A LITTLE BIT RED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1136, 25 May 1911, Page 5

A LITTLE BIT RED.

Sir,—l am afraid "Glenrowan" is "barking .up the wrong tree." I had no desire to detract from Curnow's heroism whatever,' and .I entirely, agree with your contribution-of. the "Night search at Stringy-Bark Creek," that these incidents stand out as 'the only two acts of heroism in ihe whole idrama; although one other might be included,. in a, minor degree, which occurred in Jcrilderie. I cannot recollect the names of ' the individuals concerned, but one of the residents had gh'en the gang, some trouble .in securing Jiim, and this so annoyed one of the.outlaws "that, he hod the man. forced to his knees, with the intention of shooting him there and then. However, one of the men they held prisoner stepped out and told the desperado that they would not stand there arid sea a man shot,in cold blood, and' the bushranger desisted.. This man was unarmed, and his prompt action no doubt saved the other's life. ' Ciirnow's action was really the pluckiest of. the lot, although the.disaster he is' supposed' to. have averted would not be likely to.have occurred, owing to the fact that the police were . taking no risks, and had a pilot engine running aheadof the-train carrying their men, but ■.till that, doesnot-detract from his heroic action. I-admit I may be wrong regarding the actual signalling, but I adhere to all my other points, especially that Lurnow was-not allowed by Kelly to leave the.hotel until'after'dark, no doubt, as he thought,- too-late to interfere, with their, plans.. .However, .my points were First: That the sticking up of Younghusband's Station.was their-first exploit (after Mansfield). . ' Second: That only two of the gang were concerned in the murder of Aaron Sherritt. . ~ , Third- That-Curnow was not-allowed to leave'the'hotel in the afternoon. Fourth: That Byrne's body was not burned in the destruction.of the hotel. -I- am, etc., .' GUMSUCKEE-

IMMIGRATION

• cj r _Tl]k is a subiect that is becoming a ver'v serious one with the -various colonies ' and one that will have to be grappled-with by us sooner or later, as it must be 'patent to all. or most of us that we must-increase our population and bv this means. Unfortunately, this does'not apply-to us. only, but also to Britain's various colonies, the umtwi States of America, and various other States, and in the future we will, no doubt, see a keen competition - for the better class surplus population ot the. Old Land. Population means life to the colonies in many ways that I. do not in' tend to go into, but that are now generally admitted, and wc ourselves could at the present time absorb, a great, many immigrants-of. the. light sort, in spite of- the interested contradictions of various labour agitators, hi this district, alone we could, at the nresoiit ami'for somo time, past, .absorb a great many labouring men fqr fencing, bushfelling, roadmaking, and •women for domestics, our firm-alone having many jobs.hung up, one of them being a mart-forming one of .CSOO, that we have been trying to set men for the last four months for. This state of. affairs, I understand, exists almost all over the Dominion, and, added to the millions of acres of available but unoccunied-land'that could be settled to advantogp to themselves and the country Who right class of immigrant, brings us to. the question if we ought not to make a. special effort-.tc cloture some, of the better class of people that are being crowded out of the Old Land, and who

would.'bn'only too glad to come to us if they could do so under favourable auspices. Now, sir, without interfering with the Government's immigration policy in any wnv, except bv pressing them to allow us"m take the advantage of iheir agisted passage.-, and .practically, without loss to tho'-e' entering into the project, 1 believe flint in.conjunction with an organisation like the Victoria League, a practical, workable scheme could he formulated th.it would Ik of tremendous benefit to our country and also to the immigrants brought into it. The. scheme would .be for as many of us who can afford it, and have the 'matter at heart to pay the price of -the Government assisted passages (which, 1 believe, is .£lO per bead); for one or more persons, who would, on arrival, be an acquisition to our communilv. The selection to be left in the hands' of the league (who have branches in practically everv corner of the Old Land). The immigrants to be selected to be people who were trustworthy and reliable, and who would undertake to refund a percentage of their earnings to their sponsors until the passage, money was repaid, when the money could then ' be again devoted to bringing another person out. The sponsor to undertake to give or find employment for bis charge for. sav, six months after arrival, and to generally keen their eye on them until they became established. I' shall bo glad to receive correspondence regarding the scheme, and will bo glad if others interested would discuss the, matter through the. columns of rhe press, and should it receivo sufficient support we could take the matter practically in hand and organise on businesslike lines. I am satisfied that the scheme is workable, and would be of srent valuo to our country in increasing the popula- ; Hon on good solid lines, and relieving a great deal'of the pre.se'nt'trouble iKiough dearth of labour of both sexes. It would also be a scheme that the labour'agitators could, write miles of letters against to' the press of the Old Land, and havo no effect on, as the new settlers would have employment guaranteed to them by their various, sponsors. Tho class of immigrants would be right, as they would be very carefully, selected for us.

