THE WAIHI POLICE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1323, 11 May 1905, Page 2

THE WAIHI POLICE

10 THE EDITOR jiß,<in listening MrFostet'a arldresa tb Q ither night I found many things to admire, rat, on the other hand, on one or two points nanj (will differ from him, chiefly oa the all absorbing question of land tenure* Mr Foster is totally against freehold, y«t Ibo arguments he uses (in my opinion) go to prove quite the opposite. He drew a very pithetio picture of the young man who left the Old Country to obtain land in New Zealand, tho Dukes ond landlords having got it all. Might I ask Mr Foster v if this young man, when ha did oome to New Zealand, would be contented to only lease a pieoo of land, I say most emphatically No, and ninety-nino outof every huudteil younK men would say the same, ie, if they really intended to livo on add cultivate the land. Another great paint of Mr. Foster's was that somo years ago, when Ibis country waß iu a depressed stale, many men came from Amorioa to settle hero, but had to return again because of the difficulty of obtaining land, Mr, Foster adds they went back to where tbey could get 160 acres from tho Government. Might I esk, again, was thisUaiehldl Certainly not. It was a deed of 160 ucreu of the best land in tho world, perfectly free of cost, except £2 for survoy fees, and the only conditions being a three years' lona, fide residence end cultivation; Agaiu, Mr. Foster upholds the present Land Commission, but ends by sayiug that "even if the Commission found the majority in favour of freehold ho 'for ono would not give it to them," Jf the Government had predetermined which course to follow, why appoint a Commission at all ? There are other points in Mr. Foster's speech. that might bo criticised, but I have already encroached too much oa your spaoe.—l enclose my name for any who may ask for it, but at present sign myself Indbpbhdent.

TO THE EDITOR Sir,—lout correspondent "Sentinel" seems tired, vory lired I Ho ought to have I had a longer sleep in hia sentry-box—a nleop would have done him good, and the longer lie plrpt the better it would have been for himself, In his last effusion the only point he makes is that I write undor •inon de plurno. Otcouro "Sentinel" would not do anything bo naughty. I was not aware, until I heard it from " Semii?ol," that it required a sergeant and two conEtablos to do tho departmental or clerical work appertaining to the few paltry and frivolous oases they have brought before the Court, and I have my doubts now.

" The Man in tho Street" is a modest person who does not care about seeing his name in print, and in a.tnodtst way ventared to criticise the Sergeant's methods of keeping and preserving the peace of ourhitherto quiet and well conducted town. Although two people havo replied to " The Man in the Street's" letter, neither has dared to oonkovert his statements, They have called him illogical aod inaconrate, find even accused him of anonymity, but they have never attempted to show one not the Sergeanfchas dono to prove him the paragon they claim him to be. If tho police really want to make their influence felt, let them try to put an end to the petty thieving which we hear of now and ngain. . Lst them sheet home the perpetrators of. the cattle-driving from Worth's and Say's' apprehend the robbtva of Mrs Filling's money, or something to let us know we have an intelligent force of police here, If this were done we would have no fiascos lino the truly-rural ono, or the others I, mentioned in my last letter. My object in writing at first was to show that'our-town was as well behaved and as ordorly as any other community of its size in 'Now Zealand, and that it was merely tho want of tact on the part of the powers that be which brought on the riot. " Bsniinel," in rushing to tho Sergeant's aid, widened the question, and by bringing in other matters to prove the sergeant a paragon, did him inoro harm than good. So far as the " Alan in tho Street," is concerned ■ tliiß controversy is closed. He has endeavoured to show that parading Mainstreet and orderiug people to move on is not the way to koep a' quiet and ordorly town. If ho has proved that, he is satis--1 fied. If not, then " Sentinel" must first como QUt.pf bis own tdass house before he can throw stones at,—Yours, etc,

' 1 Thb Man in thb Stbbht.