LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1002, 17 December 1910, Page 10

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

•THE COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE MOKAU PETITION. chairman ; of( the r comtnittpe, (i-'Mr. T.: H. Davey,..in your issuo of tlto 6 th; gives the blank denial to certain irtatements that appeared in' a note of v. initio on\tho 3rd; and he asks tlie .pub-' ;owait the publication of the evi;,vdence upon which I can be ''accurately >• : judged. ■-.-. This evidence has' now ap--Vpaared in print, to enable such judgment ■' "to bo arrived at. Ho. says that he did ■3i:nbt\make the "silly statement" I r.ssign to him m Paragraph 1 of my note, • namely, t " that the,; committee, was' only; . . considering tho matter in order to de-in-what manner; the. petition-should be investigated, whether at ihe Bar'of :— thß.House or by .somo such competent jv;tribunal as recommended by tho Selcct Committee of 190S, arid riot to .hold the ' ■full inquiry. I say again, that his to myself could '?fn6i.meari anything else,; and' whilo' tho • ; point was under consideration one/of thoi.jnembers,' Mr. Newman, • I believe,i ho .did>;riot.-,consider iitho i 't evidence of cither Mr. Jones or Dr. t.-.iv Fradlay was required .to' decide it.' This f';,!observati6ri^. although : in tho written' | v proceedings doc 3 not appear in . the |. printed- : copy—and ion Page 31, Mr. Okey. is reported, as pointing out that i it. was never intended at tho commenceth'ei committee.: should,,jnf ,:quir<s into tho. case beyond, defining- the jn the '-petition should be i;.-.' dealt_ with.. ,This'"was : not''disputed : "at , tKe time by the commiti-00. Ki tfr'tlfti' ■■ donisls of Mr. Davey respecting my' be--;i ing refused the- right to call ! j';;to..'rebut v statements made by-. the 'other ride,::and upon other points, I' invite ' ; ,ifttt'ention io the application; reported,- on r .Page 31; as being made by; Mr. Okey, 1 Mr. Hindmarsh, and myself, which was >■ refused by the chairman in' tho two; last ®Uriißi;;of::th^:procDedings : --rPago::32. -. 13. '. Jt can serve no good purjjdsp; to follow I " : Mr--- Davey or his -denials, any further. !- .' JTh'ero: can: be. no ; other; interpretation Replaced upon such'-than .'th'at'-juri ' Okey' [;|i|n':;liis,letter' to Sir- Joseph Wa'rcl-' lias -.;>-concocted t-ho story,': andvthat I have k^!«^))rsed"it;. : '-.lliere vis-,.- however, a cir-. te cum.stanccv.pf-;omission: in' the; Sprinted pSocument'/to hand'>.to-day,-that'.li'as ;im-: |jf.poHant'-;bearing oif'tho'. entire'case.. "I ! refer to the absence from the publica- ; • -.tion of the Order of the English Chan-F's-,cery: Court, 1907, J, ii 410,. put in by' fetae" as. an. exhibit before'.the. committoe, ; ' - directing ' the trial ~ofi:aii , action for, reK.deinption, to proceed; inbtwitlistandirig a' :'M motion-: on behalf.. of:-; th' 6;.: executors to. it',out; as' : : being;' ~''frivolous." {i l -,--Other documents put - iiV 'as exhibits f' v':-;were:'published. I particularly li tha^this' one should also. -be-jprinted, j:.' but it was j particularly. .. omitted. It |V: -r'Tnay" be' remembered that;,. I had,, been !:* slandered by the Full, Court here—by |;SDr-'^: Firidlay.jin..tho Le'Eislatiro Co'incil l and the press, and bv tne Stout-Palmer |-;."Cdnnriission report (the latter concocted Ki'tebind my, back), in that I ha'd reI- nudiat-od a certain agreement, quoted by i Dr. Fmdlav, -Hansard, August 17,. i- 1010, ~p. 593, of . November; 16, 1906, j-i-i, made ..pursuant to- an order, of, July, :■'"1904, in the King's Bench Division. But '-•(■ this -Chancery, Order of Noveinber:,':.'l," : ffi:|.lSo7, r ;thatvspp,e'rseaed. tho, previous or-, ff/d&,:-.;nas";been and 'flouted, all • through tlus' business; - An attempt,-was. iy ''even to ~prevent', :.me produemg itSeptember,9 last: |j:'.The N prdVrVi'wSSi. -mado, ,by thoJudge— > having thp New, Zealand statutel befor*. jcomplotp i]nioTvledge-; ? bf ■; the L 'JSjng's Bench Order, 1904, and - agreejim^its'pursuant, ana ' being-fully in- • ifinned of the salo of tho- mortgage by s ;,&Mexecutors ,to tKßrßSelves througn'the, Sr.;Registrar at.'New!lTlymout)i.-'fqr ! £l—. f .'whei'eby. they. tho : L'.T.-'pro-visional Register. As " stated in tho .they. inerely passed it ..from, one .'the 'and'fwitholit' <livesl> ;v themselves of-.responsibility.., :(>'Sf Every. argument that ' poworful .'cbtm-:: ind. aftidavits.iby ■ New'.::ZEa")apd so-' uwtors could produce was submitted: to; but .Mr./' f®wsslfirm:iri:iiis:(secisi6n ; (which'appeired f'.; by cable jn The Doml\ion issue of two ft:., days-later). ■ He; however, doubted the. ! '• jurisdiction. being m England.--: Hp be- |"'' : lieved' New Jiealand was tho : proper f place l 'to:- try the caotion; . : Acting': upon-; jM'this intimation and"the; advice of ppxm-:Bel,-"'I. allowed, t-ha .to cj* lapse, rfiiurned to - tho «:Doiriiiuqn,' ;irid wp'ceeded:'to recbmmericd'ltho 'action pt;ihere; / arid:, lodged s , eavea.t ■; preparatory. i\ In-'tbo meantime.the 'executors,; who ; 'wore -trustees'of. the propertyfor me, '■-'■transferred the property' 1 , to'a Mr.; Her-' matin' Lewis,' j under circumstances : which r, '1, have narrated ori-.previous occasipns,; tfcond placed his 1 name , on the register, as h -owner- He, in tiiVn; the sbmo .day' ef- : fected a mortgage to-them/. Consequent' fct'/upbriithis .-trinskctipn[-1 was.ordered =_by ' > the Full Court lo:'remove t-hb-'caveat, f. .. refused tho right , to bring : it;;-jiiid ieavfe;--to -, appeal l "' td' tlis ; i';,:-Privy-Couiioil; ;!where,;.l' Kt/zthp- decision -would Jhavpi;beCT.\sliattere'd . j .- .to tho winds. . •. ,r i • . Mr.' vOkey, in his noto. to' tho .Prime .'expresses ly? :.lif)jrf;:.th"it' had : tC 'the' r'proceed ings: ■' befprpAtho^ponimittgo.-; Kf 'lKcfctaken in; thp". open .upon path,, and. j?; : i-pUbli?hed'by the press,, in t-ho Hiuo 4?'. case; : .'a' ; .yery different-', report' would : and 1 ; bC;* li^p 1 .not: Kesitato'-'cto. say..that' the: mar.', r • tonal : Btatemprits'-rriaile: wit T :, {. nessce uiider covc-r.before the; commit-. R;;;tee ,-would- not-have been': madp'-without; gV pther- -fpllbwing. • Again; is disclosed in- the document j.