RATE OF INTEREST

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 4 June 1918, Page 6

RATE OF INTEREST

Sir,—You' publish a remit on above to farmers of Wellington Province in conference at jMastcrton—stating that it wa6 defeated—apparently without remark (even lrom its introducer). Surely tanners of tho common or garden sort are entitled to more light and leading than this from their brainy brothers. In same issue it is stated that no persons or company will be permitted to send more than JHOOO oat of New Zealand for investment. It remains to bo seen how effective this will be in its avowed object of keeping down the rate of intotwt. Farming is classed as an "essential industry"—then why should not farmers obtain money for tho essential needs of their industry at War Bond rate of 4} per cent.? Why have State lending Departments declined loan proposals (on good security) even ai 5i psr cent.? Why have those forced to renew at C per cent (and ncgativo the law enacted for their protection) not been provided with a means of relief? It is true that the worst parts of the wicked amendments of the Hordmau regime have been repealed, but many are still paying the maximum rate of (I per cent, who should be paying tho minimum of i\. Does not this account for a large part of the "million short" f—l am, etc., EVELYN MACDONALD. To Uoro, May 31, 1918. THE ABJECT PACIFBUMd'tHE WHIGS Sir,—l have just .been on a trip to Wellington for medical advice, and, .staying at the Hotel Bristol, i saw your paper of May 16. in which you hau an article, "The Abject Pacifist," and I wish to say a word on that article. In tho first place, 1 am not a pacifist, and 1 agree with most of what you say against them. Hut when you "bring in tho Whigs as the chief cause and source of pacifism, yon become unjust and offensive. lam a Whig; and also my relations. My older brother is too old, and his only son is not strong enough to enlist. My younger brother, though a very critical operation, is physically unfit for tho front, but his eldest son, fresh from college and a very useful man to his father in his office work, has now found his grave somewhoro in Prance. My brother's second and only remaining son went, as soon as ho was of age, as a second lieutenant. Ho has now returned very badly wounded. My younger brother also released 70 of his assistants to go to the front, and has filled their places with women. My sister has two i sons now in France. One has been twice wounded, and has won the M'iliI tary Medal. • A number of my wife's I nephews are at the front. One has been killed. I'or myself, lam too old— 75 years—and I have a lame leg and one eye has gone blind, and I have no sons, wut 1 have given a good few pounds to the war funds, and if all hud taken up tlio War Loan Fund in proportion, as I have done, it would havebeen raised twice over, and yet 1 am—wuh my relations—ono of your despised Whigs.

Where could you find another man throughout the British Empire who could or would have done moio or better under the circumstances for tho furtherance .of the war than Mr. Lloyd George? And he is a Whig, lour insinuations against the Whig Party are an offenco against the Pnnio Minister of Great Britain, Think of what the Liberals have accomplished during their twin of office ot late years in the British Parliament. Those great measures for the amelioration ol the lot of the deserving poor and the aged and the workers, and in contradistinction to those silly prophecies ol Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, how, under the Whigs and Free-trade, manuiactui> crs and commerce prospered, surpassing anything botore in U:e history ol the nation. According to Board of Trade figures no country in tho world could show such wonderful trade records, and not only so, but they reduced tho national debt by ,£100,1100,000, and no one was a penny the worse for it. The Tories would never accomplish such wonderiul things were they in office one hundred years. ! I think it is unjust that the Koman Catholic Church should be let off scot free, whilst the Protestant churches are faithfully doing their part in the war. The Roman Cluircli ought to ,be compelled to do its part in the war, especially as wo are- fighting for tho defence of Roman Catholic countries.

There are many Whigs of noble families and M.P.'s who have not only sent their own sons to the war, but havo gone likewise themselves, and havo made the great'sacrifice. I believe the pacifists and the shirkers are cowards; they belong to no sect, creed, or party, and they care not' for their country—all they care for is their own skin, and they deserve no mercy.—l am, etc.,

R. BURGON, Normanby, Tnranaki, May 23.

[The views attributed, to us by our correspondent are not our views, but those of Mr. H. G. Wells, the novelist. The article ho refers to was written by Mr. Wells for a London papw, and reprintd in The Dominion. It referred to pacifists generally.]