LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1437, 11 May 1912, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE BOYS' INSTITUTE. Sir,—ln reply to "Subscriber," I have much pleasure in forwarding you two copies of tho lust annual report of (ho Boys' Institute, in the reasons for not proceeding immediately with the new building are set forth. These have been repeatedly stated in your columns, and as recently as last March, in reviewing the annual report, special mention was made of them. Briefly stated, the position is:—A sum of ,£IO,OOO was asked for io finance the whole scheme. Of this sum only JGaflOO was subscribed. After consideration, tho executive determined not to commence, building until .£7500 was in hand. Tho money subscribed was placed on deposit, and is earning 4 per cent, interest. With this interest'and the result of further effort just made by the committee, a. sum of d£COOO will be available ot the beginning of 1913. Experience has shown it to bo a mncb easier matter to erect large edifices than subsequently to provide for their maintenance and other heavy obligations involved in their erection. The fnture of the institute would be seriously handicapped if tho building were to be erected with an insufficient sum of money in hand. Hitherto no debt has been incurred, and it is not intended to depart from this policy. Will you please hand to "Subscriber ono of the annual reports enclosed. Any further information I shall most wiilmgly supply him with on application.—l am, _ etC " GEO. A. TROUP, President. Wellington, May 8. BETTER RAILWAY SERVICES. Sir,—As the subject of better railway communication is now before-the public, I feel sure you will kindly allow me space to niako a suggestion or two upon this question. First, is it not time that tlte question should be raised as to whether the present railway lino between Lower Hutt and Silverstream bridge should not be altered, or deviated, from the western side of tho river-where there are very few residents—to tho eastern side of the river, where practically most of the people in' the Hutt borough, as well as the residents further up the valley, live? Why the railway was ever constructed upon the present eite is a puzzler to anyone who would consider it from a business point of view, but why we should stilr run a railway train, often, with about a couple of carriages with about half-a-dozen passengers in them, while most of the residents have to walk, ride, or take the bus on the other side of the river is, to say the least, not a likely method to make our railways pay interest upon the cost of construction. I often wonder if the lino in question was owned by any private company, would the shareholders tolerate such a system. I say no, nor the Government of New Zealand would not, if it did its business on business lines. What I would suggest to the Railway League is to ask the Government to have a survey made from Petone .Station, or near that point, crossing the Hutt River near White's line; then, taking a rough line, so as to divide the valley between tho river and tho hills on the eastern side, about equal distance from river to railway, and railway to tho hills. If the above suggestion was carried put, tne question of tramways, at least for some years, would bo practically unnecessary, as far as the Hutt. borough is concerned. Again, as to better communication with the Wairarapa. TJie test route so far surveyed for a deviation irom the present expensive lino is one via Wainui-o-mata. This line, if constructed, would be shorter than the present lino by about seven miles to Fcatherston, with a gnme ot onlj 1 in 05 in tho steepest part. Add to tins, that if necessary tho same enenie could j run straight through from Wellington lo Napier, without changing, and anyone will see tho advantage gained. . As far as I remember, some years ago, when t.us , matter-.was before the House of Kopre-j sentatives, it was stated that the cost of tho staff kept at Cross Creek together j with tho heavy cost of repairs to rol niK j stock working on tho incline, would moio than pay interest upon the whole cost of tho deviation above mentioned. T may state that tho route from Petono station to the flat upon tho Wairarapa fide or the hills wraW only be twenty-one miles. If this line was constructed, it would be the means of opening up some .thousands e "tinffhat the important of tW subject will be sufficient escuso ior akn g up so much space in your ™iu..i>iC columns, and thanking Gracefield. Lower Hutt. May 7, 1912.

EDUCATION BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

Qir —With voux permission I would like finds, ae in the case under Teview, that Sore able and Sf wider experience; they hove appointed inferior men to inspect and largely control the work of the r superiors. I am not a disappointed applicant; neither am I now a teacher nor tho son of a teacher, but I to something of the members el the profession in the "Wellington district. It has been stated that certain sections of the public service are seething with discontent with the conditions of their wort, hut the temperature implied by the worrf "eeething" w very low compared with tho heat developed by the recent appointments to the inspectorate. I make ini, statement, and challenge a refutation, that quite a number of the applicants had very considerable prior claims to the appointments. Their certificates were higher, their experience greater, tneir careers successful; they are acknowledged bv their confreres to be in the front rank of the profession; their personality is beyond question. These are the determining factors in such appointments, and I assert that in every instance the defeated candidates excelled their more favoured but less qualified rivals. The "Wellington Board has gained a reputation for the erratic mode of its biu tlie latest example shov,-s that it is -really not competent to carry out the duties entrusted to it with justice or sound judgment. Tho result will give nil impetus to tho agitation for tho centralisation of the inspectorship of the public schoois. n is commonly stated—l can scarcely credit it, but givo it for what it is wortiithat the gronnda upon which one ot tne appointments vras made was to provide a position for an expert in ft discontinued Department, with a low certificate and limited teaching experience, ft position to which graduate only aro usually appointed, and that without calling for applications. Tho whole subject of these appointments ehonld 'be ventilated at the coming conference of the Tcachersr Institute with tho new Minister for Education. If the teachers take such treatment mildly, they get only (heir deserts.—l urn, et °" EX-TEACHER. MORMONS AND THEIR TEACHINGS. Sir,—ln a Christian community there should not bo nllowed shown any picture of a libellous nature, especially when it is known lo be such. Tho picture A Victim of the Mormon?" is a libel, and was evidently conceived in the diseased imagination "o£ some degenerate person who, takinß odvantEW? of Iμ ngiwupn and ratereprtsentalion boutt Stirred up ]ij uusoxunuloiu ol £lie ttßJ&*.