-;; that ! thb six,'riiembers : :wh'o "framctlrthe v in-'- ■. . eluding the Chairman, S: -. Whip, : and 'a Cabinet Minister, so that in any case I should have had but, a : ' sorry show.'' ...The.: truth was,not ,rcn- ' dered,, and. justico was wholly set' asido, Ii 'l.had :rio. ropresoritatives on'the comriiit-' ; tee.; ; In the Hine : ,caso ; that hoii.'' g;enI' tleman had a fair jury and publicity, • and so provcd:his case. I ! ask you .to publish tlie order of,t]io, ii : . Chancery-: .Court, which •;bears- out' my"! ; ; ;• contention.' as. to V:thp '-latest - view ' .the: .. Engli sli; Courts tpok.-.of: my rights .—I. am; etc., - ; ' J. JONES. ' • i December 10, 1910. - • . . : . ,1907.-, J. ;-i4io: - ..' Friday,'the Ist day ot NoVeiriber; J907, - U: ■: ■: In tho "High Court of' Justice, Chanv .eery. Division. Mr. • Justico -Parker. Joshua Jones'; plaintiff, and :. / Sarah -Jano Lefroy, wite of tho Rev. £:. Anthony "William Hamon Lefroy, Archi- : bald Bence Benco- Houry Kcmp---.Welch,' and Sir Colin Campbell Scott ji:; Mortcnoff, defendants., vr. motion this day. inade unto this ; Court b f y counscl" for tho "defendants. E'i.v.'That,this''action.might.bo,dismissed on ?-,',",thq.grounds:—- . ■ • !:.;, ~ ,:(a) That it is'frivolous and .vexatious v :and--an T.buso of the process of tho rf.V Court:;'.and' j? (b),That all tho matters in respect of i^f'whichithislAction was brouglit : were 'be-:j'-'foro..the--commencement of this action agreed to be referred to the Honourable L v Mr.f Justice Binijhani, and;upon hearing. 'tounselifor the plaintiff, and upon read- ,; ing the writ of summons issued in this oh : the , 7th August, 1807, an affe;4';fidavif*'ftft Jlalph, Wickham Flower, filed • thp_ 17th of October, 1907, and the exI- •'- hibits therein -referred: to,'-the exhibit ' R.W.F.Ii being a 1 'Certified. copy of a ft -: "momorandura ' : of, 'mortgage dated the i 27th July, 1906, in tho said writ meni ' tioned'the 'following affidavits filed tho ' 23rd of October, 1907, namely—(l) an • affidavit of , Stanley. Edwards, and (2) an affidavit of James Edward Hogg, and (3) an affidavit of the plaintiff, filed V - tho .31st of October,; 1907. , - • . This'Cburt doth order that all.further; f proceedings in this action be stayed ex-, r : cept s.ich as relate to-the . plaintiff's

claim : -to an. account ■ and redemption as 1 mentioned, in paragraph 5 of the endorsement of thp.said writ. 1 And.Hbo-plaintiff,-and. tho defendants by-their counsel-consenting thereto, this ..Court,doth'tr.eat the summons for directions /as'. 'libw before tho Court, and doth order that the plaintiff do,-on or before t-lie, 15th November, 1907, deliver his; statement'of claim. H ' '-> , Aifd' thit- dpfandaiitts do .within seven days-, after suckv'tiejivery deliver, their . , ■: ' And the defendants are to,be at liberty to Sifiply: as they may be advised after the' delivery of- the statement of claim. ■ The costs'-of; tho'-said motion are to be the defendant's- costs in any event. This i 3 a true"copy of tho order as signed and entered. v , (Signed) J; M'.'.'A. Jenkins,' Edmund .F,. ,Buckley, ;Jjincolii's „Inn. ;.ljsth January-,- 190£>. -j..-,.-.-CARE OF SOLDIERS''CRAVES. . . OUR UNHONOURED' DEAD.

