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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 13 February 1863, Page 3

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Sie, —Just back from the country, I have been looking into the late Napier news, to see if Mr. Colonso had noticed any of his antagonist’s bitter attacks. At the same time I scarcely thought lie could, after having been openly called a liar on the hustings by him. And here I might say it is worth noticing, and marks the man, to see how Mr. Wood turns that off in his news, he there with some pomposity says,—(if I remember the precise words : I know we had a good laugh over thernj—“ Mr. Wood denied it emphatically” ! Well, let that pass. I am not going to take up the sticks in defence of Mr. Colenso. I know well he does not want help from me, —but I never have believed the Devil to bo so black ns he is

painted. I saw on my way back that copy of Wood’s newspaper in which he speaks of Mr. Colenso’s demoniac countenance, and of the gushing forth of his great rancour and hate towards the Scotch which had lon* l been bottled'up, &e.. &c., &c. I was struck with this statement of Wood’s, and, thinking as I rode, I considered it to be very malignant, marking the man again. In short, it is worse than bare malignancy, it is both false and ungrateful on the part of Wood, and this I think I can show. As no other person has come out, and as actions speak louder than words, I will just give you, Mr. Editor, two matters which came to my own certain knowledge, and there may be many more like matters unknown to me though known to older residents. About 18 or 20 mouths back, I heard Mr. Wood himself say, that the Scotch could not have got up their church in this town, had it not been for Mr. Colcnso’s noble and disinterested conduct concerning the land on tho hill, which was as good to them as a gift of £SOO. Mr. Wood also remarked that it was the more generous on the part of Mr. Colenso, as he did not attend their worship. And Mr. Tom FitzGerald told me about 3 or 4 years back, that Mr. Wood would have got on but badly when ho set up—he not knowing much of printing—had not Mr. Colenso helped him, and that he, Mr. F., had known Mr. Colenso to ride in from his old residence, purposely to help him, and had seen him throw oil his coat, and with his own hands wash. Wood’s dirty printing dabbers. This last fact I give as I heard it from Mr. F., and’ though I believe it to be true I don’t vouch for its truth, arid I think ‘Mr. S. Begg was present of the same time and heard Mr. F. say so. So that Mr. Wood is somewhat indebted to Mr. Colenso, both individually and nationally, and should have been a little more careful in giving vent to his spleen. 1 just give you two matters of fact, which have been brought fresh to my remembrance through reading Wood’s statements, and you may print them if you please. I am, &c., &c., JUSTUS. P.S.—I have said £SOO. I think that was tho sum Mr. Wood mentioned, but he might have said £4OO or £SOO.