LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 20, 18 October 1918, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A QUESTION Sir,— May I ask the lion. Thomas W-ilford why Jie sippoinitKi as lUagistrates so many liicmuers of tho loyal profession who wore about to be ca!ied up for military service? Does lie wish the people of the Dominion to believo that there w:i3 IjO oilier way out? Seeing that the gentlemen he retired from the Bench had successfully filled their positions for a number of years, could ho not have allowed things to remain as they were until the war ended? Certainly a few more were required to replace those temporarily acting as chairmen of the Military Ap-1 peal Boards, hut 1 venture to think that at the time there were enough patriotic retired members of the legal fraternity, with every bit as much abil- I ity as those appointed, who would have gladly given their services,to the country, probably without salary, for the period of the war. Mr. Wilford may not know it, but it is a fact nevertheless, and one that can he verified in the statistics of the Magistrates' Courts published in the New Zealand Gazette, that the business of the courts throughout the Dominion within the past two or three years has decreased considerably over 50 per cent..—l am, etc., JUSTICE.' ; October 12. [Tho Minister of Justice states that the military status of tho new Magistrates was not considered when the appointments were being made, since the. Military Service Act does not provide any exemption for Magistrates. The appointments were made necessary by the retirement of certain Magistrates on account of age, an'd the selection .of men who were themselves approaching the retiring ago would have bceii undesirable, since a Magistrate requires years of experience before he reaches his full usefulness. The Minister added that as a matter of fact the criticism made by the correspondent could apply to only one of the new Magistrates, and possibly not even to one. Most' of tho new " Magistrates were either over age or unfit for military service.] , TARANAKI_ELECTION Sir,—Does Mr. Smith's return mean that the general public of Taranaki have no confidence jn the National Government? I say no. The National Government has done good work, and' at any rate it has done its best, and no man or men can do more. Every right thinking person will admit this. At Mr. Guthrie's meeting a vote of thanks and confidence was carried in the National Government. But who put Mr. Smith in? (1) Who did the Moderate people vote for? Mr. Smith. (2) Who did the Racing people vote for? Mr. Smith: (3) Who did the Trade people vote for? Mr. Smith. (4) Who did the P.P.A. people voto for? Mr. Connett. (5) Who did the Labour people vote for? Mr. Smith. (G) Who did the Reform Government people vote for? Mr. Connett. (7) Who did the Liberal Government people vote for? Mr. Smith and Mr. Connett. Then there are people who vote for the man regardless of policy. So it cannot bo said Mr. Smith's return is a no-confidence vote. I believe if Mr. Smith had been the National Government candidate he would have won by a much larger majority because he would have, had with him Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6.—1 am etc., SUCCESS..

"AN UNDERSTUDY FOR EACH POSITION' Sir,—Part 3 of the General Regulations of the Public Service, Section 40, says:— "Head,s of Departments shall, whenever practicable, keep specially in view the question of providing an understudy for each position." From the moment the National Registration Act of Ulo came into operation the Commissioner was in a position to know the name and position held by every man in the Public Service who was likely to be called up for military service. From tho date of coming into operation of the Military Service Act, 1916, he knew what division each eligible man in the services would be in, especially those in more responsible positions. Now we find, towards the end' of 1918, tho Commissioner appealing for one Paul Vors'chaffelt, secretary to the Commissioner, on the ground that they had no understudy to take _ his place—Regulation 3 above came into operation in 1913, five years ago. This is only one instance of a great number where a similar plea has been made for the. exemption of eligible njen. Apparently the Commissioner makes no attempt to carry out his own regulations.

From 1915 it was possible jfor tho Commissioner to gradually make arrangements wheveby every public servant eligible for service could be replaced qu his being called up and passi«l fit, and this is the example to civil employers that the Ministry _ should have insisted that the Commissioner carry out.

