LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 595, 25 August 1909, Page 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

:©/?•:■/;//Sir,^ v( ; and- that/more - are '■■*}■ > f ß:A^^i^™g^ n !'they : shail ■ follow'to; the -//•//:/jnucfc-talke^^ /'/;/ 0 from'-.that;beautiful., place, l and won,!';//;.,'der^^ ','': '^'' known to these .men. '■/'^•'^iy/I/'a^ V> ;/ /■': 0 interest & :! going; .over/this .beautiful country, some':(Pf l ,whichv6ur;.wealthyimen'.::here have Vseli, ,'a's- 'they dp .;'; ; :^;::'4';befeV';to:;a /-profitr/l:,•>-.-:■ /"///v/C/w' V / : ' y - ':'*■;' ;! ,;'/ ■!- : ;VyM;^ 000 ! }m vfaet; all /cattle; / afld:/;, even; iy-j/-;/^horses,//tave/often',:to/;be/'dipped;:-a,t;;::least 00c -!,.; oncewiriy six'■.weeks.\i;;Someti;dairymen were; . :^ r ;^3;pping:;mora:;ofte^it;han./tfoiti-V-'-Thd-' Bathi i.,:;; •'urstfbiirr'is'all oyer the barling Down sV; and 00y- also'S-*grass : ';cialle'd-;spear'-grass;.(not ; i;.the; :.y,;/.7.v.!/I^ : /! : .//./-almost/impos'sM^ /^y/VcOTtaini/se'^ 0/ : spfeading^jjnd^the 00 ;;..f6rcingvthe -/cutting 'JoWit./-/T^e:/wallabies' 'v//!'!7 v ; ,' ; 'where; the :.drea'ded : foxes: '/•/.;/!/^hat /destroy/i: so-'many';: young ,'/lambs/! 1 are /rie'aring.:-theJ:Darling : ;:Downs. ■ New. 0. Vi Zealanders have., no idea' of the labour it: is !"•': ; -"'//to' get:rid-df-'thetimber'thaf'grows': every--0 <bush, ;;/ forest;' immediately -;;/:grows' , :up-agaM''wheh' v ;cut;:'down;vand even : :■. ;^■'fe^-':'•::wKeti^stumped4t](costs^'i£3:an■Vabre:toistillnp: '.'-;'•■'.. i: t\<i '; forest^,at/'the, 'very-least--' '•: 00 ' ofteri^.muchvmdrei-'-'lfEnglish; /grass will^ndt '■'/ 00gi<witm -the/Darling;/Downs;/only lucerne !.;/'-7:/and*mtef:;dat£::are':^ ..!/ ; ::;'/cattlev'//I/am told/that'out of every -tensea-; 0:-:0 sons /three;!or';four' ; ;mightW;be;-: ; cbnside'red 0: blanks,- /because': of -''dry/ weather;.;'; not' ;.;to '''•■ .:': : Bp'eafe':of. the'dreadful: drought ;that'comes /'--:!-//thereat The!-- black-soil,'.is. Tvery;!difficult- to ; ■''-V'---'--workT^»nnot''' ; 'bßrftbucne'd 'in'/wet/lweather, :'-: :';'arid v is'very:hardto.*plough3n ':'■'; The/whiteants eat-down'the.fences,' -and; at-" ;;';'::;;:.;>;'tßck;the:housesi6verywhere.;:i;Eunning water; ;/'"'./ 7 isi hardly, ever-iseenii and /there '■■') are -plenty, .of 7/ :'M;Bnakes. ; : i lTieKsummer3eat7Si : offen/10o': or ';!' -/ ; even': 110 ;on:-the.vDarlihg'Dpwnsy;;and:.inwin- ■ ■'. '; '■: ''■ 'ter :tKere blows/a.bitterly/cold, wind' for days 00-e& '. a/tifce^i-The^besticleared^landvis^jvoriih: V, ; it'is^here^^am^etc^^'V:::;/':;^;- ,'- ■':' '''> 4%i : MA^'; ; THAT INjVNEW. 0 ' v 00&100000'Ml&AM)000000 0

August 23. BOTANICGARDEN'FOR NATIVE PLANTS. Sir—l see by/The DoMiKro'Jf that it; is proposed to establish a Botamo Gaiden tot Native plants, eta, also that it is proposed to locate the new gardens'in the Newtown Park. Per--1 mit me to" suggest that a much more suitable site for the purpose would be found m Wilton's Bush, between Wadestown and Northland, whjch has been recently reserved ,and fenced in by the Government. It already contains many magnificent /specimens of Native trSes and plants >saved from the wholesale destruction of former years by the previous owner, Mr. 'Wilton Ido hope and tiUst a site will not be decided oh. without a fair and impartial report i on the. claims of Wilton's Bush. I also think that 1 this is a matter of national importance, and that the Government should take it up and not throw the burden nn'the backs of the already over-weighted ratepayers of the oity. The Government, with their many officers spread all over''the-land, is,in i much "better position to make a grand sue-, sees*of this proposal than the City Council, ind none of its officers is qualified f6r the rork. The Parliamentary members for the listnct ought to "put their shoulders to the rheel," and get the Government to take it up. Uyhow, here is a large ,and valuable block ofi *) and,* close to the-city, taken out of occupa- ' ion by. Government! ownership, and they ought to see that ltiia utilised and not left an the »ame unfortunate and 'disgraceful plight as the Town Belt.