THE DIGGER'S LETTER BOX.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 24, 27 August 1920, Page 8

THE DIGGER'S LETTER BOX.

G. RICHARDSON, Brig-General i/c Administration.

SHELL-HOLE.

FARMER.

R. McDONALD, 24th August, 1920.

REPIA". (To the Editor.) Dear Groper.— The Scriptures saith. "Little children, love oue another," but I am not prepared on the basis of that text to claim that early Christianity favoured the abolition of personal property. Nor am I disposed, because St. Paul talks i about the equality of "bond and free," to admit that he, nor any of his con- | temporaries, looked upon the keeping of ( siaves as, in itself, a sin. St. Paul as j you will know, wasin no way backward m particularising the sins of his times ancl if he had looked upon slavery as a sin he would assurediv not have been afraid to say so. Now, you hold it dogmatism in McCabe when he states the simple historical fact that no Christian writer of the fix*st four ccnturies has anything to say in condemnation of slaveiy. To make good your charge you must bi'ing for war 1 somfcthing more definite than general admonitions to love one another or disquisitions on the brotherncod of man. Fou must quote the straight-fluxig words of an 1 abolitionist. All remarks about the Bible being the charter of the poor and lowly and so on are be.sitle the point ; a man m a.y be quite convinced of the evils of drink and still not be a prohibitionist. By the way, are you not a little mixed in your dates when you call Tom Paine an R.P.A. man? Paine died in 1809, about. 90 years before the R.P. Association began ! I note that a certain scnbe, "Jacques, ' has butted into our little affair. He is an "amusin' cuss" and that covers a rnuftitude of sins. But his contribution bears the obvious marks of youth and inexperience, and it were well perhaps, that I spend a paragraph on him, lest> he take himself too seriously. Listen to him, "McCabe is unquestionably dogmatic at times. Perhaps "A" will have noticed with myself, that in his debates on spiritist matters McCabe's usual method of disposing of scientifically inexplicable plxenomena is to airily ascribe them telepathic agencies or sources." No! I have not noticed anything of the sort, and I am pretty conversant with McCabean literature of the last ten years. This I have noticed, however, that in th,e recent big debate with Sir Conan Dovle (which "Jac. ques" read a few weeks ago) telepathy is not even mentioned ! And yet our impetuous friend assures us that telepathy is McCabe's "usual method" of meeting spiritist arguments, that "he was, and still is, persistent" in its use, further that he "continues working it for all that it is worth. " Further comment is unnecessaxy. — I am, etc., "A." P.S. — And evenifhe did attribute spirit phenomena to telepathy, I fail to see where any dogmatism comes in. Telepathy is an open question ; some hold it proven and others do not. If McCabe declared that telepathy was wlxolly or generally accepted by men of science, that would of coursc 'be a most dogmatic statement, but I am sure that he has made no such claim. And the £1000 challenge; I want to know more about that. "Jacques" statement is f>o vague that he must p arden me for

doubting that McCabe was ever so challenged. Soinebody, sometime, somewhere, writing to some paper, is not the sort of information that appeals to me, and the term "London Press" may mean any one of the severa.1 score of publications. Let's have something more definite. — "A." AN EXPLANATION. The following communication has been received regarding an axticle which recently appeared in "The Digger." This article indicated that a soldier had been sent an agreement in order that he night collect the sum of 14s, and a 3s stamp had to be affixed. The document is exactly as published, hut it appears that the provision for the stamp should .hice been cancelled and was overlooked, which is a vexy easy thing to do. The letter is published for the benefit of all who read the article referred to, and can be accepted as a satisfaetory explanation. — Editor. Department of Defenee, Headquarters Office, Wellington, 21st, August, 1920. Dear sir, — With reference to the article headed "Red Tape" in your issue of the 13th instant, I called for a report from the Officer-in-Charge N.Z.E.F. Accounts on this matter, and he inforins me that : — "It is not necessary for the declarant to affix a 3s stamp to the decla.ration where same refers to a soldier 's pay. I am attaching a copy of the form xxsed which is the usual u.P. 50, in general use in accordance with the Act governing statutory declarations. Before the form is sent out from this office it is usual to put a cross over the space provided in the margin for affixing the us stamp. Either one of two things has occurred in the present instance ; either the usual cross to signify cancellation has not been made or the soldier has taken the cross as a mark caliing his attention to the space for the stamp." , I would be glad if you would ask your informant to show you the Form of Declaration ssnt to him and ascertain whether the space for the stamp was cancelled as mentioned in the above report. — Yours faithfully.

|lPPOINTMENT 0F OFFICERS SOU1H- | LAND ELECTRIC POWER L0ARD. (To the Editor). Sir. — Your correspondent signing himself "Four Blue Chevrons" is a man after nxy own heart. Is it conceivable for a moment that any right thinking Digger who knows too well the sound of a "five-nine" is goixig to let this action of our E. P. Board pass without comment. No, certainly not, if he has the mteresi-3 of Southland at heart. Is this not a good start for any Southland pay roll— ELLIS, J. W., Sydney, weekly £10. BRICKSON W. C., N.S.W., weekly £7. May I ask if Sydney or N.S.W. are the only plaees in this universe where men with brains are to be found? Did Southland exhaust all her talented men when she elected the E.P. Board? Evidentiy in in the opinion of the latter she did. Surely our progressive E. P. Board are not going to make all their important positions available to outsiders alone. Why do they not advertise these and other such vacancies and let the men of Southland who thrashed the Huns have an cpportun. ity of stating their qualifications. I shall await with interest the explanation of their chairman to people of Southland tlirough these columns, not only with regard to these appointments but any future appointments. — I am, etc.,

Invercargill, 24th Aug., 1920. (To the Editor). Sir, — I was surprised to see in your paper an open letter to the Southland Electric Power Board, which indicated that the Board either ■appointed or anticipated appointing two men from Australia for appointments to the Board. As you state, these positions should have been advertised and others given a chance to compete, and all things being equal, Southland men first. I would also like to complain of the lack of information the public receive about the doings of Ihe Board. Although the people are anxious to see the scheme put through, there is a great deal of uneasiness thi'oughout the countiy. Some time ago I read in your paper a lecture on the "Monowai Region," by Mr James Fowler, and it appeared that something was wrong with the gauge which measured the water. Can it be true that the gauge was high and dry. So far, no steps have been taken by the Board to comment upon any of the questions raised in thaf lecture, and the attitude of the Board regarding appointments should be condemned. Hoping some abler pen thaxx mine will

contribute to these question, r 1 aU

Otautau, 23rd August. 1920. AlU^ A REPLY. (To the Editor). Sir, — "Correspondent" is a ]on from the point in his repU ^ of the 4th. The point on which wel swords was his report of a football ^ His reference to behaviour after t)i ^ probably concerns the valiant actiot^ Otahuti "white hope' who chalwj whole Calcnxm team to mortal comK I am, etc.,

Isla Baxxk, 1920. Thes,e columns are for the free ein-e • of criticism in connection with anr;b'SS1°'1 public interest, and not for the leged in your letter. Good healthy C[itl ism is always a factor in efficiency^