CORRESPONDENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XLI, Issue 5634, 24 April 1909, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

LAWRENCE - BQXiHmiG'H RAILWAY. A FORTUNE HAVING OUT FOR. SOMEBODY. (To The Editor.) Dear Sir, — In accordance with the statement made by me at the Town Hall at the indignation meeting, 1 hereby lay tJie following before the Otago people :♦— A coimfpany to be formed in oixleir to farpa the revenue accruing from the line if constructed. Tne Government to construct the line I immediately ri^ht up to Roxburgh, to i be finished in- three years, and the shareholders of the company will guarantee tihe Gtoverntmeint 3 per cent, on the expended capital of ' construction to the amount of £250,G00 to i begin two years after the line is con- i structed. This at 3 per cent, would be • | £8400. The Government to run Ihe I line, and the first charge on earnings ' of the line to be the 3 per cent, in- ( terest, which the company would i guarantee. The second charge on the i line would be the expenses of working the line, and allowance made for i depreciation. Any profit after this to i be handed to the company. The company to have the rights over this i line for 25 years, with the option of i renewal for another 25 years. £ The writer wishes to bring the mat- i ter in this form before tihe Prime Mm- ' ister when the deputation waits upon c him at Dunedin, and therefore the 1; writer invites tihe public of Otago to v make application to him, immediate! v -^ by letter for shares : he would pro- c duce tihese applications, and show the 1 Premier that the Otago people are cr in earnest, and determined to have -J their line finished at an early date, s The shareholders, oi course, would • only guarantee the interest. Say, for c instance, that there would be 100 shareholders, they would each guar- ' antee £84. If there were 200 share- \ holders., they would each guarantee j £42 per year. If there are 400 shar.j- s holders, they would each guarantee r. £21 per year : and if there are 800 s shareholders, they would each guar- g antee £10 10s per'year. « Now, here is a chance for ii\e Otago people to show the Prime Minister that we mean business, and if 8 the Prime Minister sees this, he must \ he convinced and persuaded to go on fc with the line at once. We would urge a upon the people of Otago to communicate immediately with the writer' ft of this letter and • state whether he 1 would take one or more shares. B Of course, this idea is only roughly worked out, and nothing can be earlied out or is binding until the company is formed, if the Government forces us into this position. — I am, &c, A. MORITZSON. Dunedin April 20. THE STATE SOHTOOL ELECTION. A REFERENDUM ADVOCATED. (To The Editor.) Sir, — In the majority of the day schools of tho United States, Canada,Great Britain, Ajustria, Switzerland, and South Africa, the Bible is read daily, but New Zealand has banished the Bible from " the' State Schools tome 35 years ago, with the result that there are ' a great percentage of young men, native born, in our gaols besides the effects seen in other directions. Parents wiho desire to see their children get the highest possible training during the short school life, are urged to work for the restoration of the Bible to our schools by attending the annual meeting of householders on Monday, 26th inst., and only votdng for candidates who are pledged 1 to get the School Committee to take a local referendum on Bible reading. If a public hall has been' engaged (or the annual meeting, two blackboards should be provided, one for the list of candidates who are " For Referendum on Bible Reading," and the other for the list of those " Against Referendum." Wives of householders can vote at the above meeting. The referendum could be easily taken witii the aid of the children, each parent to have supplied withi* 30 days a voting paper with the following questions thereon, to be signed and returned. (1) I agree to allow my child to take part in a daily Bible reading at the State school. (2) I object to my child taking part in a daily Bible reading at the State school. Voters to cross off tihe clause" they object' to. If the 2000 School Committees in the Dominion find parents are favourable, Parliament will bo approached this session. — I reonain, yours truly, S. PFJARSON. P.S. — School Committees are advissd that copies of «-£he " Ten Commandments " for displaying in class rooms, being sanctioned by the majority of Education Boards, a.re now procurable from the Bible Depot, 71 Willis St., Wellington. 253, Cuba St., Wellington. 15th April, 1409. FREE SAMPLE OF OINTMENT. To demonstrate to all readers of the Tuapeka Times the great purity of " 'Red Cross " Ointment, and its ability to heal quickly cuts, bruises, burns, chaps, chilblains, pimples, &c., tihe Proprietors will send on re nwst to anyone a sample of the Ointmentfree. Send a portcard to-day and you'll g-et a dainty little tin by return mail. You'll find the Ointment useful, acceptable — the best you've ever tried. Address : Murdoch & Co., Agents, Dunedin. Heavy rain set in on Thursday night and during the whole of yesterday and up to the time of our goiinp- to press it continued without intermission. The water channels about the town are all running full and in low places there is a good deal of water "lying. While no doubt the fall will i ' benefit to the mining interests it has - ! proved rather inopportune for the far- - ' nuers as it will interfere with threshing operations,