Trusting that more abler, pons than mine will take the matter up, and that a workable scheme will .bo undertaken on the lines that I have suggested, whereby, at little or no expense to the promoters, thousands of Rood settlers who ara boiuff crowded out of our Mother Country will'be enabled to find homes and prosper in our beautiful land, that is actually starving to receive them.—l am, etc., COLINNOERIS. Tauranga, April 28. WILL THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT WAKE UP? Sir,—l have nailed for another pen greater than mine !o take up "Worker's" complaint regarding the set-back in the running-of the 7.2 a.m. train from Te Aro. "Worker" has. a just complaint. I was one of the deputation which interviewed the Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones praying for nn alteration in the 5.25 p.m. train from Petone, so .Ihat it. would leave earlier. He granted our appeal. In his remarks on the duplication of the line, ho stated that on the completing of it there would be no necessity for those who were then'leaving-their homes at-such an early hour to 'do so,-as the timetable would be so arranged, to suit all. And.yet what do we find in the face of all this? Instead of getting any concession, our lot is harder. I quite agree with '"Worker." Where-was the nccesj sity of going to such expenditure by the Government, if they did not intend to advance the public interest by a betterment of existing conditions? They might as well have left things as they- were, for- we were better off then than wo are now, even after all their boasted accomplishments. If this should meet the eye of our present Minister of Railways, the Hon. Mr. Millar, I trust that ho-will reflect, and give some consideration to this appeal in the direction of seeing that the now 7 a.m. train'leaving Te Aro bo altered to 7.10 or 7.15 p.m. This alteration'would not in any way throw the time-table out. Do not. forget that, we still have a. double line out as far as the Lower Hutt.—l am. etc., ANOTHER.WOEKEE. IS, THERE NO REMEDY? Sir,—ln Kelburne Avenue,-at the corner,of lambton Quay,-one .recent afternoon a crowd of men and youths were gathered round, a newspaper placard of racing results, and were diligently engaged in improving tho occasion by expectorating on the pavement all. round them. ... • •

Well, surely that is notTsuch an extraordinary, occurrence that it is necessary to write to the paper,to tell everybody about it! .

Unfortunately, no! It is but a sample of .what may be seen any day at various points in this,' our Empire City. But that is the more reason—not less—for inquiring of' the_ collective wisdom_of. tho community. Why. do we keep up'an expensive police force • and staff of municipal inspectors and a, costly ' Public Health Department, which,does its duty in teaching us the nature of infection, and how to avoid it, if lazy loafers all and sundry are free to pollute our pavements for clean people to walk over and to expectorate the seeds of tuberculosis and other loathsome diseases broadcast in our streets with ,no more restraint than if they were the streets of an Oriental native bazaar, while we look helplessly on—and pay our rates and taxes?—l am, etc.,

THE SECRETARY, Moral and Physical Health Society.

