CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144147, 17 July 1913, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

We are not responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents. The writer’s name, as a guarantee of good faith, must be enclosed in the fetter. THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Mr. E. Griffiths has taken exception to Mr. McLean upholding tbo merits of tho American boiler, which ho imported from America for tho purpose of developing his company’s ground at Bonithon, and your correspondent makes much of a boiler explosion which has taken place in the United States. No doubt boiler explosions take place all over tho world, even in England. Mr. Griffiths also states that any American boilers that have been imported have been scrapped. I think Mr. Griffiths has made a mistake in his statement that tho particular boiler under consideration has ever been scrapped here or in England, and I feel sure ho is unable to point to a single explosion which ever took place of any of tho boilers used for oil boring purposes and sold by the Southern Wells Company. I have worked on the Southern California and Texas oilfields for oyer fourteen years, where thousands of boilers of this description are used, and in that time have only known of three boiler explosions, and these explosions were caused through the carelessness of the firemen employed. As for American machinery being made to be scrapped, your valued correspondent is quite mistaken. Nearly all American manufacturers arc continually making improvements. Mr. Griffiths has also ventured an opinion on the hearsay of someone else. That the formation in most of the oilfields of America is of a very easy nature for boring, and is generally suitable for light class of machinery. There yonr correspondent and his informant show their* complete want of knowledge. On the Californian fields, with the machinery that is being used in New Zealand it would take from two to four years to drill 3000 feet, and the rotary has almost replaced that class of machinery there. Possibly it would be wise for both Mr. MT.ean and Mr. Griffiths to await further trials. The Bonithon plant will soon be set going, and the test of fitness will soon be before tbo New Plymouth oil neopie.—I am, etc., J. T. ROBERTSON, Driller. Bonithon. A BACK-BLOCKS COMPLAINT. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Many settlers residing in the Kohuratahi and Tahora district arc wondering what they have done to deserve the treatment meted out to them by the presont Government (supposed friends of the back-block settler) through the Public Works Department. This is now the second winter that they have torn up and made our main road practically impassable. The muchvaunted tramline construction creeps along “slowly ,” but is evidently not intended to relieve tho settlors, as there is now no pretence of a service to ’connect with the railway at Whanga r which, bye the bye, seems to bo a rather /uncertain business on account of the indifferent health of their engines. Occasionally it is necessary for some of the female portion of our community to attempt tho trip to Stratford, and the procedure is this- Struggle through tho mud to Kohuratahi, and, if lucky, catch an empty ballast truck returning to Whanga; when all ,‘is well, provided, first, that it lands there in time for a train going out, and, second, that the engine on same is in good enough health to attempt the journey. Should fate bo kind the traveller will land in Stratford some time towards evening, bearing the usual ‘back-block appearance. If unlucky in /either case, rt means a return home through tho mud again after a fruitless journey. Onr mail bags also come /along from Whanga in a haphazard style (any time will do)-per medium of ballast truck, and some -parcels which get through the ordeal are, to say the feast, a bit battered. Now, Mr. Editor, would it be too great a strain on departmental red tape to ask that a tram be run from Whanga to Kohuratahi and hack for the conveyance of moil and, passengers, keeping to a fixed time-table which would connect with the asthmatical engine at Whanga? Should this be too much for the Red Tape Department to accdmplish, I fear that the present loyalty to the Reform Party of many back-blockers here will receive a bad strain. —I am, etc., ROUTES.

[Our correspondent is scarcely fair ts the Government. Ho says this is “the second winter that they have torn up the road,” forgetting, presumably, that they have only been in office just a year, and that the road over the Whanga saddle and up to Kohuratahi was destroyed before then. Since they came into office the train runs into Whangamomona, and the tram has been extended to Kohuratahi, thus taking the heavy traffic off the road, with the result that the Saddle is better now than it has been in the winter months since the Public Works traffic began to cut it up. —Ed., T.H. and B.]

TREATMENT OF MAORIS. ''(To the Editor.) Sir, —On the 15th inst., an elderly Maori woman came from Corbett Road Station, procured a return ticket for New Plymouth, and was there informed that she could not return without procuring a certificate from a doctor. Another Native came from Parihaka on his way to Levin to visit a sick s/ster, who is not expected to live. Arriving at the New Plymouth Station, intending to go by the 12.40 train, ho was informed that he could not go unless he could procure a certificate from a doctor. These two Natives called upon a Native interpreter and told him their troubles. He advised them to go with him to a doctor and get vaccinated. They were duly vaccinated and procured a certificate each. After this they went to the station, taking the 4.20 p.m. train, the one to Corbett Road, the other to Hawera intending to go by the mail train the next morning, when, alasl he could not procure a ticket notwitlistanding he had the doctor’s certificate. He then approached the Hawera stationmaster, who told him to go and get his ticket; yet the official at the ticket office would not supply him with one. He again appealed to the stationmaster to no purpose. Then one of the porters advised the Maori to go to a Hawera doctor to get the date put on, and where he was vaccinated. This being done, be even then failed to procure a ticket. The train passed through, leaving him behind. Yet in the evening when he asked for a ticket to return to Now Plymouth he procured one, and the stationmaster was kind enough to inform the guard on the mail train that ho had seen bis certificate and it was all right. He returned to New Plymouth, feeling much annoyed at such treatment. He asks why he is treated thus. Is it because he is a Maori that he b put to such annoyance and incon-

veiiicnco and expense ? Ho considers ho has a just claim for oompensatkm for such drastic troatmout. Tbo said Natives speak highly of tbo local statiemmasfeer, who treated ibem with the utmost courtesy.—l am, etc., SYMPATHISER-.

fTho case certainly calls for inquiry and explanation. The absence of a date on tbo doctor’s certificate nr.ght easily ha-ve been overlooked, as the fact of its being a now certificate must have been evident on its face. Tbo Maoris are readily accommodating themselves to the regulations imposed and it is a pity that any want of tact on the part of officials should cause thera_ to feel that they are being treated unjustly.— Ed. T.H.]

THE PUBLIC CONVENIENCES. (To tho Editor.) Sir, —I observe that onr City Fathers had another bout on Monday last re the (I suppose I must call it by the modernised name) public conveniences. I cannot understand why his Worship and liis supporters are so anxious about this building, considering New Plymouth’s small population and the present conveniences that already exist, to wit, the railway station, Borough Council , and tho Government offices. I heard a lady ratepayer say yesterday that she would like to see ono built in front of his Worship's door. There is no doubt in my mind and in tho minds of tho great majority of the ratepayers that the question is premature, and tho council should shelve it for two years at least, and spend the money on tho streets which need it so much.—l am, etc., OBSERVER.