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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 25, 19 December 1861, Page 3

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times. Sir, —“Junius,” in reply to one of Sir William Draper’s letters, observed that an academical education had given him (Sir William) an unlimited command over the most graceful figures of speech, and that hatchets, vipers, &c., danced before him in all the mazes of metaphorical confusion. The Herald's correspondent “0.P.5.” seems to have had the rare fortune of being similarly accomplished, and the great elegance of his diction is only equalled by the justice of his cause, and a knowledge and “ feeling ” that “ to do the duty that doth before us lie in our daily life, is the prime wisdom.” “Snakes,” “miserable beings,” “venom.” “reptiles,” “abuse,” “miserable cognomens,” are graceful selections, and the following passage is a remarkable instance of the gifted writer’s great placidity of temper. ‘Ahurriri’s’ letter is good, and we might have had some good sparring, but I will not, cannot, condescend to parley wifli a man who takes

so dastardly an advantage of anonymous-wri-ting as to imply, or attempt to impute slander /” Well! this is magnanimous ! and if it could be possible further to enlarge the great benevolence of “O.P.S.’s” nature, I would humbly suggest for his next moral study the following passage,—“cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shal’t thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brotiler’s eye.” The “ Times and its warriors,” I hope will take the charge of “cowardice” prefered against them with all humility and penitence, and receive with becoming resignation the castigations of this anonymous philanthropist. He says “the Times does not stop to enquire what is the cost ? What the utility ? And what the productiveness” of Government ? No ! The people can speak feelingly to the first question —few can answer the second —the dredge replies to the third, and honest John Begg is prepared to answer a good deal more! It requires not the Times “to condescend to parley with a man who takes so dastardly an advantage of anonymous writing as to imply, or attempt to impute slander!” The quotation is yours “0.P.5.” Honest John Begg tellsb/ow who he is, and with your great horror of the “dastardly advantage of anonymous writing,” and the love of fair play which I am sure must actuate a gentleman like you, why, make the fighting equal and give him your name. You don’t even tell us that you are not in Government pay. You may have no prospect of having your £s. d. diminished. It is the curse of all Governments that offices are easily made, but not easy to abolish, that salaries are easy to increase, but not so easy to reduce. I must repeat, my dear hater of cant, that we were told that a Superintendent and two Clerks could do the work of the new province. There was no need of Provincial Solicitor, with a case a year,—no Provincial Treasurer with <£3oo a year,—no Paymaster of roads with his heavy work, —no Auditors, — no Inspector of schools, —no Directors of Works, —no Chief of Police, —no Provincial Surgeon,—no Provincial Engineer,—no Registrar of Deeds.—The Superintendent and two Clerks were to do all the woi’k ! Well! Experience does make fools wise, but whether or not it has made Mr. Fitzgerald wise we are not informed, —but, if he is not now wise, how egregiously he must have been benighted only three years ago. In conclusion, Air. “0.P.5.” are you the man who in the imraaculateness of your mortal nature is privileged “to tear the veil from the heart,” and to pronounce who are pure, and who are cants and hypocrites ? Are you the man invested with judgment? You know “the indignant are not always the most virtuous,” and as you are never seen to be indignant, but in possession of a temper of placid sweetness, how great must be your happiness when you withdraw yourself from the cares of the world and politics into the “sunshine of your own charity T I am, Sir, Yours, &c. Tile last of the Tribunes.