A PLEA FOB JUSTICE. Sir,—One would imagine it would be only for the very gravest- reasons, and as a last resource that the State would step in and violate the sanctity of tho home by forcibly removing a lad from the care of his parents and immuring him indefinitely in a State institution. That there aro occasions /when it is necessary for tho State, in ,the interests of the child and the community at large, to tako this step I am willing .to admit, when the child's surroundings are vicious cr his parents are. drunken or criminal, or the child itself is of a vicious or incorrigible, type. But that the State should step, in and take.a lad who, on the whole, has been a well-behaved and inoffensive boy, and lake him from the caro of thoroughly respectable parents and from healthful surroundings in the country, to herd him with-hundreds of others who are ■ admittedly rescued from degrading surroundings, and some of whom are vicious in type, is, in my opinion, little short of an outrage. Briefly, the facts of the case are that tho teacher of the» local school gave the boy a letter .to post containing postal notes to the value of about' seven shillings.; The lad opened .tho letter, two of tho notes blew ; away, and the other (for 55.) ho took homo to his mother and told her he had found . it. When the notes failed to. reach their, destination the teacher placed the matter in the hands of the police, and the result was that the lad was charged with the theft of tho.notes.- It is admitted .that the boy is not. very bright intellectually.

The teacher's evidence, in the ease was very unsatisfactory and contradictory. In one portion of his evidence he stated the boy wanted a strong hand over him as he did not lln'nk he was "all there." Later on. he says he thought 1 the boy was the-same as most other boys ouly dull. The principal person to blame was the teacher who had no business to entrust his correspondence to a boy who, he stated in his evidence, he did not believe to bo "all there." There was not the slightest suggestion or evidence to show that the boy was in evil surroundings, or.that he was likely to'become in any wuy vicious or criminal, yet on the strength -of this one foolish action, -for it was evidently not the action of a deliberately dishonest boy, as he tool; the postal note to hismotliei —he was taken from. the cave of his parents.

Now, the - question is: Js every boy who is guilty of petty pilfering or the telling of untruths to bo taken from the care of his parents by the State? If so, we are approaching tho ideal of some Socialists who advocate that all children should bo tho wards of the State, but I don't think we are quite -prepared for I hat yet, even in Xcw Zealand. Though the magistrate said in Court the'boy was no criminal, ho was locked un : all night, in a police cell by himself. One would have thought that a bed could have been taken for the Jad at a honrdinghouse, and not locked up in a police cell as if he was some desperate criminal,

The original wrong can't be undone, but his mother wants her boy restored to her, his absence is affecting her health and spirits. She has applied to the Prime Mini-ter, and the Minister tor Kducatinn, but has only received the stereotyped uHicisil" reply. ' As a last resource'we appeal to your valuable paper in help, a~ vou have "always stood up for (lie right's of the individual against the encroachment's and tyranny of the Slate. We invite "the fullest investigation and publicity. The parents are hard-working tenants of the .State; (here is a. good .home, healthful surroundings, and the all'eetion of his parents waiting for him. And for' the State to deprive a boy of the care ' and affection of his parents and the associations of a happy home, In immure him in a. Stale, institution under a loveless discipline, is doing -an- irreparable wrong to the child. Surely there are children who are nogloclcd by their parents, or in evil surroundings, for the State to look.after, without going out of, its way to (ako a. harmless lad from a, comfortable home?- Since being taken from his ! homo. his heart has become affected | which has increased the anxiety of his | mother.

Surely it would be possible for the boy to",be returned to the care of his parents, if necessary on probation. His father is living at borne now to look after him'. Trusting that now' the facts of the case are made public, just ice will be done. Thanking you on behalf of the parents Mr.'and Mrs. Tate.—l am, etc.,

