TO CORRESPONDENTS

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 30, 29 July 1867, Page 2

TO CORRESPONDENTS

T. W. Shutb (New Plymouth).—We presume that you intend for your arguments to apply to all pensions and not to those granted to Resident Magistrates exclusively. It is quite true, as you say, that private persons have to make provision for old age, and, doubtless, the same rule should apply ,to Government officials. There are cases, nevertheless, where men who have devoted their lives to the public service should have granted to .them . a retiring allowance. Want of room prevents the insertion of your letter; but though your arguments against granting pensions to officers in the civil service are very forcible and to the purpose, your evident unacquaintance with the real facts of the case, would, we fear, deprive your arguments of the weight to which they are entitled.

. Law FOR Lawyers.—A.. Provincial Council Act, containing provisions ;in excess of its powers, if not disallowed by the Governor, does not authorise the Provincial Government to attempt to enforce such provisions, but their being in a sanctioned Act does not destroy the application of the Act in matters which are under provincial control. The old Acts remain in fotce as heretofore, to the extent of their provincial powers, and may, indeed must be applied as they have hitherto been. A Provincial Act might contain powers to obtain cheese from the moon, and the Governor’s sanction could only be interpreted as meaning to apply that cant phrase “don’t I wish you may get it."

E. H.—We are obliged for your communications, which came too late to be noticed in our last. We can, as you say, speak confidently of the valuable services rendered by the, Rifle Volunteers in this district, which might, had it not been for their public spirit, have been turned into another Taranaki. Their embodiment was the means of restoring confidence, and we do not know by what other process this could ,at the time have been effected.

A Settler.—We are glad to hear that the “ Yeoman” column of this journal affords you so much satisfaction. We shall at all times be happy to insert contributions from practical farmers on any subject connected with the dairy, the garden, or the field ; with poultry, pig-feeding, sheep, horses, or cattle ; and any extracts from standard works on these matters shall receive our earliest attention,

T. W.—lt is not our intention to take any part in the discussion of those improvised matters which were brought before the recent road meetings. There are two sides to every question, and our columns are impartially open to those who may take either one or the other.

A Shareholder.—We have not heard when the Public Hall at Greytown will be commenced, hut we know that the gentleman who was employed to canvass the district with reference to the undertaking was very successful.