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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 130, 10 July 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times

Sir, —The other day I called on the editor of a certain journal with a view to ask him, as the organ of the governing class of this Province, two or three questions having reference to matters in which that class have an interest.

I thus addressed that illustrious individual, who was at the moment of my entrance engaged in correcting the proofs of a number of the Waka Maori —

“ Sir, knowing you to be a lover of Justice and of Freedom, and a hater of Corruption and Jobbery,” “ Ah ! what’s that,” he broke in, suddenly interrupting me, “ eh 1 a job, did you say ? 0 ! yes, certainly, of course, I’m always ready for a job.” My horror at this unlooked-for discovery is “ more easily imagined than described,” and I instantly took a precipitate and unceremonious leave of the Editorial presence, without putting to him those questions which I had intended for his and no other ears.

Finding, then, that I was sorely mistaken as to the incorruptibility of the Editor in question, I turn to you, as the only representative of public opinion to be found in Hawke’s Bay, and I must beg that you will give me a plain and candid answer to each and all of those questions which I shall now put to you. No. 1. Is it true that the Superintendent and Civil Commissioner have between them undertaken to mount the men who have just arrived from Otago as a detachment of Kecruits for the Colonial Defence Corps ? No. 2. Is it true that this fine body of men are to be immediately despatched or “ tolled off’ to Major Whitmore’s run, there to he employed in fencing in a portion of that little estate ?

No, 3. Is it true that upon a run in which his Honor the Superintendent has an interest, there are to be found about 100 horses which are to be devoted to the purpose of mounting the men in question ? No. 4, u ls it true that Major Whitmore intends to put all the men who enter his

corps upon the voting list, upon the ground that being under his command they are therefore quite entitled to a vote ? I am, Sir, madjestically, A J.P. Peefectly Sobee. P.S. I open this to say that I wrote it myself. P.S. I defy you as a traitor to your Country to mortal combat, if a salubrious place be selected, with Munu’s omnibus passing every minute.

P.S. I don’t care whether you respect me or disrespect me.

[We publish this extraordinary communication more as an example of the kind of correspondence with which we are at this time completely inundated, than from any value we attach to it. But we must say that had our energetic correspondent signed himself “ A J.P. perfectly drunk,” we should have been inclined to treat the matter as the result of that state of mind which is but too common amongst our J.P.’s. We have, therefore, to say in reply to the questions put to us, and which questions were apparently penned during a lucid moment enjoyed by the writer, that we know nothing about the doings of such people as Superintendents and Civil Commissioners. Until those persons repent them of their evil ways in sackcloth and ashes, and do penance with unboiled peas in their boots over a given section of Major Whitmore’s little run, we decline to hold any communication with them. We can therefore only say that as there is generally some truth to be found at the bottom of every rumor, however extravagant that rumor may seem, we think it just—but only just—within the bounds of probability that A Sober J.P.’s information is founded upon fact.— Ed. H.B.T].