LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1644, 10 January 1913, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION. Sir,—l 6ee by your issue of January 7 that the commissioners appointed to inquire into tho working of , the Public Trust Office propose to mako an easy job of it by sitting still in Wellington," and tc inviting complainants to come to them w there. If they adhere to this, they, in 'jj their turn, will have but most perfunc- j] torily carried out the trust reposed • in jr> them. I have little doubt that the vast w majority of complaints, well or ill-founi- 8( ed, would como'ifrom outsido Wellington.. (j Residents in the. proximity of the capital ]] have had the advantage of being able to \ personally ; press their claims on the head. , office. ' Those at a distanco hav'o had to rely on , most unsatisfactory correspondence. T assume that no expenses .will be •allowed to those who would wish to tp- t pear ■ before the commissioners, and, this j being the case, they, cannot hope to net anything like a true idea of the wi'je- j spread dissatisfaction with the Depart- v ment unless they sit .'at least at each'of t the larger centres, and give full public j notification, not only in metropolitan, but (. in country papers also, of their intention r to do so. —I am, etc., r?, t SCRUTATOR,' • January 9, 1913. , I: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS AND REPORTS THEREON. Sir,—lt may be noticed by the Press r Association cables that tho MelbouniG I House of Representatives • has adopted a t motion providing 'that tho-representatives < of any newspaper publishing a misleading or erroneous statement respecting a mem-. J ber, or reflecting on his good conduct or < inte<rity, ."shall bo excluded from the 1 precincts of tho House," etc., etc.' Would \ you allow the writer to ask through your ; columns why tho New Zealand . Hansard ' is permitted to. become the medium of ' malicious and -untruthful attacks by scur- ! rilous M.P.'s upon innocent; persons who " cannot be present to defend themselves. The Hansard of last Parliament, and tho , present one, contain articles that, if pub- , ( ished in'the press, would land tho authors in gaol for a few years, and drop J others, jn for heavy damages. . One of the gentry so' addicted to. slandering and defamation was rejected at the polls'-last , election—others could have well been spared. In the other colonies it : has •Ken held that there is no privilege in Parliament to slander persons, who are not present, or even to vote corruptly,'in referenoe. to-, suchf questions.New . Zealand, however, claims "privilege," and takos'the cake.—l■ am, etc.,' , • ' i , AN ELECTOR; : January 6, 1913. . : THE. FIREMEN'S TROUBLE, i Sir—ln this inoniingV Dominion • yon publish'a letter, ;relative to'the. above, Signed by "Hopefiilj" and in it ho .stateS: "The men of the.union are. pojverless whena strikers decided .upon by. the (Officials}", inferring,,.:l .'presume, ; that the late • "strike-was engineered-by one of those what'he describe as "cunning men,'who have worked'}their' way to so'-isalled influonce'.and becoirie tyrannical." . ••• . , I am afraid Mr. Hopeful is making the same" blunder that was made by the un-'-fortunate journalist, when ho caused to be published ' the information that was' . so objectionable (and. rightly ,so) to-.the firemen of the Maori, without first'verifying it. "Hopeful" however, in. the ifirst place is wrong" when lie states that, tho men of the union are powerless when a 'strike is called by the officials} when ho says that he'evidently very littlo of the' organisation of any union.'. The statement -is so obviously' wrong", that it; ■ needs.no comment. At any rate,'during i the ' late trouble,' it was'very much.ltho - other way about as "Hopeful" will find : if he takes time to investigate. .-. I think, myself that had it been put , to the , vote, it would .'have beon found .' that the ■ Seamen's and Firemen's Union , would have been unanimous jn_ its sympathy i disgust a t the ready and careless way - with' which • , the press are: always ready to decry firemen.-. 1 ;Mr.' in' a. letter following ■ "Hopeful's," Expresses '.my thoughts on that. point jnuchibetter than I can'.my--1 self (when I-. ,was, :: young seamen- • were. ■ trained' to use this marjin' spike in: prefer- . ence to the pen). To the point, however: I believe that had it been nut to the vote, i and had that so-called cunning ' man, that "Mr. Hopeful," under,a-nom-' 1 de-plume, is-fiittin.? at.'lxeni able to cise that influence he is supposed to havo. : then I think the union as a wliole would ■ have .fought: their cause for those :fire- ;• men, but in a different way,.and I.think wo would , have got- more satisfaction for them than the men, got: themselves. ' No. "Mr. Hopeful," you' arVrioht in.this • instance at all 'events, individuals could not. be' Warned.'and neither can. the-,offi- ' .dials ofythe. unicin.', And let mo say iiere, f, that;fj»r all.the".inferences.andJdeducfa'ons ' of. many people .that writo : for.the. press, ' thero is,.no undercurrent,_!b"t it,\vras a J soontaneous outburst of indignation ori ' the part' of.',the Maori's firemen towards' ; that "Hopeful" journalist that was tho au-, 1 thor : of 'the whole thing.' It is a-pity [; thoy did not use a different: way .nf «:■ ' pressing that indignation—the machinery ' and sympathy too . was there for them to' l - , ». . "Hopeful": says, the union wants .legpl; 9 power to be able'to bundle out the;leadJ ers when they, become unreasohaWfi.'. 'They ' have that nower, when an official becomes 3 objectionabl" or unrea«inahlo to. the great > Hfl evidently, however/ knows ". verv Jittle about union . matters,'..or', if,' " Mis possible, he'may be a member of the Seamen's. Union, he- h.as not studied his J rules, and instead of attending : to, tho 'j affairs of the union and 1 endeavouring in 0 have, it run .according' to' his' way nf J .ttiinkiiv. he is ! willing to lay Hack.,wh"« t other s ! do the fighfne, and" whoever tho ? cunning man in offiee micfht ho. "Hone--6 ful" would not be nleawl." ■ "Cunning," '■ ho colls them; "f-lever," 1 I CfiH,- ; th<>m. '- Strong they certainly «re. and while thoy 1 oome out. openly and faco you ««uarelv. > they have my respect--'whether they h"H > my views or not. W® are all hopeful, k however, though wo will never attain the sbite we all, hope to attain by slandering, and "mifstatements, and' : abusing, .those e who, because their, lot is cast different to r ourp, naturally think and act differently e to ourselves. .. , r.- There been eo much, published in d the nress lately anent this trwib'e that has been gathered merely from deduction, T and that is wrong, that one could .writ" le n lot. but more able reus than mine will :e perhaps do it. -T would liko h ray. how:o ;<»er. that I endorse Mr. Bbdley's letter, ss Hoping you will find space, sir,' for this, e- —I'am, etc.,, ■ d- PHILL E. OAKLAND. Seaman. i- i ' ' ' i ' i..