-I am, etc., UTILITY. August' 23. ' • -+< UW' wo; i - --A SUGGEStION. ' v Sir?-I often wonder,that those honoured with the decoration of th'e New Zealand' Cross, together with the one holder of the Victona Cross, of which the former is a counterpart, do not foregather once in the year. Whilst the questiun of military training is the. one of the momcint, such a meeting of'V.C. men would be in object lesson to the young folk of the Dokiinion.—l am, etc, NUMBER 53. August 23. i ',' CAN SUCH THINGS BE? >' Sir,—l would ask your kind offices, to allow ihe following to appear in your paper. In ionnection with this communication the sosailed Liberal Government, which has been a, jontinuous one since the late E. J. Seddon 1 seized office, will be referred to as "the, Incongruity." means a Government composed ot many conflicting elements. In Seddon's time he, with very few exceptions, seleoted those as members tor his ( Cabinet who were'(we will say) plastic. The present Incongruity, Ward's belectipn, contains one Irishman, one half-caste Maori and one Maori, the rest being Scotchmen. There are fieeholders and leasenolders amongst them, a Smgle-taxer, and a theoretital, Sooiahst. l , ' Now, what have w.e to thank the Incongruity for? , , ■ i Is it true that the Incongruity has been kept in power by the 'working man's vote, the vote in the House being principally that of the southern members plus the Maori vote? , Is it true that millions of money have been spent on unproductive railways in the Middle Hand? fc , ' Is it right to say thai this expenditure has been incurred to procure votes in order to retain ofhee? Is it true that the larger proportion of the members of the Upper House are nominees of the Incongruity? " Is it true that when a leader to represent the Incongruity in' the Upper House has been required, the Incongruity have been compelled to nomirfate someone from ofltside to fill that position? (notwithstanding the fact that there have been and still are ex-Ministers of the Incongruity in the said House.) ' . Is it true that certain members of the Opposition 'on joining the Incongruity have been rewarded with the emoluments of office? Is it true that thts 'Jate Sir Harry Atkinson, when necessity for retrenchment owing to the shortcomings of a previous Government, reduced his own salary first and that of the , members of the Government? Have the Incongruity ever done so?' ' Is it true that a sum of money is fixed by Parliament for Ministers' travelling allowances? l „• I Is it. true that members of the Incongruity are nearly always travelling? Is it true jthat there has been a liberal response to subscriptions towards the unemployed fund, and that the Incongruity are conspicuous by the. absence of their names feom the lists? ' Is it true that the old age pensions were increased from .£lB per annum to ten shillings per' week prior to the election before la-it ? (Another bid for votes) > Is it true that 'the late R. J.; Seddon said that the spoils should go to the victors in appropriating moneys for expenditure in the several constituencies? , , > Is it true that the losses on the railways amount to over half a lnillian per annum? made'up as under Loss on running, say, JC2(!0,000; items charged to loans, say, .£250,000; credit taken for work.done for-other Departments, say, £150,000; interest.and compound interest on these losses not yet computed tyll have to bo ascertained and added to these appalling figures. (Note—These sums are only approximate, owing, to the report on tho New Zealand Kailways not being available for reference )

