LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 212, 1 June 1908, Page 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE FARMERS' UNION. Sir, —In your report of the Farmers' Union Conference, I notice that I am credited with having said that I was in touch with tho Ministers of the Government, etc. I hardly! know any Ministers.of tho Government, and havo not spoken to one for a twelvemonths past. What I said, or meant to say, was that I understood from what I had heard when last in Wellington that the Government were anxious, and I thought they would be glad of support, whether it came from tho Farmers' Union or any other body. .What I said or did not say is of very little importance, but I prefer to bo quite correct.— I am, etc., H. S. HADFIELD. Otaihanga, May 28. , ( ■_■ . Sir, —In your issue last Thursday, reporting. Farmers'.Union Conference dinner at Feilding, you made me say-, 'Mt was-inevit-able tho Farmers' Union should become a political party." Such is not my opinion, and I believo the words I used were the following:—"The Farmers' Union is inevitably .political, but we are as a Union tied to no Parliamentary fiarty, and I hope wo never shall be."—l am, etc., m . ~ WILL B. MATHESON. Tiratahi, May 29. - PERENNIAL PESTS. Sir, —I paid a humble shilling to see the great football match yesterday, and I considered (naturally) that in the Athletic Park I should be quite safe from those perennial pests—collectors for some fund or other— usually to be encountered in the public streets. But no! For, no sooner had I secured myself against the rush of tho masses by ferreting out a seat, than a collector commenced her pleadings. ' Although. I'may write somewhat flippantly just now,-I may state that at the timo I did not see anything of a humorous nature in tho proceeding. I consider it a most disgraceful thing that the football people ,(or whoever bo responsible) should allow theso people inside any park. People'pay to go in to see the football match, and in paying do not wish to lay themselves open -fo tho blandishments (if any!) of charity collectors, 'who must indubitably havo their sphere, and same is certainly not at tliese football matches, as I think every fairminded man will agree. In fact,. the position is so clear that it needs no further comment >than that of a reiteration of condemnation of the football officials' action. It' is to be trusted the affair will not recur.— Yours, etc., i . ADA NUFF. May 28, 1903. > A COURT HOUSE FOR THE HUTT. Sir,—-Will 'you allow me to draw the attention of our Liberal (?) Government,' and to'our worthy member, Mr. Wilford, M.P., through the columns of your paper, to the great and pressing need of a Court House for this large and increasing town ? The present building doing duty as a Court' Room is a public auction mart, consequently tho Court has to sit with a quantity of auction odds and, ends scattered here, there, and everywhere. For a table a few rough boards are placed; on trestles, whero magistrate, lawyers, litigants, and reporters sit; tho public who attend are forced to jamb'round what acts for a'table, leaving no room for persons charged with offences, or witnesses to stand; but they are forced to crowd alongside of those called upon to administer justice. If tho magistrates wish to 'consult' upon a case, they must- either do it in the hearing of everybody in Court, or retire to. an . outer passage (no room), which, owing to the amouiit of auction things stowed there,makes it' almost uncomfortable place to bo in. • this should not be allowed to exist. I notico. in your widely-circiilatecl paper that Mr. Wilford, M.P., is credited with inducing the Government, of which ho is a sup- . porter, to make tho : suburban railway to. tho Upper .Hutt, etc:J more 'convonient. Surely ho - can use. his . great... influence, with his • Government to supply a long-felt want (oqually so to the railway concessions). A Court House for tho Lower Hutt! Why, ioven the Upper- Hutt, which is not quarter ;tho population,-has "a Court House. .Mr. \Wilford • has, manyC a time beeii called upon , todorbusiricss. in.,this.so-called court ]room, 'and no' ono'-knows better than he that what T have described as' a Court is correct. 'It is .a great puzzle to me, and 'many more of his friends, that, his well-known energy has not been used to;further the end I am writing about. , , I should like'the Mayor to call ; a public meeting, arid'forni a largo and influential deputation.-, to ,wait ; . upon, tho ■ Government, headed : 'by our M.P., and not rest till their .object is''granted.—Yours, etc;, ' A RESIDENT. Lower Hutt, May 29, 1908.

