CORRESPONDENCE

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2660, 16 October 1882, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE

To the Editor of the Globe.

Sir, —In looking throngh your journal of Friday last, in your leading artiole on the Bast asd West Coast Biilway, and in regard to the meeting held on Thursday evoniDg by the Industrial Association, to my surprise, saw taut yon had criticised my statements at that masting aa extravagant, tb3urd, mere moonshine, insane, and injurious to the cause, &s. If I had made use of Buoh etatemsrits as you ehooae to acouse me of, it would seem more than moonshine, ar.d one would_ think that the comet had something to do with it; but not having made any such statements. I think the comet must have affected the Globe. You say that my stfi'.ament »vai thus : "A royalty of 61 a ton on the 40,000,000 tons of co«l on the Ws3t Coast would be sufficient to psy oil the national debt." Now, for goodness sike.do not miifce a person out to be snoh an idiot. Da you imagine that I am 10 ignorant as to not know wl-at •40,000,000 cixponcca amount to ; I wili show that I do, by saying it is £1,000,000. Sir, after showing you that much, you v-il! surely allow me to know that £1,000,000 would not be suffioi»nt to pay off the national debt, which is nearly £28,000,000. Now, sir, I trust yon will be c« willing to f et mo right with the publio as you were to condemn me. If your reporter j-ivca you *n incorrect report, I do not sac why I shou d suffer by hi 3 bo doing. Sir, wbat I did s >y was this: —By opening up communioatiHi with the West Coast by a railway would gice aeoeis to immonso mineral resources, a::d would make 2,000,000 aorei of timber land available for tbo colony; this land, by ito sale, would pny for making the railway U the West Coast. Then, again, a royalty of 6d a ton on tbo oo&ls of the West Coast

would afford a revenue of £40.000,000. oe quite enough to pay off ths national debt,' The above, Sir, u not limply icy usert»% but u from reliable Bonroes. By ineertinjj thii letter in your journal I shall feel the* you wish to do mo j notice. Yours, &?., A. a. HOWLAND. Ghristehurch, October 16th, 1882.