The Commissioner, and the Government generally, have not played the. game with married reservists in civil employ, and well merit the castigation they hare been lately receiving at the hands of the electors, for the exemption of State servants has been a very live and burning question in botli Wellington Central and Taranaki, and will continue to bo at the next general election.—l am, etc., EX-CIVIL SERVANT. : October 1.4-. [The- Public Service Commissioner states that the rule requiring heads of Departments, whenever practicable, to provide- an understudy for each position, is still in force, but the war has made its operation exceedingly difficult. The State Departments have lost thousands of men through enlistment, and they are continuing to lose the experienced married men at one end of the scale and the 19-year-old and 20-year-old youths at the other end. The places of men who are at the front cannot bo filled permanently, and in any case teninorary hands are not easily obtained. In these circumstances the provision of an understudy for each position is entirely impossible. The Commissioner has never been in a position to know in advance what men were goine to be culled no. He could not, anticipate the findings of the medical boards, and he could not know the duration of the wnr. It has-been necessary for heads of Departments to deal with the question of exemptions as the need arose.]

PARLIAMENT Sir, —I notice in a recant issue you suggest, presumably on official or semiofficial information,, that tlio coming session will only last two months, or half the length of last year's session. The suggestion looks like an attempt by the Government to create an atmosphere favourable to the adoption of such a course. I trust that public opinion it-ill quickly tell the Government that the attempt will fail. Important legislation of a contentious nature, of course, will not bo brought forward. Everyone, I think," recognises the reason for this, and acquieses. But there is hardly a section of the. general public that has not :some matter affecting its welfare that needs pome small legislative amendment. Then there are not a few local and private members' Rills that should receive attention now that the crisis of the war •is past. No doubt, 100, there will ho the usual crop of petitions from individual members of tho community. These certainly cannot bo disposed of in the short period that can be devoted to them before Christmas and .

if they are not dealt with beforo Parliament rises some citizens of this country will be denied one of the greatest rights appertaining to British citizenship, and doubtless some very real hardships will bo inflicted.. Moreover, the lamentable condition into which our education system has fallen certainly calls for prompt and searching investigation by a strong special committee. The electors in every part of New Zealand should make it clear co members of Parliament that their own personal convenience must give way to the proper performance of the work for which they were elected and are paid to do.—l am, etc.; r^r _ RETURNED SOLDIWICQVETOIiSNESS~AND~DESfRUCTION Sir—Whilst the question of covetousness is second only to the question "If there is a God, why does He not stop the war?" it is not receiving a tithe of the attention its importance demands. Had it not been for cove tousness, bred of the Hamburg lotteries, • together with the covetousness of the Kaiser and the Centre (Church) Party, Germany could' not have plunged the nations into war. She was unaware o the fact that God employs natural means of retribution—"Thine «« - " wickedness shall correct thee, and tliy backslidings shall reprove thee; know therefore and see that it Is an <' vll thing and bitter that' thou hast iorsaken the Lord thy God" (Jeremiah a, 19). Despite precept and example we are surely and subtlely drifting towards the rapids above-mentioned. Instead of profiting by the bitter experiences ot Germany and Russia we are using the self-same vehicles in which to ride alon<r the same road to ruin. Idolatry and covetousness are the first and last of the Ten Commandments, and the transgression of these brings about the universal disobedience of all the other Commandments, and this m time brings the curse of God upon tlie earth (Leviticus 26). If the enemy within the gates desires to wreck this fair country, let him inaugurate State lotteries and State alcohol, as has been suggested, and he will accomplish Ins purpose, for in gambling and alcohol are sown tho seeds of covetousness, lawlessness, and destruction.—l am, etc., JOHN PLOWMAN. THE BAPTIST CONFERENC Sir—l have read your report of the Baptist conference meeting on Friday evening, at which Mr. W. D. Bayley, of Canada, and the Rev. R. S. Gray spoke on ''Prohibition and Christian Patriotism." There was much exaggerated talk about Prohibition, but, there was nothing of Christian patriotism in the speeches of the two men. Christian patriotism is to "Fear God, honor the King and love one's neighbour as yourself." Is it Christian patriotism for these.men to say that those engaged in the liquor trade nre the internal Huns of tho Empire? Those engaged in the liquor trado are patriotic. They have sent their sons to the front, thev have contributed ot their means largely to help win the war. They have contributed to every patriotic purpose which has been put before them, and there is no other class in the community which has had to Rubmit to so many restrictions and curtailments of their business. The*hav<> submitted to these, however, without murmuring, and that certainly displays more Christian patriotism than the spirit and attitude and talk of men like Mr. Bayley and the Rev. E. S. Gray. Mr. Bayley tried to make his hearers believe that the working classes of the world were the founders and promoters o'r* the Prohibition movement. That statement is not in accordance with . the facts, and Labour leaders in America and Great Britain are opposed to the Prohibition movement. Tho Rev. R. S. 'Gray said: "The liquor question had become' one of economics, and that Prohibition was capturing the United States." Now it is a remarkable fact that the progress of Prohibition in America has had no effect whatever upon the consumption of beer and spirits in that country. Between 1909 a«S-1916 the increase in the duty on spirits and beer collected in the United States was eleven millions sterling, which represents an enormous increase in the consumption, the while the prohibitionists allege their cause'was making most sumption, tho while the Prohibitionis in the United States, the consumption of beer, wine, ajhd spirits is nearly double por head of the population what it is iu .this Dominion.—l am, etc., ■»

