by him. Will Mr Cameron tell the public of Dunedin (X) Why the Exhibition, directors refused to allow the Piping,andT)anctog Association to take part in any of their programmes? (2) Is it a fact that he received £6O for one term and £6O for another term for filling the office of secretary? (3) Has the public been asked to subscribe towards the funds of the association? (4) What are the qualifications of Mr G Boss, appointed to judge - the dancing at 1 the forthcoming competitions, and of Mr Rory Cameron, appointed to judge the piping? (5) Will these two judges respectively dance and play if asked by the competitors? (6) Does it require any practical ability to judge any of the two competitions? ; There, aro other questions which I might ask if necessary, but I await an answer to these.—l am, etc,, . „ „ . DECAMBBOjr. Asril 8&

TO THJE EDITOB. SIB, —The father of Mies Alias Matos m his letter in • this morning’s Daily v Times that he did not nominate her for the event for dancers under 10 years of age, which she won at, the Outram sports. I suppose he thinks that a satisfactory excuse. 'lt did not matter if the judge himself nominated the girl; her father should have been sportsman enough to stop her. I think it is scandalous that a vice-president of the association should agree to such a thing as a girl T2 yeara of age competing in an event for girl* under 10 years. The association was formed to foster, a good spirit in piping and dancing and to make good rules and see that competitors abided by than. What is the use of.the association at all in circumstances such as have been disclosed. X know for a positive fact that not so very long ago this girl’s parents desired to find out. the age of a South Dunedin girl whom they believed to be ineligible for an event in which she was a competitor I think the association should see that all competitors produce birth certificates in future, and then there would be no question about age.—i am, etc., April 36. . RUGBY FOOTBALL. TO THE EDITOR. ftn aVe f ° lloWed Ru K fc y football for over 60 years, and rarely miss the leading Saturday match. I am not one of those .foolish old : men who say, whatever dhey may think, that nothing to-day but 1 am to. admit ü bß l* 8t year or *wo the Saturday matches have not been as interesting is called the University Club carries everything before it. I was very proud of our University, but it. seems to me that when it is merely thn I °f 1 ? ed te^ nic *l sohool the student who take a class or two - for their utilitamn purposes are not entitled to the RuX Z me “ be . rßhi P ia University Rugby team. It is no-doubt flattering to their vanity to play in the University eolours, and doubtless their best girh give them every encouragement. There are various clubs which these players could strengthen and, where they would be much more at home, lam surprised that my old nend, Mr Dick ” Cavanagh, the highly sucpMsfu! University coach, does not S £ Th» " ll Sl ° n ?, £ thia f ßelf - B tyled students. The chancellor of the University t ayß ******* himself with the ’ A" his attention were *° loose use of the tom the Sific K PS ight be takea to define the qualification for membership of the University Rugby Cluh.-I am, etc., , ■’ ’• Archaic. A QUESTION OF ETHICS. TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—When replying to my letter to uomv Ue | eS A ,nB I that ’ “ a matter of eco--o£“?y ' hrat class carriages should be' abolished on a l suburban railway services throughout the Dominion, Mr W J Rardsley made use of the following words’ viz,; Ido not propose to enter into the ethics of Traveller’s’ letter.” The remainder of a disjointed sentence has no it Is regarding them that I wish to make a few remarks* My reading of these particular words is that, m Mr Bardsley’a opinion, there was something ethically wrong, about my first letter, but as he did not state to what rapect the fault lies. I can only guess. Fully expecting that the views expressed in it would meet with some criticism, I was careful to refrain from anything of a personal nature or matter that was likely to offend. It seems, however, from Mr Bardsley’s'first letter, that I ' did not succeed in the object I had to view. The .opening sentence of his letter suggested that Mr Bardsley was annoyed because I wrote over a nmn-de-plume. But I ask, why not? I made no personal reflections on anyone, and it was all public matter on which I wrote/ . Cer-’ tainiy l asked a few questions concerning a public project that is desired'by the league of which he is president, and evidently Mr Bardsley took ■ strong objections to this and regarded my questions as directed against himself. He surely does not arrogate to himself the idea that he and the league are synonymous. When a public body asks that a certain public work should be done then surely it is' a fair matter "for .criticism,- and a few questions may be asked without the questurner being accused of a moral wrong. To any observant reader it, will be noticeable that at least three-quarters of the letters appearing in the public press are signed by nom-de-plume. and therefore I cannot see that Mr Bardsley has any good reason for saying that there was anything' ethically wrong in that respect about my letter, As the charge of being ethically wrong is not applicable to figures, I can only suppose that it related to my contention under which present first class passengers would have to travel second class. Yet surely I would be doing Mr Bardsley an injustice in even surmising that anyone of his intelligence should see anything morally wrong in such an idea. I absolve him from holding such narrow views and conclude that when ha used the word "ethics” he did so without thinking of its real meaning. If it is that he does not think it right to mix the sheep with 4he goats, T would advise him to travel second class for a mouth or two and then he may find that, although our outward dress may be different, we are, to most other respects, the same as himself. If he will oblige ia this request I shall always be willing to "edge- up" a bit to .have his company, and we may have many friendly talks on subjects such as whether it is advisable to enact by Act of Parliament the prohibition of letters to the press without their being signed by thec writer’s correct names. I hope Mr Bardsley will let me know where I was wrong, as I am still in. doubt on the matter.-—I am, etc., § Traveller.