CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11483, 16 January 1903, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Tourist"—There are twenty-five bridges over the Avon. THE WOOL SALES. TO THE EDITOB OF THE PBESS. Sir, —During the next few days we shall hear a lot about the record wool sale for New Zealand, and the fact that nearly 20,000 bales of wool are to be sold will be vaunted far and wide. From a seller's point of view I beg leave to point out that the present system leave. much to be desired. I find that there fire nearly 5000 lots to be offered, and as most of the catalogues were not Obtainable till yesterday morning, it follows that the buyers must in two days examine at the rate of 300 lots per hour, to say nothing of the time lost in going from one warehouse to another. The wool is scattered over about a dozen different warehouses, and m the time at our disposal it is impossible for us to examine half tbe wool. Is such a state of affairs likely to be satisfactory to either the seller or to yours, etc., A BUYER. Christchurch, 15th January.

• "AULD LANG SYNE." TO THE EDITOB OF TBESS. Sir, —'Referring to Mr Stead's letter in your issue of this morning, under the above heading, I would like to point out to those who believe that Burns did write the above song, that Thomson, to whom Burns addressed the lines, expressed the opinion that Burns merely wrote the quotation made by Mr Stead in "playful humour," and further on in some notes I have is this paragraph:—"lt may also be that the story was a device to make sure that he (Thomson) would accept a piece which the writer was far too modest to describe as his own improvement on "his earlier sets, the one published by Watson in 1711, the other credited to Allan Ramsay."—l am, etc., ROBT. PITCAITHLY. January 14th-

TO. THE EDITOB OF THE TRESS. Sir.—Like many admirers of Burns, I was highly tickled to observe from this morning's issue of your valuable paper that Mr Stead had broken out in a new line, viz., that of an authority on Scottish poetry, and on the authorship thereof. An intimate friend basely suggests it wa* done with the view to raise the ire of north countrymen, and thus start a correspondence such as has been going on elsewhere. However, putting that aside, I may state that as a student of Burns, and possessor of some half-dozen different edition of his works, I at once admit that Burns, in a letter to TBomson, did state "that be took it down from an old man singing," as quoted in Mr Stead's letter. The latter, however, should have added what followed—"lt was never in print, nor even in manuscript." (How did he know that!) We well know how Sir Walter Scott again and again denied being the author of the Waverley Novels. On the same line of reasoning, Mr Stead doubtless ascribes these famous works to some writer other than Scctt! In Dunedin correspondence took place in the public press as to the expression in "Auld Lang Syne," "Willie Waught." Authorities are pretty weD agreed that the correct words are "Gtiid Willie Waught." As iMr Stead has quoted chapter and veree forMiis quotation, allow me to follow suit, and to ask him, or any interested readers, to look up a standard authority, viz., "Tne Works of Robert Burrs," ce'ntaining ail the editions previously published, in six volumes, published by Win, Patterson, Edinburgh, 1877. In vol., 2, page

175, after the famous poem, with full explanations as to circumstances under which written, and including Mr Steads quotation, appears the following, which is worth remembering at the present' moment: — .... "The poet pretended both to Mrs Dunlop and Geo. Thomson that the song is the work of some heaven-inspired minstrel of the olden time!" On any matter connected with the turf, grain business, or even Tramway Boards, I should be prepared to accept Nlr Stead's opinion with gravest respect, but when he writes "It is curious to reflect that the most popular song in these islands, 'Auld Lang Syne' is anonymous. . ■ • Burns's great fame, which rests on this fiong, in ■which his share amounts to only a few emendations." Well, I should respectfully ask Mr Stead to give'more study to the subject before committing himself to guch egregious errors.—l am, etc., KOTOMASI.

The phrase quoted in Mr Stead's letter on this subject in Wednesday's issue should have read "'right guid-wiliie waught," instead of "quid willie-waught" as printed. RAILWAY JL-NAGEMENT. TO THE EDITOB OF THE rHESS. Sir, —The long and valuable letter which you published on Tuesday op the subject of the rolling stock on the railways, and jour leader of to-day, bring prominently to the fore the mismanagement oi our railways by the Government.

To come closer home you are probably not aware that for some time past it has been most difficult to obtain trucks at any but the mam stations —at the wayside stations for weeks past it has been a constant battle to get trucks, and it is a com iikih sight to see two fanners squabbling as to which of them should get the truck to load in which each of them had had some goods up.

Wool has come forward very slowly this season, owing to the wet weather, but what will happen if we are blessed with fin. weather for the harvest in February, March and __prii. no one can foresee, ana no attempt is being made to provide the necessary tracks.—Yours, etc., COCKATOO. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TRESS. Sir.—Will you allow me through your columns to attempt again the almost hopeless task of moving the railway authorities to improve the passenger service mi the Lyttelton-Christchurch line. The accommodation by the morning trains from Lyttelton is frequently inadequate for tne ordinary traffic, and when, as is often the care, an additional hundred or two of passengers from the usual weekly steamers attempt to travel to Christchurch, no provision is made for the increased numbers. The same dirty old smoking carriage with springless antiquated seats «nd filthy windows, which will neither open nor shut, has to do duty as usual; the long-suffering passengers crowded like sheep, with not even room to sit down, have to bear the noisome atmosphere of the tunnel, while the crawling train jolts and rattles along at the rate of 25 minutes for 6£ mile*. Is it not time that the rolling stock on this line were brought a little more up-to-date.—Yours, etc., W.G.B.

"THE UNSPEAKABLE SCOT-" TO THE EDITOB OF THE FBESS. Sir, —May I recommend the following true story to Mr Cro&iand for the next edition of his amusing book '! ■ I went into Christchurch by the Park yesterday and carefully left my dog behind. He got loose., and turned up when I was about halfway across the Park. Seeing two men coming along the path, and knowing the helpfulness and kindness of the colonial to women in distress, went up to them, and said, "Could either of you gentlemen oblige me with a pieoe of string, my dog haa followed me, and 1 am afraid I may get fin.d unless I lead him." The "first man pursed his lips in a truly sanctimonious meeting-house manner, and in a sickening Lowland drawl came the answer: "M—M—Ml sairrtainly—sairiiainly—and a hoap ye wull too." The other man had meantime searched his pockets in vain, and broke in with, "I'm awfully sorry, I haven't got one bit, but look here, you take him .Jong quickly, and keep him elos., there's nobody much about; you'll get through all right I think." I'm partly Highland myself, and it makes me almost believe in the truth of what a oertain Highland writer says, that a woman can't, cross the street of any Lowland vi/.lage but what every loafer looks at her and says: "There goes a l>—h." No Highlander would have answered a woman so brutally, and I hereby thank my English sympathiser.—Yours, etc., ' HIGHLANDER.

LORD HAWKE'S TEAM v CANTERBURY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —I would like to draw the attention of the Canterbury Cricket Association to the way in which they advertised their last match against Wellington. The onily advertisement I saw read thus: '"Canterbury v Wellington, 1, 2, 3 dan." This conveys nothing to the public, and they would not know whether it stood for tennis, swimming, cricket, or amy other pastime unle-8 informed through another channel.

My advice to the Association, if they wish to make a decent profit, is to set to work immediately and give the public some reading matter with regard to the coming match, and also the doings of the selected players, who are now practising hard at Lancaster Park.

Thanking you for insertion.—Yours, etc., EARLY RISER, 244 Chester street, Christchurch, January 14th.