"'THE BEAST OF BERLIN" Sir, —I am inclined to agree with your contributor styling himself "Colonial." The feeling engendered depends upon the point of view. _ Your correspondent has evidently judged without, so to speak, viewing .{he body. A self-contained, haughty ' egotism prevents some people coining within a near range of objects they feel inclined to dissect, that is when- the intention arises from a spirit of adyerseness. To such, the title of the picture would present a wrong appeal. "The Beast of Berlin!" Tfie late Robert Burns refers to a "bcastie" in almost affectionate term?. Almost any animal that goes on four legs and is "useful" to man comes under the title "beast." Had the selected title boon "Wild Beast" your correspondent might have claimed some justification for his argument. But what I wish to point out is that the milder term truly characterises the spirit'of the picture. There is one qualification running through the . whole bestial worfd, and that is onc-eyedncss—the bull with his "rush," ijhe mule with his "kick," the dog with his "bark," and the cat with the "catervaul"—so the Kaiser with his contempt for all tilings human. The utter imperviousness of the Kaiser ,to all considerations of humanity, equally so to friend "or foo alike, outside his own skin, is the cms of the question, of dealing with dim, and as f|his .feature is the light of the picture the title is justified.— I am, etc., HENRY BODLEY. October 17. FOR THE RED CROSS Sir,—ln passing through our streets 1 am astonished at the number of houses, offices, and shops with the Red Gross flag missing from their windows. Each flag means five shillings for the Red Cross. Can it be possible that it is too much to ask? If we gave the. tvholo of our wealth we. could never repay nil that our sick and wounded soldiers -have 'done for us. At the call of duty the allegiance to > their King and country—for us to live in comfort—nay, I. would say luxury— they have given their lives—their all. Should we stand by and when the opportunity comes withhold our help? For mercy's sake, give to this, groat cause, help to ease the pain, and give back the life which has been shattered. One building, with pride, is showing over 150 flags. It is well to support every good effort, arid before October 2-1, "Our Day," it is earnestly hoped that every window in Wellington will show its emblem of help.—l am, etc., DRIVER. October 16.

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION Sir,—Your report of the discussion at last night's meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association linrdly makes clear the object 1 had in view in the original resolution. Under tho present constitution of the Club House Society tho position is v.s follows :— 1. The Club House Society consists of returned soldiers and civilians, the latter of whom are virtually the trus-

tees for,public funds, but may be retired at any time from active control and it is understood are quite willing that this, should be done, if.it is the wisli of the general meeting. 2. The internal control of tho club is vested in returned soldiers in a nouassociational capacity. My contentions are:— 1. That the civilian element should be included in a board of trustees with final control, particularly in finance. 2. That the association should administer the internal affairs of th« club subject to the approval • of the Trustee Board. 3. That by the amalgamation of tne staff economies can be effected and efficiency increased. I have therefore given notice of motion as follows: ' ( "That in the best interest of returned soldiers and of the association the internal management and control of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' ,Club should bo vested in the committee of the association, so long as the controlling Board of Trustees considers this administration satisfactory, and that 'such board of trustees should be composed of civilians, representing the public, and returned soldiers."—l am, DOUGLAS SEYMOUR. ' October 17.