MR. HIKE IN REPLY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1917, Page 7

MR. HIKE IN REPLY.

To the Editor. ' Sir,—Some little time ago Mr. Bakewell, in a very angry desire to hold me up to public reprobation, ranked' me with the Dominion legislators, but later on he promoted or degraded me, whichever he chooses, to a nielie in the hall of fame alongside von Bethmann Hollweg. It was therefore evident that to his distorted mind the public morality of our Dominion legislators was only slightly removed from that of the Imperial German Chancellor. This being so, it is somewhat surprising that' Mr. .Bakewell ■should now claim as an ally the ActingPrime Minister, on some of wliose words Mr. Bakewell clings with a fervour and fidelity "'passing the love of woman." I ■am indeed pleased to learn that the majority of farmers are making their returns, and although this should have been done some twelve months ago yet the fact that they are now doing so "'even at the eleventh hour" is distinctly encouraging- and is perhaps due, in a measure, to the publicity of this, our little controversy. Mr. Bakewell, however, very conveniently omitted to mention that Sir Jamp.s Allen also referred to the financial shirkers who are evading the tax and boasting' of it. These are .fihe'people who consider "that only fools are. caught," and who, doubtless, find a shepherd and a friend in the "economist" from Waitui. But Mr. Bakewell is constant in one thing, and one only, and that is his deeply-rooted aversion to taxation in any shape or form. I had hoped that we should have had the opportunity of learning the details of the great economy sc'heme by which he intends to obviate all necessity for this extra taxation, but as he distinctly deck'res that when I write again he will be "up and off "(or did he mean "down •and out?") it is evident that the readers of the Daily News will not be privileged to study "Mr. Bakewelfy of Waitui, on ■political economy, specially economy."' And now, Sir, in conclusion, ' liavc only to say that if any letters of mine have been the means of bringing home to the minds of your readers the very great contrast revealed in the sacrifice and devoted patriotism of the boys as compared wish the callous selfishness of many who are busily engaged in amassing wealth, then this discussion will not have been in vain.—l am, etc.. JAR. HI\ T E, Junr., Tikorangi. April l'2 b 1917. / '