LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 824, 24 May 1910, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

* THE DUCO CASE, Sir,—l was much surprised to see in < your issue of to-day (May 23) an article headed "Magic in Steamers," and foli lowed by the sub-heading "Tho Deciding I Poiut in the Duco Case." I am not going to discuss that article or to comment on it, but would merely point out that it is most unusual for a newspaper 4 of your standing to publish such an article when several cases involving the very point which yon deal with remain undecided on the list of the Supremo Court. You conclude your article by saying: "When the two experts in court figured out the metacentric height of the Duco— that is the height of the Wonder Point above Point Stolid—and found it to be sufficient, the last word on the little boat's stability had been said." Surely this is prejudging the cases which may follow. Experts are sometimes wrong, as proved by numerous examples of late years. I should suggest that before influencing tho public opinion through your journal you should await the conclusion of the undecided cases. Pino figures do not always make fina birds.—l am, etc., TRUTH. (The arhclo referred to by our oorre» spondent was really an .attempt by a contributor to explain an interesting technical point which cropped up in the Duco case. For tho purposes of his illustration he took it for granted that tho expert evidence in the easo was correct We must agree with our correspondent "Truth" that if other cases involving this point are undecided it was undesirable that the article should have been published. In the circumstances we can only express our regret that there should have been any appearance of endorsing the evidence of one side or the other in the action in question. We should like it to be clearly understood that we had no such intention.] | FREEDOM OF TRADE. > Sir,—l cbngratulate you on your able : '• leader in to-day's issue. You have pointed i out the complete divorce between the high- * sounding platitudes enunciated at Winton & by Sir Joseph Ward and the actual fiscal } policy of the Government. It is notorious i that this policy is one of restriction . and high protection. Taking as their guides the street-corner Socialist prater, * who denounces competition and individualism as the cause of all economic evil, the half-baked State Socialists of th« Ward Government have done everything [ in their power to destroy individual in- , itiative and personal liberty. The pro--5 cess had enabled them, by entering the 9 field .of private enterprise with their \ "Collect!vist" concerns, to pack the pubP lie services with servile followers, whose t only requisite is the least possible j amount of independence arid docile subj. mission to the party "bosses. One act I of the Government is sufficient to corts vict it. At the last tariff revision the Government passed an Act totally prohibiting any dealers from selling agri- * cultural machinery at a less price than I the local-made article. Thus our far- * raers are paying from SO to 40 cent in high protective duties for their machines, and'the price of farm* produce ii J enormously increased to town dwellers. J By every possible method in its power l the Ward, Government has increased the , cost of production of our manuactnrea by p high tariff duties on machinery and raw i' Inaterials, and stilled competition in the * local market. Any yet Sir Joseph Ward' [' dares to tell us that. the Government's " policy is one of complete economic free- > ; dom.—l am, etc., P. 'W. BURKE. * May 16. n * [- — n THE AUCKLAND BY-ELECTFOW. * Sir,—Now that there is to be a by-. :S election for a member of Parliament, 0 the Auckland people will have a chance £ to teach the Ward Government a lesson' 0 in connection with the Enyvett case. Af-. Ji-.ter the way they have been treated by • '» the present Government, they should put d the Opposition in by a majority of two . •j to one. -If they fail to dp so, we in d O.tago will be- very disappointed with h them.—l am, etc., ® . "ONE INTERESTED."- * Dunedin, May 18, 1910. <3 .