. ..E. RICE. Te Rehunga., Dannevirke. ■ APLEA FOR THE KILT. Sir,—'While reading one of your issues of the 2nd inst., 1 noticed a column headed "Kxit. of the Kilt," "All Khaki." I was very sorry indeed to see that the Defence Department has seen fit to abolish the fine 'patriotic dress of the Highland regiments of this country. Now, sir, I think that all tho units of the kilted corps of this Dominion and civilian sympathisers generally who are in favour of seeing the, kilt retained should vigorously. protest against its abolition: Moreover the' kilt, has been the national and popular, dress of tho Scottish soldiery for ages, and I would not see it. pass into oblivion without honouring its glorious tradition.. Furthermore, tho new Defence scheme is the people's own; they asked for it in all quarters, and they got it, but did They anticipate such disaster as has befallen, the kilted regiments? Xo. Apparently the object, of the"iicw scheme is to dress the men of the line in a khaki uniform. I venture to suggest that the same content incut will not prevail among the men under the compulsory system as would be in evidence if given a dress (hey are willing to adopt: Some no doubt will say our men will conform to the compulsory training and military discipline tolerably easy, and train as well in. a khaki tunic as a scarlet jacket. I hope they will, although apparently most of these young men display a marked fascination for a bright gay jersey, in the football field. They will miss it occasionally now. and will have to discard their colours of designation on some of their lialfholidavs and repair to the parade ground in a khaki drab. Sir., let the Department provide (hem with a smart'plain dress, and they will be ainpjy repaid, inasmuch that the men will piit more spirit and vigour into their work,, and generally take -a' much greater 'interest in fhejr regiment and parades, which spells success to the scheme. Being the son of an ex-British soldier, I would again repent T would be very- sorry to seo the kilt "go." Hoping some abler pen than mine will he devoted to defending the above, and thanking you for taking up so much space in your valuable columns.—l am, etc. ... „,,

Mauriceville. PATEA SCHOOL-A GRIEVANCE.. Sir,—l would like to take up a little of your space to condemn the, attitude of the Wanganui Education Board in regard to the Patea. School. This school, which is;at..least forty years:old, has been.condemned bv medical men, by the boards own architect, and by nearly every resident'in'Pa tea, as. being wholly unfit, for tho accommodation .of children. For the last three years the Patea School.Committee have been begging for a. new and adequate building. The board,.on every occasion, has'stated that it has no funds for rebuilding purposes, vand, on. the other hand, the Minister, for Education states that funds for such rebuilding have been supplied to the board. , In the meantime, Patea children'are compelled to attend and learn theirlessons in what is a veritable death-trap, and the result is t -at thoy are continually, suffering from 'colds, and many worse forms of illness. T-4e infant room,,w : herein the little mites arc expected to leavn their lessons, is a big draughty room, lying, with the rest .of the buil'ding, right on the ground, with a chimney that' smokes' so bad that it -is impossible for a fire to be lit. The school was built right in a hollow, and right clcso to the ground, and iirsummer-has stagnant, water lving ■• under it, -and in winter likewise, thereby tending to increase tho uncoinfortableness and unhealthiness of the building. The \\ anganui Education Board's own architect states that the building is next door to rotten, and a prominent medical man condemns the building as absolutely unsafe' for children to bo crowded into. The state of affairs is beginning to get serious, and it is likely that an indignation meeting of citizens will bo called with the purpose of closing down'the school, as"at present it is a menace to the health of everv child attending it. What with the shuffling of the Wanganui Education Board, and the careless attitude of tho Minister for Education, Patea citizens are beginning to get angry, and are determined to have a now school, or let the whole of the Dominion hear about tho wrongs that they have to put up with. The G-ovcrnnient have put into forgo a compulsory attendance clause in the Education \ct, wherebv our children are compelled to attend every day or; part of, a dav at such'a disgraceful building as this, thereby endangering their health, possibly for the rest of their life. . Xo one with the real interest of his children at heart would- complain for one instant .at the enforcement of the atlojidaflce,: but what we do complain about, and intend,to have remedied is that our children shall not go io ah. old,'rotten, damp, draughty unventibled, dangerous building, but that thtv'vh'nll have a decent buildingwherein to 'learn their lessons. 1 feel sure'the Education Board have a comfortable room to hold their meetings in, and that the Minister for' Education pampers himself in his nice snug' chambers, then why shtiuld not tho children attending school have likewise? In a country like: New Zealand in an old settled district like Patea there should be no need for' a state of affairs such as this to exist and I am afraid that if the Minister and the board do not wish to hear of it from all sides, put 'in a'strong forcible way, they had better find the ways and incans (o rebuild Patea School—l am, etc,