. Sir,—lt is with considerable trepidation,that .•! venture, to, notice the -com-' iriuhication from .'tho' un3er-\Vorld conin 'yorir ife'gtie 'of. Ddcfc'mber 8. :• Angels\. and lininMateSSfr.- grace defend :us IS-Can fiirt.Joseph Ward then summon spirits-froip .-tUovvasty deep to defehd.h'im.?"'ThdKniglit,'gf.LriMaiicha had a practical purpose' in niirid even when he was found tilting at wind-mills, and his;examplo *is :worthy.r of eriiulation. -Even -he;--though;'-had''something tangible to can ,one.-,tilt .at, ancimpalpable,-spook? >.;> our. neglected dead has- 'beeif ttjp,, serious : to iolfe\abdu¥i'4ih<l-U, j -for-'one;--am not iiiblin&il" to.'i&hiinuo a newspaper cor-. respondenc6''',6fi tho subject in a spirit of levity. Ttfis in his dual" capacity of Minister for Defence and Financed 'and it is hoped as-a patriot to whom the good name of New -Zealand is dear -f-that, Sir Joseph, Ward was approached by tho Auckland brauch of tho Victoria: League. ■ Bdca'usfe it\"feiidw,ancient history, and ; 'for ;.Teason^jy^io)) i .''l}p l Y?'l' ) ?H) l 'if , set "forth in tfi«* newsjjapef_'-press ot tho Dominion,.,it is.dcsirablo'fhat 'fto memory 'of l those""ifhb'.'di&l 'ftflile 'Irving this colony s'houldy lie ' honoured • by those how. enjoying, the' results, of-. their.,sac-rifice,-:.whether. they lie where they fell in action wrapped .in blankeij,. or. died a gar"risdn -.'I:W rcproacTi -for-.tliis long neglect „of.' fifty years .mri'sV 'bo. upon, 'tho? coldriyi-'uh'til the' biirdeh-.' is "taken uo by , l thp : present.generation; and -at the present time, when-patriotism, is so-much .in the air,'it is surely advisablo: thht "tho"Governmeiit .how in offico should encourage "the'efforts being mado by the Victoria League. ' It. is notoasy-to understand the motive, of hisdotter, nor the modesty of his .anonymity, when writing on such asubject; We . can hardly, suppose 'that Sir Joseph :Ward requires him in defepee; hut if t a cheap, sneer at the Victoria League: b'f,Auckland ,is intended, then, so far.-asy Auckland cit.v is concerned your; spook , correspondent may retire again-,:among tho shadosvs of tho past and Test-: assured that iho, c-itizens of.''the..northern" cfyy'-.-will willingly meet, the- Gbvernment-''i£,-for; : "£.-: : i. /.

What.'concerhs'.tiie people of the Dominion vvt.large, though; is the -ebntinlittle, cemeteries .in wTiich are tlie graves'or those who served them-;so'.well when in life. -Some of tli6so are reinote from cities and-town-(shiiis,,4nd;.in.tlie longtlieglept/pLyears ~7as m; the caso/'pf Syino'nds'' 'Street' Cemetery/'Auckland—decay has obliterated- all individwility. -There are also many cases,-which' a Royal Coriimis'sion should be appointed to seek, out and; report, lipon, where the dead of the late Queen's troops and afioloniak forces;'*were,Was' youiscorres,pondent states; 'irit>tfelr .blankets and buried '?whVrc. they fell. In some cases the: bracken waves over tho graves,* and-in others tho settler's the bones' ..for a canons correspondent to write to thb~pr^S;-spndpringly- j; abput,- Tho his.tbfioaTlfnoailcage if '"The Ghost of a Slain Soldiefc" is' accurato enough, but if. visit' the little ceme-, teries at Waitara,-'- iriv Taranaki;' that' at the mouth of the Waingongoro, near Hawera , ~:'Te Pukehinahina i(the, Gate or any of:.the;:'scbres ; .;p/'--places so an oc- , ciisipPal-Visit'' of-ia:.fafigUe"- : pafty undertake. ;... ...... .. ... ; jjjjtems work' undertaken Sj.-t-hj'j GuiMjof wyal 'Wo--marked and.vcar.e.'for. tljp graves;, however" isolated, of,', those.' I\yho ■'- fell - in - the war there', 'one oaiihot but -wonder at ; tho. supirienpss in * matters " affecting-v-the-'national honour of the pleasure-loving sisterhood of Zealand.; "Here, in'a large; an.d <i sunlit land, . ; Where no wrong"bitcsHo the bone, • J: will-lay . my''hand iri : my neighbour's ..J feuv. w f . • ' . 1' Aivditjgetlifii; w j e,- t wi|.U,i,tbnp ? - ''- jFor tlio Jreaeh. ; 1 And. the".black,-waste,. pf .it all, ■ Giving- and; taking .counsel each : ' s':- Prp'f v th6--'<»ittle-lfr{ia}.f' , ;' : ?;' : !-,: . C. A. YOUNG;,-.Gafitain (late) .The Liricolnshire~Regimerit. ■' Tuakan, Waikato,'' \ u ' •! December 8, 1910'.'.:' . . -

