TOPSY-TURVEYDOM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 307, 5 June 1915, Page 3

TOPSY-TURVEYDOM.

To the Editor. Sir, —I have often thought that wc live in Topsy-turveydom when 1 lead .the doings of various ''protection" societies—l mean societies for tiie protection of incorporated professions or trades. They meet and talk as though the community existed for the benelit of their profession or business, whereas the truth is that they are called into existence for the benefit of the community. .Notice a meeting, say, of the Teachers' Protection Association, dignified by the name of the Ldiuational Institute (or some such vague term). They profess great solicitude for their proteges or clients, but tiie great enthusiasm is over their own interests and privileges. This error is found all along the line; politicians forget that the State exists for the people, and not the people for the State; doctors exist for the need of the patients, not patients for doctors; teachers are needed for the children, not children for the teachers; and so oil. It is noticeable, too, that this failing is more evident in the close corporations. It is human weaknes3 that a dose of common sense would overcome. Ido not wish to bring a special charge against professional men and women. It applies all round to trades unions and all protective organisations. The long-suffering public, has no such defence club. When the people, say, through your columns, cry out foi economy in the distribution of commodities or anything else, the reply is that by this economy many men will be thrown out of work, and then no one dare say another word. There is a case in point in your paper of Thursday. The Sub-inspector of Police in Auckland says that it would be better if 110 liquor were sold in bottles for consumption oil' the premises after S p.m. In connection with this the reasoning of -Mr. Cutten, S.M., chairman of the Licensing Oonv mittec, is most remarkable—just tq*.vturveydom outright. The learned S-..M. thinks that it was "asking a comparatively small sacrifice of publicans to request that they should not sell liquor to anybody after 8 p.lll. in botties." Now, why did he argue thus? lie evidently thinks first (and only, so far as I can sec) of the interests of the publicans. lie does not give a thought to the inconvenience it may he to the would-be purchasers if they cannot buy their bottle of whisky after 8 p.m. Another case of the same stupid blunder of regarding the trade or profession (the few) to the neglect of the consumers (the many). But then higher dignitaries set him that example, for Mr. Lloyd (leorge, in the difficulty over the (Dissipation among munition workers, went to consult with the brewers and distillers and not with the consumers — topsy-turvevdom even in high places.— I am, etc., ' CONSUMER.