LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 251, 16 July 1908, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE. Sir, —Will you kindly grant mo space in your valuable columns to.express tho thanks and gratitudo of, those workers who travel by the 5i20 p.m. train from Petono to Mr. Izard, for the manner arid way in which ho endeavoured to get tho time-table revised so as the train could lcavo ten minutes earlier. Now, sir, I think a. little explanation is needed to air tho griovances of these workers. Tho excuse sot forth by tho' Hon.' Minister for Railways is, firstly, that there arc A -number of men who would not •bo able to catch an earlier train, as they had somo distance to como after leaving their work, i'et these men can make it convenient to catch tho 12 noon train from Lower Hutt ( on Saturday, leaving Potone again at 12.5 p.m. Snroly t-lioy can do likewise for the weeknights. Secondly, an increase in expense, owing to a mere suggestion of putting on another train which is not necessary. Nothing is said of : tho train which.runs on Sunday morning for a few golfers, which do, not number by one-half tho workers who travel by tho 5.25 p.m. train from Petone. I say, sir, everybody is entitled to consideration, whether thoy be w'orkors pr golfers. Twenty minutes is a long time for a man to wait on tho station aftor a djy's work, not to say anything of wintry nights, so Mr. Izard deserves our thanks for placing himself in a worker's position and pleading for justice. Ten minute's means a . great deal to a worker every night, and as their lot is not an enviablo ono I would like to ask in fairness for a reconsideration of Mr. Izard's proposal. At the opening of the golfing season, which was held at tho Lower Hutt, the Right Hon. the Premier, in his opening re- , marks, stated that on completion of tho .straightening of>tho line to Ngahauranga ho would use his best endeavours to have the fares reduced for the benefit of patrons (expense again, no consideration). ■ Workers again take a back scat. You don't play golf. No'.' You must pay the piper and keep the week trains running whilst thoso who make Sunday their■;day of"sport havo every leniency shown them.—l-am, etc., ; July, 12. ' ~ ' ..'■-WORKER.-.; . -■ ~i [:■■ ■:■: : "CHANGE .AT RAILWAYjSTATIONS." I Sir,—On . June 22 '1,-commenced \''-toiir of New Zealand. ,■ So far -1 have'had occasion ' to leavo luggago at four, stations. ?and at three of thera have been/charged 3cl instead of 2d. owing to tho railway people not having the .required change., .. At.-,this rate-I shall pay about- 3s. moro .tlian. tbe regulations i require, by tho time- my tour - is completed. , If'there arc many moro in my position, then the railway is doing no harm (to itself); I have also often wondered why!the official, who recoiyes "left luggage" on the platform at Wellington, is not provided with more small ■change, as I . havo frequently seen . delays through the lack thereof.—l am, etc., V ' STATE CONTROL. , liawora, July 10. '■'■'< . THE MANAWATU RAILWAY. Sir, —There' seems to prevail an error ir treating this matter, as-if there were no contract binding on the Mafi'awatu Railway Company to' convey tho line, etc., to tho .Crown upon the ascertainment by Arbitration of tile price to be paid.. Tliero is a power in tho'Crown to tako tho lino, etc., on the ascertainment by tho stipulated Arbitr'a-. tion of the prico, arid thqre is a .sufficient contract within .the' meaning of th'o'Act. Tho Act very, properly, provides,-in the intorest, public, that befoeo tho price so. ascertained can be paid thero must bo an Act of tho General Assembly, providing tho money, i such Aet to bo passed after such ascertainment by' Arbitration. Tho Act and contract . aro full and explicit on thisiiriatter.,.',, / There, is one matter,oil which tho Act is ■not explicit, that is, the right of the- Company to bo paid for goodwill if tho Crown, by ; negligoncq or'design, ,omit to giyo tho notice ; ■to taue .within tlw 21 years. ■ lhc.Cr6wn.has," ?in order ,to avoid this', claim'-, omitted to give ■tno notico till such a timo as tho Crown would (as