LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2693, 12 February 1916, Page 12

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PENITENCE AND VIGTORY. Sir, —While very much appreciating the sentiments of "A Brother," and cordially endorsing them, may I, as secretary of tlio committee referred to by the Rev. li. H. Robjohns, explain that the committee were not seeking to inaugurate a great "Fellowship of Prayer" merely to help the hastening of a purely selfish victory? We believe —though since wo are not omniscient we may be wrong—that the cause of the Allies (not Britain alone) is tho ■ cause of 'righteousness, and that tlii3 cause is not getting the victory—as a righteous cause should do—because tho nations defending and championing that cause are not sufficiently worthy. The caiiso is right, tho defenders are miworthy. Ernest, widespread prayer would make those nations more deserving of reaping the victory, and so bringing about tho triumph of righteousness. am, etc., ERNEST I. SOLA. St. Alban's Vicarage, Eastbourne. A RAILWAY COMPLAINT. Sir, —A London coster was driving his barrow and moke down Ludgate Hill when an omnibus ran into him, upset his harrow, and scattered his vegetables all over tho hill. When the coster regained his feet and realised what had happened, he commenced to speak. A sporting gent., who happened to be present, timed him for 29 minutes and 3-5 seconds. Ho kept up a flow of Billingsgate that has never been beaten, but still the coster had to admit that there was 110 word in Billingsgate to adequately express his disgust. I am in exactly the same position as that coster. 1 cannot find any words strong enough to express the utter incompetency of at least one section of the ISew Zealand railways, namely, from Palmerston North to Manakau.

They have just managed to take seven days to bring eleven sacks of fowl feed from Palmerston to Manakau, a distance of 36 miles, and. then delivered it in a damaged condition Last week seven sacks of wheat were railed me. It was evidently to much for the railway to send at once, so tbey sent four sacks one day and three the nest, thus causing me to send twice to the station, instead of once.

I 'have been in Manakau nearly four

years, and) have h?.(l toils of stmf ovei the railway, and I can say with absolute truth, for one lot that has come u[ to time twenty have not. I will jusl mention two instances—both records, 1 should think. Case of pictures: Thrc( weeks from Palmerston. North to Manakau j 10 cases, ten days from the sam< place. The lightning dispatch is not thi only thing they are good at. Fo: smashing up egg-crates they cannot bi beaten, and for anyone to attempt t< get any redress is worco than useless If you complain to any of tlio officials all you get is, "Dear me," and an idiotii grin. If you write to headquarters al you get is "the matter shall 'have oui attention." It does sejm very absun that "God's Own Country" should hav< t'ho "Devil's Own Railway." Cun no thing he am, etc., SHERWOOD. Manakau, February 6.