CORRESPONDENCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4375, 18 February 1909, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

' are not responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.)

(To the Editor.)

Sib, —Would you please to give me space in your valuable paper for a few remarks on the subject of our I aws. I find in reading the Te Aroha News you inform your readers of the great fact that our worthy Mayor and Gentlemen of the Borough Council have been burning the midnight oil and sweating their brains making more laws. Now, sir, the question arises where was the policeman to allow such a flagrant breach of the Shop and Offices Act, in allowing the Borough Council to be kept open to such unearthly hours, but I suppose, sir, there was no information received or surely such a zealous officer would not overlook it. One cannr t help asking th" question, “ Who ate the Laws For ?” Are we going to have two distinct classes of people in this town one who will have to obey the law on the fear of fine or imprisonment, and the other lot who can just do what they like at the present time ! This is so, I will give you a glaring instance which is well known : The business people were looking forward to an interesting case which did not come off so far I refer to the closing of the shops on New Year’s Day. The officer in charge closed some of the business places by threatening to prosecute under the Shop and Offices Act. Some of them closed sooner than run the risk of being fined. Other shops took no notice, but went on with their business which I have no doubt was a profitable one that day I was told for a fact that the officer assured those who obeyed him that he wns going for the fellows who took no notice of him, but for some reason that no fellow could understand those people were not made criminals of. The only explanation I heard given was they must be of the right colour. Now, sir, when the Law is openly defied in this way, one portion of the people are compelled to keep the Law and the others can set it at defiance. This is not good for the town or district. The Te Aroha News has kept fearlessly open to every public question, and all right thiuking men ipust heartily thank you that you cannot be bought or gagged when the good ot'ithe people is at stake in closing your paper to free discussion on public questions,—l am, etc.,

Pro Bono Publico

[To the Editor,]

Sir, —In reading Saturday's issue of the Te Aroha News I saw a paragraph which begins: “ There are grevious complaints that Prohibition Orders are mere empty forms.” How can yu go on slandering Te Aroha as you do ? According to your contemporary you were not satisfied until yrn brought Dr. Purdy here to examine the sanitary state of our town, and drawing his attention to certain sanitary reforms. How shocking of you to stir up strife avhen everything according to the D.ctor’s report was a picture of cleanliness and sweet smells, and now, sir, you have the audacity to dvaw public attention to another grevious complaint, let us examine what truth there is in this complaint. You report a case not long since of a gentleman against whom there was a, prohibition order, and you informed us of the smart work of the officer in charge. No doubt it was from information received. According to the evidence the man was not caught on the licensed premises, but outside of the hotel altogether, and to most people it was a puzzle why this man was summoned for being caught where he was. Indeed, sir, the whole thing was laughable if it was not so serious. There is another case I have been credibly informed Of where a Christian lady took out a prohibition order against a gentleman. a most pitiable case, what was the result, totally useless, so far as preventing him from getting drink. The question is, “ What is the remedy.” I see no remedy for this under the present circumstances. The public feeling of Te Aroha is stone dead. There is nothing will stir it Of 'course, sir, this is the sort of law and order uphold by your contemporary and cannot be altered until something dreadful happens. In the meantime it is hoped you will keep the question before the public, and it is possible you may bring another Government official to inquire into the matter. —1 am, etc. IXQTOBY.