! DAY'S BAY'FERRY_ SERVICE. ) ! . I-U 'u , : ' Sir.j—lfij-Ouiiwill.-kiri'dlp al]oiv, me a -little.-spaoo inuyprir»paper like to, draw-' a .matter-which I .thin'k;'ig"pf"a' , 'se'fi6"asTsSWre-r"""' • ■ Yesterday afternoon I took the Day's Bay .trip, and looking on tho notice :board at, Day's Bay 'to' - ascertain -what time the boats returned to. the city it was marked-(in-addition leaving earlier in tho afternoon)' 6 and .7.10 p.m. " Together .with my friends wo returned- by the,: latter,,boat. >Thp ticket-collector .going'- hy yojind;; for' the tickets informed mo that tho" tickets . which I had .would . not do for that trip, stating that the 7.10 from Day's Bay was. a special-' boat for; the benefit, ' of the residents of that portion of the harbour,'arid'requesting .V shilling each !for the journey across; which sefemed me to i bo ridiculpas.- Ho r stated: that the time-tible was fixed on the ticket .office on tho City Wharf wliioh gave particu!ars„pf '.the 7 n :lp. from. Day's :and also it iva.s advertised" ,in' the.daily papers." "■ If this should, catch- tho- eye of the ■Wellington; Harbour Ferries- Company they will observe that: no particulars appeared in tho daily , paper about a special boati for: which' extra . charge would bo made. The advertisement states that, the boat leaves the Bay at 7 o'clock on, Wednesday evening', circumstances; permitting. It is very mis-leading-to the public. On arrival in the city- I made it. my business to find tho time-table on i the ticket office and it was right ori'.tlle. end inside a window and where no', oho would think of looking, the office being close up to- the railings. Thero were quite a. number, of passengors on this boat "victimised in the sanio" way. and if the presidents of that suburb arovgoing to.have a spccial boat run at the .exponso'of the goneral public the-'company will very likely find a decrease in the passenger traffic. Would it not 4>p-wiso to have a notico to tho effect that tho usual daily ticket is not available for tho Wednesday special boat, and thus savo any inconvenience both for the public and the harbour employees?—l am, etc., , . r - 'K ARMSTRONG. Wellington,' December 15, 1910. [Mr. Zohrab, manager of : tlie Wellington Harbour Ferries, Ltd., when approached: regarding;:the above "matter, stated that "his company. put on this special boat:to leavp Day's Bay at 7.10 'p.m.-,'' liy: arfangemerit" with,,.tho East;bournn Borbugh Council, for; the convenience'of "residents on' the other side

of the harbour. ' "It is exactly the samo : thing as. a special tram-car," said Mr. Zohrab,' "and a special fare is charged for it. . A notico appears to this ettect at the foot of all time-tables."] .

SOME QUESTIONS. : Sir,'—Your leading articles make one think, and t'ken one wants to ask questions. But the'question is: Who is.to answer? Hardly fair-to expect you to devote more spaco than you do already in tho cause of educating tho public in matters that, should bo taught in the sixth standard.* -Why not start a weekly edition,' in which answers will ba given to .seekers after knowledge of pure political and municipal government? - The paper would be . largely appreciated, and: should be thankfully subscribed to by every school committee. Try it,"at. 6d. a number ; no party bias. ... • For instance,. I want to know,, amongst other matters:—(l) Why.,are hot the walls of' both Chambers , of Parliament lined with.,..maps ~ showing; the date and amount of every loan raised by this Dominion; 'how much paid off; when balance to bo paid; cost of raising each loan, with all items analysed to the most riiinuto degree? Then members, with these maps before them, might learn something of their duties. (2) Why should any man be Primed Minister more, than one,year: (3) Why, sliould -any' man,.hold a port folio-more than cone: year? .(4). Ad'', pitting that the. rising,.generation. ia Educated in pure government (of; which' they now know ; nothing).-; by.; your, weekly instructor,: would .tney;,not. then. Select their by him,-: on. acconnt'.r'/of'.'ihis'' -sterling qualities, tho. man-.wlioilSould 'fight...for pure government, 'and. not a man ambitious for self? ~(5)- Then, given aHouse so elected, why should not it select its own Cabinet, and why should the Cabinet not select its President or Prime Minister? 'As' things are now, and have been, Government is a pro-, fession, and the man who is most ambitions and most wide-awake to his. selfish- .' interests' makes ' himself thoroughly au fait with Parliamentary' procedure and well versed in flap-doodle, becomes-Premier, and, instead of being the elect of tho . people, he ' elects Cabinet,, members and ~ all, just reversing what should bo the case. Kindly tell me'where I am wrong, and if you start your weekly; instructor I can-ask', a lot of questions—general ones, not personal—l am, etc., i ; SIXTH STANDARD.

