VANDALISM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13254, 28 August 1906, Page 3

VANDALISM.

(To tho Editor.)

Sir,— When returning from! "Wellington the other day I was astonished at the utter recklessness of the Government official (whosoever 'he ni'ay be) in allowing cattle to roam . at the will of their owner or owners in a beautiful piece of bush which has been purchased at a large suan of money by the (xovemment as a Bird Reserve. |The said reserve is about 175 acres, 'wituatc on the south- west side of "Wai-kan-ae, about 34 miles from <the capital city. Upon making eni jjuiries as to wham the cattle beloo-'ged 1 , I was informed that theFr owner is an M.H.R., hence, probably, the official dare not open hiVmouih. That an o.ftici a l exists is almost without doidbt. If not, why not ? For n o same private person would allow oattle to roam !at random on his estate where he had [purposely reserved for ''birds. Trustling thai steps will be t a l<on to put a stop to such wanton destruction of suoh a beautiful piece of bush.— l atn. etc., LOVER OF BIRDS & BUSH. i INFANT STARVATION.

e?o the' jpditor.) Sir, I—l1 — I was shocked on reading a leader in the Herald of the Bth inst. on the subject of the death rate of infects. I waited hoping some . true else would throw a little .light on the subject. Now I- call upon ■ ■ the Government . -to prohibit • the filthy feeding bottles- with their yards of evil smelling 1 tubes, to put a heavy duty on cornflour/ and all such trash that j just keeps a poor helpless child alive (for a few sad weary months. It is j simply slow starvation, t Another thing, I would ' tax . tli6 things that are -stuck in infants mdu>flh i&—'t/oli &— 't/ol stop the cry of hunger— well named "dummies./' It has made me feel sick often to hear some inane; creature wailing : "Who has seen 'baby's dummy ?" The foul, thing is pioked up from some dh-ty corner 'and stuck in the mouth of a helpless child, and. jby and by the child dieff, unid its j grief stricken parents say, "God took it.*' Cod never took it. It Was sent before its time to, its Maker. Not, Mr Editor, through intentional unkindness. I have seen .strong men weep over th& lost life. 'It is pure crass ignorance, with a lot of indolence joined on. A healthy baby is a happy baby. !A short time ago a woman came to my \ door with a cup and spoon in her hamd.. -She said "7s your kettle boiling ?"" It said "'yes.'" '"TVill you • let me make; a '«auip of < food for l baby V She poured a oup of water on to . some corniflour. I said, "Stiroly you don't give that raw stuff to a child/" "Oh, yes, v she always fed the chi'M. .. on it. I afterwards saw the, poor little mite, and was hot astonished ' to hear that it was always crying. "Won't sonic of the doctors' 1 wives take the 'matter in hand. I am sure \the doctors'- hearts 1 ache- when they are called in to attend the poor suffering little ones. I hope to see the day whom a ■mother ' will feel proud to nurse her child as her Maker in'tewdedi her to do. The lower animals put roost women of the present' day to shame by the love and oare of their young. There is too much dance, too much everything, in the selfish pleasure line, too little stern duty, too little do right for .right's sake. A child's life is a solemn trust, and if they live, with great assistance from the doctor, they are passed on as a certain -raoouie to the dentist,. It is enough to make the angels weep. I asm one of a large family; never knew any one of us to have toothache; had a tribe of my own with the same history; am a grandmother and have not yet visited the dentist. We were all brought up as Nature intended us ' t-o too ; spoon-fed when oxir mother no longer nursed us. No filthy 'bottles; no dummies 1; plenty of tub and clean clothes; no sleeps in a stuffy* , dining-room ; where all and sundry make the air putrid. People tell you wonderful stories', to account for their utter want of common sense, badly cooked food, bolted slops, jim-craok fancy 'cfe&e, etc.; etc. No need to use your teeth, your poor stomach "can do all the work. Doctor again. I w-orodar the air , of new Zealand has not destroyed thte teeth of the lower animals'. If I was not a native, I might believe the yarn. I could tell some startling stories of

infant sufferings, but while women are so satisfied with their ignorance ono feels disheartened. Heartily wishing I could put soane life and action into t/he hands of some one who would take theimatter up, for there are such a lot of sore hearts over a little mound of earth, and in so many cashes all the suffering pain and sorrow anight have been "avoided. — I am, •ie, , GRANOT.