it'j has probably been! advised) be able to'resis't a claim for' goodwilL. It. is, no ; 'doubt ..''intended now, 'in soine "Special •Pleading"" legislation, to prejudico tho position of. the, matter. ..The Privy .Council, it is .feared, . might not tako tho samo view as the Dominion judges, and might hold that tho Company is entitled to compensation for goodwill. ' ' . ■; ' r Tho "Special. Pleading" . will probably tgo to tho''extent of providing'that tho Arbitration shall bo of a different kind to that' provided by tho Act; at present the mode of 'appointment provided for is fair, but Mr. Seddon did not liko it, at least, that has been rumoured.'. -'L ,• ". : Tho . Act .expressly .provides -that, upon the ascertainment of tho price by tho Arbitration, arid tho payment of that price to the. Company, then tho Company is to convey, then, and not till then, tho Crown will be entitled:to possession. What position would the Company be in if it is dispossessed arid its officers turned out before the ovidenco is given to tho arbitrators of the condition of tho lino and material? : The Qrown is not at tho of tho Company in proceeding with the Arbitration:' without delay after the expiration of tho-notice. Any unduo delay by the Company 'would no doubt -bo capablo of expeditious remedy; while if the Crown desired to delay tho eftcctivo remedy would b'e the desiro to-get possession. ■ ■■ ' . ~ ' I fear that tho intended Act is another sample of "confiscation" principles. Havo tho dircct-ors gone to sleep?—l am, etc., i' July 14- ' A SHAREHOLDER. SHEARERS' REQUIREMENTS. Sir, —In your report of tlio Hon. Mr. Millar's proposed Bill for the accommodation of shearers there seems to havo been omitted certain items, viz.,' bath towels, and tho library with a billiard-table; all of which-aro absolutely necessary to their comfort/ With apologies for tlie reminder—l am, etc.,- - July, 10. JAMBTJCK;' OATH-TAKING. : Sir, —Mr. Simpson has again fallen foul of commercial ■ conventionalities, and it is timo ho was seriously dealt with. There aro various ways of estimating tho value' and quality of. tlie holder ,of . tho high position of arbiter between creditor and debtor;- A certain amount of legal knowledge is necessary, some acquaintance with tho ways of commerce, but, above all, tho sino qua non of a spirit of compromise. Tho Official Assignee should bo moro of an'influence'than a. hard fact in tho negotiation.' Two parties meet ito consider a bad caso and make tho best of it, and tho Official Assignee, under proper conditions, guides the destiny of tho episode to tho goal of as happy a fruition as is possiblo in fairness to both sides. Tho idea that, ho should bo jailer or- judge is against the interests'of trado. . There are other departments to deal; with tho detectivo or punitive sides of tlieso affairs. - The careful : attention to tho phaso of compromiso in bankruptcy business by Mr. Ashcroft stands out in striking contrast to the attitude of •his successor. —I am, etc., July 10. HENRY BODLEY. WELLINGTON REP. HOCKEY TEAM. Sir,—On perusal' of the team chosen to meet, Canterbury, ono wonders, what. was wrong with the selectors. Did thoy have their glasses off whefi watching-.tho different players, in view of picking tho rep. team, or had they in mind the old saying, "United wo stand, divided wo fall?". I ask, Sir, is it encouraging to good players and tho fostering of hockey in Wellington'when 0110 sees tho representative team chosen from only two clubs; with the 'exception of tho goalkeeper, whom every one is pleased .to seo chosen to fill that position. Why, Sir, tho Thompson Brothers, of the Vivian team, Christie and Smith, of tho Wesley, Parton, and several others belonging .to tho other clubs aro wortiiy of a place. .Then it is strange, too, that one of the selectors should put himself in. I think it is timo that selectors should ho chosen from those who havo no interest in any club, but- who follow the game as spectators. I writo .this, Sir, on behalf bf many hockey players, and for. their encouragement. Trusting you will give : -this space.—l am, etc., • i»lv 13, ' ' SPECTATOR,