; DO THE RAILWAYS PAY? ; Sir,—After years of stereotyped denial pn the part of tho Government that the railways wero run at a loss, Sir Joseph Ward was finally forced to confess that there .were six branch lines that did not return interest on the cost of construc-tion.--Mr. Millar's plan to nicet the difficulty .-.was to penalise tho travelling pub'lio. by':, a heavy inprease of fares in order ,'to- mako the railways pay 3 per cent. The .'question now arises:/' Are the railways paying at present? I answer.in the negative: -Hero,''is the proof Zealand Gazette," July 28,' railway . working account, showing the -.'revenue and. expen■;diturp to the termination of ..the".period ■ending . June. 25, 1910,' Pictori section, 3-1 miles, four-weekly, revenue ---:'.'J61690 13s. ;10s;,., four-weekly ..expenditure .C 1757 9s/ ■'August 25, four-weekly.:, period,, revenue : 6s. Id:,' four-weekly expenditure ;J02224 Is. Id:---.Total'to date,'.from'the be-' Binning* of the financial-.year,.*':--revcnuo i£BSO7 Is., expenditure '568312/135..,5 d. ; :' per. jcent of revenue, 100.07.; revenue, per-,mile,>. ,i! 791 Is.; expenditure per mile, .£794 lis. 5 lOu., showing a loss, ot 10s. 101. per mile on a whqle . year's working. To bo strictly correct, fbr the former period per cent of revenue is stated at 90.09 for June, 100.07' for July, and 98.07 for August. Is this insignificant credit balance sufficient to, meet interest, on, cost of con; struction?,, Dccidedly:"'ribt."'''How, ! , then', is it paid? Out of tho public funds raised by taxation. It -is quito safe to'say that tho annual loss on this branch alone .amounts to at least .£IO,OOO a year;-which' the:, whole people'are compelled to pay. ■There .is no-doubt that a similar state of 'affairs prevails on Other branch lines also. The peculiar vice of Governmentowned, railways is that de&cits can be recouped' from the taxes. This is impossible pri private lines. There the loss falls on ;the shareholders. I am not 'condemning . State-owned railways, but if the system of "efficient administration and economy observed "on: private'lines is not adopted-r and vit never, will bo,, under the ;present Government—then the private'system': is preferable, for'.under it ..the. public: is not required .to meet, deficits-i-it, has ,:not. j»n-.. tracted. Further-.returns show that the position on the Blerihciin-Pictori branch is even worse. . "Gazette," October 20, giving returns to September 17, 1910, fOurweekly revenue , <£1466 165., 2d.; four-' weekly expenditure,'<£l9lo Is. 3d.ytwelver montnly period, -average to date, revenue per milo £1*1.165. Bd., expenditure, 18s. 10d., loss per mile J!l6 2s, ;2d. This is',Only what can be, expected when we consider.that .a sailor'without anyjexperionce of railway work is in absolute trol of Oneof the most .important .Departments .of the 1 Government;—l; ;ani, etc., 1 ' . F. W. BUEKE.

MENTAL HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS. Sir,—During last session Parliament decreed that, tho lot of the attendants be improved, and I would, like to know. the Government's intentions on the subject, because nothing has been done, only at Seacliff,' where, as a result of Mr. W. H. Herries's criticism on the high ex-' ponditure, tho "tone" of the' "Depart-: mental Fricassee Hibernia" has , been reduced considerably." The unfortunate attendants are badly in need of a, little journalistic sympathy, and I will be.plensed if you will inquire as to the improvements, and publish the result for the information of your readers at Porirua.— I ami etc., - t, . ' r -: B. O. FULLBROOIv. 9 Ghuznee 'Street,-Wellington, ! December 12, 1910.

