CORRESPONDENCE

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 55, 21 June 1884, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE

Under no circumstances is the Editor responsible for the matter contained in correspondence.

TO THL EDITOR. ;g IR} I think everyone in this tonwsliip as astonished at the exorbitant charges .made for the use of the hot spring baths. It is all very well for a clique, termed the Domain Board, to advertise such prices ; but who authorised them to make the same ? Not the Government, surely, for it was O'je of the provisoes of the Government when, about 3 years ago they called for tenders for the purpose of leasing the hot springs, that the baths already in use (2) were to remain free, and through that, proviso, and one or two just as stringent, no one tendered for the same. If Government did not feel justified in closing those already in use, theo by what authority do the socalled Domain Board do it? Even taking for granted that they can charge (legally they have no power to do so), then, why in jnstice to the residents of this place put such a charge that will deter those who are in the habit of using them? If the Domain Board require the springs for their own private use, they can take over the " White Elephant " and no one will say nay. It is fcertainjy amusing to think that they have the audacity to charge 3 1 for a plunge bath, when anyone can have a plunge in the river for nothing. I think that it is time that the residents of Te Arolia put a stop to such oppression, and demand that the two original baths be immediately thrown open for the use of the public, and for that purpose I propose that some inriuential party convene a public meeting. — I am, etc.,

A LtESIDENf. [We do not concide with the views expr-ssed by our correspondent in tni-s letter. In the first place, we consider tie charges t -at hive been ilecined on are most reasonable, provided that as a r snlt the baths and ground* generally a c properly kept. In the past th- 1 continual cry has be-n the neglected state of the baths. The Do.nain Board ait* fully authorise 1, under t.ie provisions of the <l Public Do a.iuis Act, ISol," to make such bye-laws as shall lie considered necessary, and rI.-o to make suon ! c mrges for the batlis as shall provide j Minis for their proper m.iaiten»m-e, ami » so for the purpose of beautifying and iuprovin^ the Dmiuu. Ou corres- : jioivlcnfc e\i"leni-ly forgets, from the wording of his loiter, that th" old tk TV Aioha Hot Spring K-cre.ition Grmin I" lias since the time he aliases to been l.routrht unler the provisions of the *♦ Public Domains Act, 18t>l." — Ed. Te A.N.]

(TO TUB EIHTOIi.) Sir, — Several weeks since I wrote to the Post Office authorities suggesting, tiiat as the contractors (Messrs Mulliiigar ami Brett) woal.l be almost imrni<liately running trains from Hamilton to ]\lorrinsville, some arraiiL'envnt might be made by which mails ami passengers could be conveyed. 1 understand that tie contrnctorH would for the tide of a carriage and pei mission to cliarye a juoderaW fare for passengers, cairy tiie mails Frpe ; and t mt t..ey would not, as asserted by the Pu^c Wor!<s Dejiartinont, take tuis as a jirelext tor exadiny any condition of th.-ir contract, for nil that would be lvquUih 1 would be t.ieir written declarsilinii to remove such objjeLioiis J a.id ii two I'ubiio WorKb

Deportment regard the interests, the comfort, and the convenience ol the public, they will tl row no obstacle in the. way of contractors courteously doing a public service, There ore four contractors' trains daily from Morrinsrille to Hamilton ; the first at 9 a.m., by which passengers from Aroha could leave an hour Inter than at present nnd cnteh the 10 30 train from Hamilton to A norland, instead of missmu the 2.3\) p.m. by the coach. Then, in the nfte-rnoon tb<> train would bring on mails and passengers from the Auckland train, ai.d reach Morrinsville between i and 5 p.m, so that passengers and mail could reach Aroha about (I or 7 o'clock. You wonl I your letters and papers in time to ittciid to by the return mail ; but above all oonsidei the safety and comfort of the passengers, and the poor coachman and his unfortunate horses — travelling from Morrinsville only, and that almost i entirely by daylight, insie.ui of floundering in the mud quagmires, called roadr, at ili hours of the night. I hope that you ,md the Aroha settlers will interest themselves, and take uciion by public meeting and petition to get the above (Iteration, and insist that the contracts lor tho perm-incut way from Morrins\ille tx> Aioha lie at once invited, so that the public may get the use of the railways, ami the money already expended bear some return. Tne dep-irt-,neut seem to delight, for some reason, in keeping unfinished a number of disconnected fragments of railways, which means an unnecessary expen-e for supervision, adding l.injoly to tn- nee I leas eoj-t. while dimin shinir j-üblic cnven-iem-es and the railway returns. 1 believe in pushing on Mich works an 1 having the use of them. Yon will see that Mr Jis>fc has been piompt and courteous, tor which I thxik him.— l am, etc., W. A. Murray.

The following is a copy of the reply Mr Muiray received from Mr Bi^s to us letter, a* above referrc! to : — " o'iit'f Post OilW, Ain-Ul ml, Miv 23rd, 188-4. SSir, — Adverting to your letter of the 17th in-tan', I beg 1 to in form you 1 havo consulted with the Resident Engineers with reference to forwa-dmg mails by the ontia tors' ballast train from ll.imilton to Morrinsville, and I tin I it would be in advisable to do sj, as were such a plan authorised the Government would be unable to enforce the tune penalties to which the contractors are liable. It is expected the line will be open in a few mout'is at the latest.— l am, Your Obedient Se. Ivant, " R Biss, Chief Postmaster. " W. A. Murray, Esq., Piako."

(to the editor.) g IUj — The quarrel between the Bishop of Dnnedin ami tl>p Rev. R. H. Stanford \ividl) ivcalls to my recollection a fact related in my hearing by a clergyman (hi.nseK an Englishmmi, but not i an Episcop ilian) some seven years ago, and illustrates in a painful manner the chiUisti imbecility by which some clerics yet try to cram their mummeries down the throat of Ninteenth-century intelligence. In a certain parish in London a piece of ground was bought and duly consecrated for the purpose of erecting a church taereon, but something or other prevented that intention being carried out, and it was found expedient to sell the land. But previous to submitting it f >r sale the clergyman of the parish formally proceeded with the mummery of de-consecratmg the ground and of converting it again to common earth. En the beginning" of The Book, whic'i priests of all Christian persuasions process to take for their standard and guide, we are told that God viewed his finished work and pronounced it very good. Can .my incantations of priest* improve on chis? Evidently the enlightened bishop of D'inediii is determined, if he can help it. that nor, an atom of the '' odour ,)F s.inctity ' of his cnimh shnll go to le.jven the rank-* of the lawyer. Ordinary niiuulis would be apt to reason that Mr Stanford would make a more conliuyet if mo-e or 1 >&-> of ins derical bias sr ill adhered to him. It is i.) be feo.iv. l tmt there is still a-aong ur. ! lar^u 'prinklin.,' of the ula-a of 'whom our Biviour sai 1 " Ye strain at a gnat and swallow a came! " — 1 am, &c\, A Layman.