CORRESPONDENCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4433, 10 July 1909, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

♦- (We are net responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.) (To the Editor ) SIR, —It does seem a pity that our worthy neighbour, Mr J. Squirrel!, should put our esteemed estimate of his veracity to a breaking point in regard to his pretentious statements in your columns as to the high payments and soundness of the Manawaru Co.-op , while at the same time in their balancesheet, which he has just issued, no provision has been made for paying a penny interest on the £1,222 18s id capital paid-up, or a penny for depreciation. The fact of their assets, property, machinery, and plant being assessed at cost price is a thing unheard of in any sound concern, and is quite sufficient to cause grave doubts in the minds of its shareholders as to its stability.—l am, etc.,

Manawaruitps.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In your columns of the 3rd inst., Mr J. Squirrel imputes that the wrecking of the Manawaru Co.-op. was the action of those of the crew who deserted her. This, sir, is contrary to fact, the wrecking of the old tub was the almost criminal incompetency of its chief cook and officers to steer a safe and sound course. Are the crew to blame if after an ineffectual attempt by them to get her put on a safer and sounder course and having to pay out of their hard earned earnings for all the grease which was so freely (and unadvisedly as their auditor put it) distributed on her launching. They desert and ship on a more efficiently equipped vessel, whose competent officers bring her safe to port every season. But what of those of her loyal crew who through mal de mer and otherwise were compelled to tranship before she was in the breakers and those others who have paid up according to her articles. Is it fair 'i "Is it honest ? that the many should suffer for the few, and be deprived of their just rights; and that you should be paying out bonuses to yourselves not out of bona-fide profits made out of profitable trading, but out of the use of their monies. If the profits of one of the many ventures (Manawaru Co.-op, shares, I hardly need say, are not among these) of Mr Squirrel 1 in the world of finance should drop to nil, it would mean a fit, and when his billet as shipswife to the old derelict with its emolument is dispensed with I am afraid he will have another. —I am, etc., One of tiie Old Crew.

(To the Editor)

Sir,—l do not want to keep up a perpetual correspondence about the Manawaru Dairy Company, as the public gets bored by having too much of one thing, I only wish to sav that the sta* ement that the present Chainm n came back to the Company and only took one share is a ridiculous falsehood. He had his full number of shares, also your correspondent says that the seceders from the Company paid their shares in full, and left as honourable men. They left long before they paid up their shares, and they only did that after a test case was taken into Court, and judgment was given against several of their number, —I am, etc., J. Sqtjiurei.l.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Will you kindly allow mo through the medium of your widely road newspaper to thank Mr John Williams for his apology in your issue of the 6th inst. I also wish to point out to him that the reason so many boarding houses have been built at Rotorua is, no doubt, because the Government spend such large amounts of money there, which must be to the detriment of Te Aroha and other places. Re Costly Home, the manager of that institution was acquitted of the charge made against him, but the Government did not come out quite so well in the case I mentioned in my letter of June Bth, so that Mr Williams’ idea, namely, that because the head of an institution is charged before a Court with a breach of law, that that fact, is sufficient for the doing awav of the institution itself, is not only ridicui lous, but hard to understand. Re Mr

Williams’ remarks about the Hamilton Hospital Board being a hard headed lot of business men and that anything that may bo said for, or against a Hospital for Te Aroha, will not be considered by them. I cannot agree with Mr Williams in this, as it is on this very point I rely on our getting a Cottage Hospital here ; as being all thorough business men they will take into consideration the fact that a responsible bsdy, like a Borough Council (who are on the spot, and therefore must know the requirements of the town) would not ask for a cottage Hospital unless it was absolutely necessary ; and I fully expect, believing in the humane and kindly feeling of the members of the Hamilton Hospital Committee, that when our Mayor (who is a member of the Committee) represents at Hamilton on the 22nd inst the great ’ need ,there is for a Cottage Hospital here, that the news he will give us on his return will be, that the Committee agree to give us a Cottage Hospital, provided the Government will supply sufficient funds to purchase a piece of ground, and erect a suitable buildiug. If we do get this reply, we may then look upon the matter as settled, as no Minister goes back on his word, (particulorly a Scotchman) and Hon. T. Mackenzie stated, when he was over hero on his first visit, that we ought to have £2,000, and if £250 can be granle 1 for a bowling green (without being voted by Parliament) surely a small sum like £2,000 will be given for such a neces9ary thing as a Cottage Hospital. As for Mr Williams makiug out I wanted him to get sympathy from “ fossils ” I never said so, I said “public feeling.” How could fossils who are always thinking of “kissing kitty” have any sympathy for Mr John Williams, particularly when he stated that the cutting down of the willows in the Domain was nothing short of >,

criminal. Mr Williams admits that fossils play bowls, as in his letter he calls Admiral Drake one, and goes on to demonstrate the fascinations the game of bowls had for this old fossil (as Mr Williams calls him.) Mr Williams then goes on to show us liow well Dr. Kenny bicked Mr Poland up in having our mineral waters exhibited, well all I can say on this subject is, if Dr. Kenny helped to advertise the Government mineral waters, the Liberal Government are a most ungrateful lot, and their supporters ought to be thoroughly ashamed of them,- as I understand Dr. Kenny has received two month’s notice, but can remain on if he will accept £SO per annum instead of £675 (or thereabouts) and give the Government two hours a day at the office. That’s a nice offer to make a servant who has been doing his best in the. interest of our lev ly Libf ral Government. Where does liberality come in in a case of this kind ? I feel sure Mr John Williams has only the very best interests of the people of Te Aroha at hcirt, perhaps that is why bis pen so often contradicts itself. Sometimes a pen will r m away with the water, as mine did on one occasion when I spoke about trash, and quoted our American cousins, and for the writing of which I certainly apologise to Mr Williams, and also say goodbye to him as regards leplies to any more letters at present, as I have not the time required,—l am, etc.,

K. F. W. Lyons-Montgomery