THE BAY TEA ROOMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13980, 16 August 1909, Page 3

THE BAY TEA ROOMS.

To the Editor of the "Timaru Herald."' Sir, —I.t seems strange, and yet it is just the way of a spoiled child when it cannot get all its own way, to fly into a passion and use abuse to those who are in control and who are broadminded and farsighted enough to see a threatening danger, and have courage enough to interfere. Mr Craigie. i.< chief magistrate or this town, the town is governed by law; and just because Mr Craigie will not allow the breaking of these laws, he is held up to scorn and abuse. It is quite an easy matter to criticise and throw sarcasm where there is no responsibility. Coming to the letter in your paper of the 14th by a country woman, 1 .-oust say I doubt if this ladv is from the country. "What lias the libiarv lo do with a country woman? j\un if this country woman is so careworn and weary, would she not be all the better for a rest on Sundays, instead of the trouble and anxiety of dressing and taking say a dozen little ones to the Bay!-' To say nothing of the expon c of tea : women and children usually require more than one cup apiece. * The whole thing, is foolish and absurd, and the only thing one can take from' such a letter is abuse, shortsightedness, selfishness, and a strong tendency to lawlessness. I am, etc., J. E. CHILES.

To the Editor of tlio "Tiinaru-Herald." Sir, —One cannot help admiring the energy and-enthusiasm of the opponents of Sunday refreshments at the Hay. The pity is that it is not applied to a more righteous and less selfish cause. As certain duties must of necessity he performed on Sundays, we should welcome any x>roix>sition which has for its object the reduction of Sunday labour, as has been proixxsed by the Borough Council, by permitting two or three persons to undertake the duties which have hitherto heen carried out by twenty or thirty persons. It is a reflection on the intelligence of the community, especially the religious and moral, to know that over 500 of the inhabitants can be found to so far forget themselves as to seek to deny to the whole borough some of the privileges which they themselves enjoy. The petition against the opening of the Tea Rooms represent three classes of people, .'v/.., those who won't think, those who dare not think, and those who can't think, rationally or intelligently, <»n questions involving religion or morals. The remedy is a counter petition from the ratepayers, endorsing the action of the Council or, at least, those members of the Council, who have dared to vote in the cause of right against bigotry and intolerance. —I am, etc., LAYMAN.