LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 998, 13 December 1910, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

"HOWLERS." Sir—There exists somewhere, I believe, a tribe of monkeys whoso sole claim to notoriety lies 'in the extravagance of • their vocal performances. They are called "Howlers." They toil not neither do they spin. They are good for neither good nor sport. But they howl and howl, unharmoniously aud constantly. Here in Wellington we have a similar tribe.. They surround the football fields, where they do the howling, while others, who aro more; manly, do tho football. But' their ' obnoxious doings' reached a ■ limit oh tho wharf last Sunday, on' the arrival of tho steamer Rotorua from England. Not content with covering tho wharf .with -their offcnsivo expectorations, they hurled a 4'orrent of insult at everyone who ascended or descended tho gangway steps; reserving their most offensivo remarks for tho ladies, numbers of whom were prevented thereby from coming ashore until dark. Surely newcomers, and especially ladies, should not be exposed to such brutalities. One particularly sad featuro of this offensivo behaviour was that there was on board a dying "New Zealander, whose removal to the hospital was prevented thereby. The ambulance' was waiting, but it was out of the question to transport him through the riot. The quest-ion naturally arises: "What were the police doing?" If this is a specimen of Wellington manners; one' wonders whether our Uni-versity-reformers might not seriously discuss the advisablencss of procuring from China, or some more civilised country than our own, a Professor of tho Art and Science of Good - Manners.—l am etc., CARFAX. THE COOK ISLANDS. Sir,—lp Captain Smith's defence published in The Dominion' of November 28 thero is a paragraph, beaded "Public Works Strangely Under-estimated." It would seem that this paragraph has been written in order to explain why tho Eesident Commissioner delayed tho building of tho hospital, and thereby brought about the resignation of Dr. Dawson. May -I ask Captain Smith what thero was to prevent, him from- calling his council together whenever: the ,£6OO had been expended, and taking, another .-vote for this very necessary work of public benefit. ' May I also ask him to explain at what particular time this intense resnect for tho- integrity of the Estimates began to grow up' in his mind, for iu -the early days of his administration ho clearly had no such feeling, seeing that he speiit. ,£OOO on bis owu quarters without tho authority of any vote. I do not desire to take any part in this storm in a teapot, but I would suggest for tho benefit of tlioseguiding the destinies of the Cook Islands that'it will be well for them to adhero closely to facts, and .to avoid all suggestions of "swelled head" in dealing with either the Earopeans or natives of tho islands. If these rules bo observed thero will be no complaints.—l am, etc., AVARTJA. WILLIAM O'BRIEN-FACTION AND TOLERANCE. •' Sir—The defeat of the "official" Nationalist candidates for. .Cork City has inspired the leader-writer in Friday's Dominion- to niako somo remarks about Mr. O'Brien, and incidentally on tolerance. That leading'article has prompted me, likewise, to give theso few paragraphs tho above title: "Wni. O'Brien— Faction and Tolerance." Now, sir, with your permission,' I trespass on a little space in your good journal; There are 'a few who appear to overestimate the significance ot Mr. O'Brien's victory, in Corlc and the vicinity. A superficial knowledge of the political situation in Ireland would, I think, reveal that Mr. . O'Brien's triumph is indeed small. It is true that he has, up to the present, won five 1 seats (ho will probably win ten in all), but this is not so much on account of .his policy, rather it is owing to his personal' popularity in Cork County. For Wm. O'Brien is a gentleman. >■'Ho has lived in Cork since he became Wm. O'Brien.- Ho has been the political hero.of Cork these twenty years. Fifteen years ago he was as furious a Nationalist, as is Mr. Redmond now. Then he attacked the landlords and Cork supported him. Now, he embraces the same landlords and Cork still supports him. Wm. O'Brien is popular in Cork. Wo bear something of taction in Ireland. Well, Ireland sends one hundred and three members to the House of Commons, of which number eighty-two are Nationalists. Of these, seventy-two Na-tionalists-support Mr. Eedmond, so that nine-tenths of tho Nationalist's, at any rate, agreo with Mr. Eedmond. There is then no serious "split. It would be an impossibility to havo absolute unanimity in Ireland—or anywhere else. But I havo shown that the Nationalists aro practically of one ..mind. 1 am uncertain whether the statement that the Nationalists are bellicose, should bV treated in tho paragraph with faction. It is convenient to so treat it anyhow. "Pat" Ford spoke of swords to free his country. Very few would agree with him, and least of all would Mr. Redmond; However, in this connection-it should not be forgotten that. English patriots in days past, havo beheaded a king or two. ' The mild Frenchmen did the same. These little happenings will help us to speak less harshly of a well-meaning, though hotheaded, Irishman like "Pat" Ford." ' It .has been published that Mr. O'Brien is preaching tolerance. That, is a good ideal, even if tho Ulster members showed their intolerance but a week ago. However,'that is just by tho way. There were seven or eight non-Catholics (elected, of course, for Catholic districts) supporting Mr. Eedmond in Ireland.. There is. one less now, for Mr. O'Brien, acting, I suppose in a tolerant' manner, unseated at tho January election Mr. Abraham, a Protestant Eedmondite in Cork County. Yet he preaches (tolerance. Again, 'if Nationalists of Mr. Redmond's huo are.so intolerant, how does it happen that most ej the Irish leaders in the past havo l»en' Protestants ? Again, how is it at the present time that we find in almost totally Catholic districts not a few Protestants chosen by the people? This.surely cannot spell intolerance or hatred?, Thanking you in anticipation,—l am, etc., NON-FACTIONIST.