/Is -it-true -that /it -is, the railways in the North .Island .that': have'' to'pay ■ moot of the; Interest on' all the; railways?, ■: ■■ ' '■.■ . ■ : ; : Is ;itj;- true;; -that ''Native glands -are -exempt from charges that have to be paid by the European-; settler?. <\r.''.\-r : : :-'_:'■■'}•-.■'■■)'.■:' ■'■. .;'..-.-'.-,;.;. '.i'lsvit', true .that .pests'/of.-Various '.;kinds .on. Crow'n and: Native lands,-and-from which they; 6pread: on to ; lands /held-by. settlers,' are not. d?alt...with,'-. and .'that; the? settlers' who suffer. thereby, are compelled by snch pest?? ■;■';:;%:/. v T f'Vt ;■■;;;';:'-.':■'■';;'-■';'■ v, -.-■;• Is-it: true;'that 'the Government valuators, .acting-on instructions,:so'increased land values that, they ■/■'cannot';'be disposed of .at; the prices. ■fixed /by- them? 1 '••'•';:'•;■. '.'.''-,; '/' .'ls.'it.triie that .the expenditure per -annum of .'.the present ./Incongruity, during the first years, of its existence, far exceeded-that of the previous 'one by: many thousands;-per. annum?' : /.If: the.:foregoing .'are all true, is it credible, Js it'.understandable that the present Incongruity.should, /ignoring, the: members.of Parliament, -offer ..the'- .English - Government a. Dreadnoueh,'or two/if necessary??forsnch'an ;6ffeVv.would necessitate provision being made :'for'.a;laree sum*Of money per- annum for inter-

': est and sinking fund, for some twenty years, '•' before the.expiration of ; whioh the sum so ; appropriated would: be, represented by the ".' scrap heap.: '"•;.!/• 'iooi- '0' [ r 0 ... ■■' : Seeing the large amount of the Puoho Debt, ; n'ow.someJß7o,ooo,ooo,the-'annual; iesses on the i: railways, to' which, may be added tho loans to i piiblio* bodies and mortgages,: .the interest on ' all of vAioh-'is a drain,on the; community, 1 would it riot have,been,;wiser to' have paused ;•' before incurring this additional burden, and . ' , far better to have'increased our annual con- ,-■■ tvibution to the. Navy, in .place of giving "a Dreadhongbt^o'r'two"?lVhat wpuldbe thought of any. company,'''association, or private indi- ; vidual.that weritin for suph reckless exptodi' '. \mi?::;■■;'■'.'■■'. >r<;.;-:-'i i-■:•■;-:■■: ■ . '-'.0 , :The responsibility,.- avery.grave one indeed, i rests on those electors:whose, .votes have kept \- this spendthrift'lncongruity -in office.—l am, ■ 0": .■:> A; NORTH ISIANDER v '24/ 1909.; V •/, '/ • : i; ■ ''.■■- Sir;— Kindly allow me -a' litis • space in; your valuable paper to' enter a, protest: against the unfair manner in which Mr. Bailey, the Mel--1 bourne medium, is being treated by the Wel- » lington sitters.- I consider he is.beibg insulted, ,; reviled,'and malignantly reproached by those : who' are , taking up the. theme against spirit , return' and'-; manifestation; ..' -That ..this' is... a natural' la*, is known beyond doubt by those who have given; time and attention, and also gone.into investigation' with a fair, and uhbiased mind.: It is evident to-me-that most, of those who 1 composed thatseance, are ignorant of. the,;laws that, govern the universe, and we generally'find.those people who'have .given least thought'arid investigation to these matters_"are the loudest in voicing .their opinions on subjects they know, little .about.: Now, sir, I know, arid every day proves,the truth of the evolution arid continuity of,life:after. the,change called : death,_;being ,a-'-trance/■•medium,'.-often,-called. . .hyper-sensitive, on account :pf the |deep condition I aril-in.'. My own consciousness being/in abeyance/.when/.in'thatvpsychic state can,'/and is, controlled by; ihdse' \i-ho have passed to .the spirit 'world.', -Doctors take' charge of my..organism,, to, diagnose the human .body, speak as to the.'condition they find that body in, and .successfullv-.treat' in."all manner of disease. In the las{ nine or ten years hundreds of poor suffering humanity hayo been relieved,'. and restc/redto health by this method.. I am simply ' mentioning these conditions, -to show, if one phase', of /mediumship ;is .true, other'phases m'jst 'of necessity be equally true and correct. Bat''the ! 'pity;is that ;sb many people'do not understand: that in trance conditions! must be observed—that; a trance medium' is iri'a- negative state, has not resisting,power against the 'active' minds of. the sitters, that their; vibrations aot either for or'against that onennind. Mr./ Bailey should have had: protectors around him,'to.ward off-those opposing minds.