V DIRTY .TACTICS. : ; Sir,— May I crave a little of your space to place 011 record tho mannor in which the second-class passengers.from Gisborne to Napier/were treated.on iho.lasfc trip of the MahenoP. The lighter with. Napier passengers left'Gisborne wharf at's p.m. on Sun-day,'-and ' arrived alongside tit 5.20. ■ Those : boardmg.. i»taMy.'.espectfid..<to .bo served with" tea-^the- usual hour "being 5 to 6. 'However, in order to. avoid this, tea had •been put on at 4.30, and a record was established, in clearing; away the things; and passengers asking for .tea .wore cooly told thai it had' been cleared away, but that they could got a sandwich - and cup of .tea for a shilling. But, the . Company didn't refuse to supply :enough-drink; too much, •for some young. fellows. ~ Next morning . (opposite, Napier) thero'was much' anxiety on t!ni part of the passengers :as to. whether they would bo.supplied' with breakfast, and the'approach of the lighter and the arrival of breakfast-time (7.30) were eagerly watched. The former ..was not available for passengers till 7.50,.' and ' still no breakfast was served. Some of tho passengers- were , clamouring for , something to eat, and then ,the generosity, of tho Company was oxtended to, those! about to land s by tho announcement "that they could.get some ■ coffee arid ' biscuits." Ye gods 1 : how liberal. But they had not been seated two minutes before they were hustled off the boat. . ; , . At 8 a.m. the lighter cast off, aiid ; immediately tho bjeakfast-bell sounded on board, '.amid- derisive cheers from the departing . passengers. Some of those selfsame passengers'had; not tasted food since dinner-time on Sunday, and had to wait till thoy landed in Napier before doing so. As the. Company charge-a pound for this 'journey— about N a' six hours' rtm—they could well' afford to at : least one meal to those travelling- second-class. '/-Perhaps some of ' our legislators will" introduce a clause making it compulsory to do so within so many and thus counteract such actions as the one related above.—l am, etc., - . ' STEERAGE.«: • May 30. ... •.

" MR. YOUNC IN REPLY." Sir, —Mr. Young, in his reply to my. letter, as published in your recent issue,, statek that except to mention that tho. official document was signed " Young, Secretary Tramways' Foderation," and that tho word or letter "I" was not mentioned in it, and to point out my personal enmity towards him, lie .would respectfully decline to answer mine. Oh, yes, -ho. went further, he actually gave -me permission to expose his doings in tho Labour world, as if. I wanted it before doing So. As regards the signaturo to the 'official document, I must take his'word for. that, as I never saw the original document, but let mo point out to him that I wrote' about tho signaturo to tho telegram as published. in tho paper, and which he allowed to remain unaltered, and would havo dono io now if I had not written about it. ' As regards the second part that the letter "I" was not mentioned. Does ho deny tho fact that the impression ho wanted to convey to the Auckland men was that ho, the great "I am," had succeeded in inducing the Trades and Labour Council to pass the motion they did? Tho wording of the telegram was, " Have been successful in inducing," etc., and as it appeared' it was signed " Young, Secretary." It he now denies that it, was himself that was successful, then who was it? Oh, no. Mr. Young should know that that explanation is only a more shuffle. He cannot bluff the readers of-this

paper in the samo manner as he can the delegates of the Trades Council. This bit of work is on ft par with that when he strove so hard (and, I admit, ho was successful on that occasion) to get them to withhold action in moving that tho clause should be put in operation against Judge Sim. He wanted io withhold action till ho could get first say in the i papers, and so impress the workers. What answer did ho givo to me when I questioned his action at the following meeting? \Ho did then what he is doing now: tried to shufflo out of.it by saying that he had given the information to tho papers before coming to the meeting. If he is not trying to shuffle out of this, but .really wants tho public' to', believe that he did not mean himself, or that any other meaning than tho one I took could bo takon out of that telegram, then I say he has not a vory high opinion of the intelligence of the public. . Now we come to tho noxt part pointed out by liim—my personal enmity towards him. Now) when Mr. Young considers his conduct towards the workers as a body, firstly, towards; the Union I havo the honour to be President of, namel.v, the Furniture Union, and 'then towards myself personally, could I do otherwise than own up and say tliat ho is right? But I say this in all truthfulness and sincerity, and he'j knows' it well, that <no matterif. we were tho best of friends and he acted in the manner he is doing, I would expose it just the'same. In fact, I will go further; and challenge him i to deny, if he can,; if; it was not niy repeated criticisms of his actions at the 1 Council .that led to the ill-feeling between us. \ He is not tho man to allow , anyone to express their opinions without resentment, and becauso I would not be coerced hy him, ho tried other means. Again, if I have shown personal enmity in any let- 1 tor I may have written, what is it-compared to that shown by him, for instance, the night at the (Trades and Labour Council, because I told him what I thought of his actions in strictly parliamentary language? I could go on giving further,instances, but the above is sufficient to show' why I object to Mr. Young as a labour leader. As to his permission to expose his Labour doings, I fear I have encroached too much on tho space, tf the paper now, and to repeat my criticism in full would take a whole issue of the paper. Perhaps ho will venture to stand as a candidate in the Labour interest, then if he does I will attend some of his meetings, and then I will feel justified in taking such action a3 will put him in his proper place when the numbers go' up. - -Trusting you will 'insert this, sir, aud thanking you in anticipation, —I am,' otc.j V D. MORIARTY. May 30, 1908.