THE IRISH QUESTION., Siri—As an Irishman, I have read your leading- article of last' Friday, on the Irish Question,-with a good, deal of interest. ; While far': from, being iri accord with you-in all the salient points, in your, urticie, yot there is mucli-'iivit that commends itself as regards- the policy to beadvocated and maintained by the Irishparty and all well-wishers of Home Rule. Though strong and fiery speeches ,' have been often made by members of. the Nationalists, still they, are at all times ready to accept and welcome a policy of conciliation and goodwill, as accompanying a fair and-just treatment of the Irish people, even now at the eleventh hour. That is the all-important point that a great many, perhaps'unconsciously, others purposely and deliberately, lose sight of. William O'Brien has been in gaol,- as well as John Dillon and John Redmond' for. their, strong and fiery language and actions, in advocating the demands; and rights of their countrymen. Tho truth is thai the iniquities of tho past wantonly 'inflicted on the Irish—tho confiscation of their lands, the deportation and banishment of the people, the "planting" of "settlers" and handing over their lands to soldiers of- fortune and retainers—all this has undoubted!); contributed to sow the evil seed'of- racial and religious illwill—not that religion ought to come into the question.' .'/' As a matter of fact, religion ' is used as'a cloak by the dominant party or. their descendants in the NorthEast of TJlster, as a "bogey," and to perpetuate the religious intolerance of tho pasT. It is for tho sake of religion, though, it is done. It is for selfish ends, and, to maintain the dominant spirit that has been implanted with them and their forefathers. Suffice for that at present. It is not my desire to go deeply into it, but, as I .have stated, all this has contributed to' sow an evil seed—of tho spirit of domination on the one hand, and resentment and hatred-on tho other. It is. not in human natuile to feel otherwise, and "as we sow so .must we reap." : This' is what, has mado : men like "Pat" Ford and' thousands of 1 pthers the implacable' enemies of England—no doubt about it. - But let restitution bo. made to tho Irish people for the misdeeds of thoir oppressors in the past, and I .venture to assort as an Irishman who holds broad views on the

question, that Patrick Ford and ' others iv-ill very soon cease to preach fire and sword and dynamite. If the lands of the Boers wero'confiscated, the treaty of peace with them broken, and tho people banished from their country and otherwise illtreated, what would you expect? Could you expect them to be loyal to-day? Needless for ine to give an answer to those queries. Of course, material concessions have been made of lato years to the Irish, but much yet remains to bo done—the management of their own internal affairs.—l am, etc., P. M. TWOMEY. MR. WILFORD AND FISHING RIGHTS. Sir,—l notice-a letter in your paper, in which a';llr. T. H. Wilford is reported to have .made a statement in the House which evidently refers to me, regarding the fishing in the Waihaha Stream, Lake Taupo. He stated that I had commandeered the whole stream, and'claimed the power to keep any angler from fishing in it, as I had taken a lease of it from the Maoris. , Both of these statements, aro absolutely incorrect, and I am perfectly 'aware of the-law on these points. His knowledge of tho district is on a par with his statements, as who conld compare, the Wailiaha Stream, which he calls tho "finest trout stream running into Lake Taupo," with t.he magnificent river Toligariro, probably'. the finest trout river in the world, which, flows into tho same ■lake at Tokaami. As to the local people whom ; he mentions "as having as much right to fish tho stream at Waihaha as I have,'. 1 I-„ may . mention that till 1 camped here four years ago nono of these had,taken advantage of their" right. Since I have fished here I'have kept the Maoris ln '.the surrounding districts well supplied with fish,; ■ and as the, Acclimatisation Society, and Tourist Department have done their utmost, With the- greatest success, to open up New Zealand to sportsmen, who greatly appreciate their efforts. I fail to. see why Mi'. Wilford should find my having advantage of these privileges a grievance.—l am, etc., -. W.MOORE.' Lanarkshire, Scotland.