CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2227, 26 June 1908, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Correspondence on puMio matter* is welcomed at all times, but it must bo distinctly understood that this journal is in no way associated with tho opinions of its correspondent*.] A TAX ON BACHELORS. [To tub EdiTok.J r Sir,—l thoroughly agree with “Single Man” and cannot see that tho same income spent on one man pays less to the revenue of the country that if it were painfully made to support several people. But- it is another aspect of the bachelor question that I wish to speak about. To tax a bachelor means; presumably, , that he is to be encouraged to'cease being a bachelor"; We aro always talking about interfering with the liberty of the subject, and if this be the aim of taxing bachelors it is an unwarrantable in- : terforence. I , Then-" people are heard , talking about the “selfishness” of being a bachelor. I cannot see what they mean. Do they mean that the married state is one of suffering and uitj happiness which it is selfishness to avoid? Is it not obvious that by far | tlie larger number of bachelors are so 1 rather from unselfish than selfish reasons? Certainly all tho bachelors of ’ my own acquaintance have acted on unselfish grouuds, finding that in these times tho making of a settled - income, even for men of high abilities, is daily growing more of a struggle and they are not willing to drag a woman into a struggle which they prefer to meet alone. I don’t know; how it is in New Zealand, as I : am from London, but there I know j that over-population and the conseI qiiont struggle for existence is so much of a curse that men who marry often act with supreme selfishness, merely for their own comfort and pleasure, knowing that the income they can command is utterly insuffi-. , eient for the proper support of wife and probable family. J f acknowledge freely that the great 'responsibilities taken, by parents, ;and the life-long anxieties brought on them by the care and education and starting in life of sons and daughters, bring out all that is best in a man or , woman : but it may confe about that the wife and children must suffer more than is iust, and many men and women prefer to fact the fight alone.

And who says anything against the bachelor girls? I have heard of many cases in the Old Country in, which girls, although they hare met the men suited to ho their life companions, and the men have secured their love, yet refuse, marriage, and - this in cases where the irieii arc justified in asking a girl to marry, justified, I mean, by their ability to earn an income sufficient for the needs of wife and family, good men thrown aside, because the girls prefer to earn their own living rather than risk tho possible struggle of family life. Women eaii now enter almost all the occupations once entirely filled by men ; therefore, tax bachelor girls also, if - you tax the men. Unfortunately it is tho best men - and women in the Old Country; best, physically and mentally, best in abilities, who are from unselfish motives refraining from marriage, whilst- tho careless, and those inferior in physical and mental gifts are marrying freely, and insuring a devastating torrent of children into the world, children , who are unfit for the battle of life.—l am, etc., “A FATHER.” CO-OPERATIVE BAKERIES. [To the Editor.] Sir, —In answer to your correspondents who ■have written tabout starting butcher shops and bakeries, I have been waiting for some of the directors of tho Gisborne Co-operative store to make a reply. . If these people who are so ready to write and whine about the grab-all principle of the butchers and bakers wero alive to their own interests, and meant what they write; they would liavo joined tlie Co-operative stores long. ago, and induced their friends also. This institution has been- well advertised and managed in a businesslike manner, and yet- it.has been lan- ‘ gnishing and hampered for want of sufficient capital, and has so far not been .able for that reason to extend operations. At the start they had a butcher supplying meat at a reduced rate on tlie coupon cash system,,and even that failed to draw new subscribers. Again, recently, when they made arrangements for cheap bread, a largo number of shareholders even failed to take. advantage of this opportunity of helping themselves. Now., if these writers are in earnest let them assist the present institution in a proper way, and I. think their requirements will be met.—l am, etc., “SHAREHOLDER.”, Gisborne, June' 24. THE PRICE OF BREAD. [To the Editoh.] , Sir, —Two or three letters on the above subject having appeared in the “Times” lately from different correspondents; I would like to be allowed to show it in -a different aspect to what it has been shown by the said correspondents. Now, Sir,' I do not blame the bakers for charging 4d a loaf if the public -are fools enough to pay it; not a bit of it. I say they woulU bo simplotons indeed to only charge 3ld for a loaf of bread when they can get 4d for it. If the public are not satisfied, let them show tlieir disapproval in a practical way. There should he no use harking; they must bite, and bite hard, too. One of your correspondents, signing himself “Co-Operative.” suggests leasing a site from tlie present Co-Operative Store people to erect a building suitable for all requirements. ■ Now, (Sir, why is it, might I ask, that the present Co-operative Association have not added a baker’s oven to their plant, and sold bread of its own making? The reasoii is not far to seek. If tho general public had patronised it as they should have patronised it since its concept ion, the present Association, would-have had no difficulty in financing the venture without any . assistance from outside. Tlie fault, of ocurse, lies with the women folk. It is no use of men taking an interest in it if their wives will not patron- ■ iso it, as it is they who have the laying out of the money. Now, let u s suppose for a moment that a co-op-erative bakery was started, all would go well perhaps for a while: until tho . bakers lowered the price (perhaps below the co-operative). When that stage was reached I mn very much afraid that those who had previously -; grumbled the loudest would return their custom to the bakers. That- is precisely what hapopned in Napier some years ago, when Mr. George Searfe added a bakery in conjunction with his grocery business. Now, Sir, to sum up, I too have a suggestion to < make. I. would beg to suggest that ; all those who really favor a co-opera- ' tive bakery shou’d semi a request to the directors of the Co-operative Sup- . ply Association to start a bakery in - conjunction with their grocery business, ami also’ state the amount of bread they arc prepared to guarantee to purchase, weekly for a period of say twelve months.. Then the Assoeia- ; tion would lure something ■ tangible to work on. T think that would lie. the best way for the people t<j- prove their sincerity in the . matter. This need not. intejffirerc with tlie ■public meeting suggested hv .Mr. Brady, but merely aid its fulfilment.—Earn! etc., C. CATION.