Bar.- an opportunity to turn a penny. Managers of theatres are not so much to blame, as they are catering lo public taste—the thing to bo deplored is that in this tho. twentieth century the policies of sonic magazines ami newspapers, moulders of public opinion, should be the cultivation of the depraved taste. Tho Murmons are u misunderstood people. They have an abiding faith in Christ, and in Addition to this faith (hoy believe in His teachings, and, having faith and belief, they think it would be mockery if they did not do His works since ho said: "If ye love Me, ye will do My works." They do not think that anyone "who loves nr makes a lie" is showing tho true Christian spirit. They believe that salvation depends entirely on the observance of the Gospel law, by which law wo "work out our own salvation"—each individual for himself, fl'c have .no quarrel with those who do not, but wo say, with James, "Thou hast faith and I have works; show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thce my faith by my works." Our faith causes_ us to do, and we can only know by doing, that happiness (which consists of peace and joy and satisfaction), can be attained ia tne one way pointed out by thc_ Master, by the example which He sot—His life of .sacrifice and service— because we have proved by experiment and experience that "it is better to give than to receive," and to be truly great we too like Him must be servant of all (we recognise tho height to which He has auamwl through service and sacrifice), and He, said' "If any man will come after _ Me, let him deny himself and tako up His cross and follow Me." (Matt. 16, 21.) We oelievo in "proving all things, and holaine fast that which is eocd." and we "Believe not each accusing tongue. As most weak people do; But still believe that thing is wrong, Which ought not to be true." We are willing to be judged bv our rruits. lor every tre-j is known by its own fruit, for of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes." (Luke 6, U.) Wo find it a very difficult matter to overcome the prejudice engendered in the earlv hiswry of the Church of Jesus Christ of laiter Day Sainte by designing Chris-

tio.il ministers who hounded the prophet Joseph Smith to his death, not because li« was a bad man, but because lip pointmi out the errors of modern Christendom in their- misinterpretation o!' Scripture, ivliich is now, after eighty years, being verified l)y thinking minds over the world, and is the veal cause of the condition of what is termed the "Christian Church" at the present, lime, but move appropriately called "Babylon" in the Scriptures. Any one who will take tho trouble to investigate for himself and' eiivc the Mormons an opportunity of telling what they believe and tench will not iws surprised at tho stand taken by these modern "Pharisees" and "Ephesians," who, assisted by a subsidised press, are trying to prevent the truth be-in? known I by prejudicing an already unbelieving world against a people who are (caching and practising the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, and arn "setting up a standard to the nations." (Jer. SO, .2.) A standard of righteousness, which they would do well to emulate, instead of bearing falso witness against an inoffensive pc-aco-lov-ing people who are constantly returning good for evil. We object to having our enemies say what we believe, mid submit' that it is not fair play. Some newspaper* refuse to publish anything but the scurrilous slanders and wicked doings of tho thoughtless, cureless, ami somcdlmes wicked politician, and delight to record the merciless and on trapeous notions of mobs headed by self-appointed ministers of the., merciful peace-loving nnzarcne against the humble Mormon elders. It mi<rht surprise and interest tho readers of The Dominion to know tliat tho Mormons ara Christians, and they might be anxious to know what they (the Mormons) really do believe. They can Rive a reason for the hope they entertain, and are always ready to do so. All they lack is an opportunity.—l am, etc., M. M. JOHNSON. 12 Qlencoß Street, Newtown, May 9, 1912. Colds in tho Head, Sore Throats, and Coughs, are promptly relieved and cured by "NAZOL." Inhaled through a Nazol Inhaler and taken on lump sugar and allowed to slowly dissolve in tho mouth, tho fragrant, healing qualities penetrate to tho seat of tho trouble. 60 doses, Is. Gd. —Advt.