- ; v_ ; I: imagine" one poor'frail being in'that negavtive; condition, that precludes" all possibility of "'asserting -itself,' /surrounded /by strangers-(forty),--many minds /are' in ./direct opposition,'sending-out-all their^^^thought forces against; any result being obtained,, putting forth: 'any ./hypothesis, . but the'/■ true, one .to account;-for. anything: that might take .place; Is this :fair:.or; jristf-..-I :trow .'not.' How very different are! the conditions' observed in,.-Mr.' Stanford's';-circle./..There all : are in harmony, sitters '; only,, too':-desirous; of /obtaining: the yory'.best results, where, some of the: grandest 1 iriinds 'in '..Melbourne are seriously'' and , v care-, fully: gathered /together ,to investigate;. Think 'you: for one;■ moment,those minds could be .imposed on, or ,any fraud,permitted.:; Away with such a thought. But there no stranger can gain admission; unless vouched for, by some of the/sitters., If Mr. Bailey ha!d such protection aind: surroundings ■ now, how very different .would.:;be; the/results.,:-. At the'; present you - a'ra'V'.pnly:>'e'onriuis'-:<failuie;-'>;T.-Havii]g.::'recent]y been : in -Melbourne I;know the great difficulty of being-admitted,to,Mr. Stanford's.circle. .'Spiritualism, and .spirit return,' is as true as day'follows night;*ifonly!investigated'with a -fair'/and unbiased: mind. : Thousands chave beeii helped, 'arid."-.-blessed, 'by-- the- 'return!, of : those,:iWhp,:/have ileft. -the earth, plane, /myself , among the .nuthber; for-1; have proved beyond -doubt,tho. progress and -evolution ■ that is ■•'■ tak-* :ing /place-,iri -:the; after life. y?e -.who,- have. studied' in/this direction fully realise'the great .help tihd benefit-there: is in understanding 'tho great "arid/grand forces.. of: -nature,' that are all around us. By'allowing.'the mind' to expand and /diligently." seoj'ching' is' the only / way to .' arrive at- the...truth, yl am' surprised; arid disappointed -that .Spiritualists/have riot taken this ; matter in ;hand, i /an,d' ; not allowed! the sceptics :'&'rid ! ''detractoVs''{o ,; iiave. all their own /way.,.' -that-ihis letter /will be the means,of-arousing others more able than myself to Voice a. word' for 'tb.e/truth!of Spiritualism, and thanking you in' antioipation.—l am, ! :eto., 00 ''- ■'.'■ 0 :r '■ 000&i\*. CAVELLE.;:-' :;;Palmerstbri;;North.;-;: //':• -.■'/' V"..-?. '•;. //'^WELUINGTON'S' ■■■■'. , /Sir,—l think that Wellington should-possess i an/ppera house worthy of the place. For, in- i stance,/'we'-have, a', fine' Town: Hall, why .not an Opera : Hou'se?.:The;present Opera House is not / ,'u-very magnificent-looking structure either, out- ] '.side or -/in;/being disgracefully dirty. and dark , ■inside, "/seats all cramped -. together,, and, above . all, /the backs of the 'seats in ■ the family circle j have /been /taken'; away; which .I: consider/.is a . •most; cruel! thing to-have done,, especially for j women: having to/sit 'out. a' performance with no back' to the "'seat, but puly a pair of big ' feet prodding in your back all- the time, ' now-the; people have been robbed of having a ' back/to-.lean' against, which I understand was tb.m'ake the building hold'more people; crowds i are unable to obtain admission on the nights | of good plays. If the Building is too small , for tho size of the city, why not build a new • ono'r—l am, etc., , SEATS WITH NO BACKS. , August 24. ' DESECRATION! \

''Sir,—ln .your .-paper to-day: it is-stated that a;receptjon to certain returning athletes will bo' .> given '■■■: in the ■ TOWN" .' HALL. ■ Now, sir, '? right., here. I object to i that: "noble pile" ,:ybeing :so .desecrated.- If the ' Eev. J. J. will move to have a placard exhibited oil that' 1 elevating building, saying: "Visitors must 'not. touch," ne shall have the. whole-liearleil support of yours, etc.,:.; MOMUS. ..'.August,24.",-'.':■'■'''''.!.':..'■''•.' '" ':;••