• • PATEA TAKBXT. ; DQG OWNERS, ATTENTION, Sir-I tlcire to draw Hie attention of o, o«£cw •to ' tlio following:-« Mst vding mv. firm's motor cycle up Aio StreH todav (Tuesday), about 3.30 .p.m., P " l"j .-apparently . Hie, owner •of the ( | nK l,va S al'ead a bhort distance, u,,0 tho rlw suddenly decided to. cross over, ami he result .was-bnng! I found my. llf iveral feet abend of the motor cycle, i.uckilv, traffic was not 'brick just then, nnr was there a tram handy, for 1 "° aled o' the tram track" and .receded a nasty bruising and finally tainted? as a result of the shock.-A lady living-handy kmdly attended to-ne. - The damage to. motor I put down rouehlv at £\ t whilst my suit, worth about \% was rendered absolutely nscw My right knee may bo permanently disabled. My face and one hand afe a)>o badly nia'rkcd. : I do not .fcrt (lifi)OMd to take 10 mailer to Court, because 1 belicvfl the owner mav not.be "wel pi,,, although the don- —a large one at that—is ot good, breed." Of course, 1 have a clear case against the owner, and ample evidence. l"do desire, however, to state tins case so that it may «i've as a deterrent against similar cases in the future. I<ortunately for me, 1 was proceeding slowly at tho'time of (lie smash.

DogV I'liinv say, are some use-'as watchdogs at' night, where- nervous people live, but surely, sir, during the daytime thev should either be kept chained un or controlled, per 'medium of a chain, when out with owner. I might further add that motorists -in Wellington are liable at any momeutto-meet.danKer

owing to the carelessness of dog oirners, anil also through school children being permitted to play on the streets' just 'as they chooie. instance yesterday's-Petoiie fatality. I know the chauffeur concevneil in- that case, and can testify to his being a careful and capable driver. On behalf of all motorists, thanking: you, 1 am, etc., A C.T.

.May )G, 1911. b HARDSHIPS OF ROADLESS a SETTLERS. ' • p Sir,—l have just recently been for n (rip round the district in the vicinity, oi I Taiimarunui. I could not help being struck with the way the settlers arc beine treated by the Clovopimeiil. They havo been placed on the land, much of which is heavy bush. 1 speak now of the country' round Otunui and Mangnroa. Vor tho last, five years they have had to puck everything from 12 to 20 miles along a bush track. Women have gono in'there with (heir husbands, and have not. Ixvn out again to civilisation for years, for the sample reason that there is no road, and the journey out on horseback over such tracks as there are is too t arduous an undertaking. When one looks 1 at. the money spent by the 'Government l on ornamental post offices and other pub- i lie buildings, in comparatively small conn- * try townships, and also at '.he nnonnous 1 surplus shown in tho financial Budget, it certainly seems a. grave injustice to these ; settlers'that a few thousand pounds are not spent on these roads in the' back- ! blocks. There is a splendid extent of country to be opened up, and some of the settlers have considerable areas in grass, which carry over two big sheep to ; tho acre. All the wool from tneso farmers would, if tho roads were made, go to Taiimarunui, and thence by the. Main Trunk to Wellington. At present it is packod in sacks on horseback to tha nearest landing on tho Wahganni Eivcr, and th.en.co_ down by boat to AYanganui, an expensive and unsatisfactory mode of handling for the settlers. Trusting you will give this-matter the publicity it deserves, I am, etc., SETTLERS' FRIEND. LAWN TENNIS-A CORRECTION. Sir,—During my visit to Australia a statement appeared in tho Sydney "Referee" to the effect that the Management Committee of tho New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association had been nut out of offioe at the last annual meeting on account of their action over the Davis Cup location. The statement was grossly inaccurate, and, upon its .being brought under my notice, I officially contradicted if. upon my return to Sydney. As I find that many local players are labouring under the delusion that I' was responsible for the original inaccurate report 1 shall be glad if you will insert this denial.— 1 am, etc., I\ M. B. IfISHER. Chairman Management Vmniitfce, N.Z.L.T.A. May 24, 1011.