CORRESPONDENCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2493, 16 June 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

The Editor does not, necessarily, adopt the opinions expressed by correspondents. THE DEPUTATION TO WELLINGTON. [to the editor.] Sir—ln a recent issue of the Ktjmara Times a paragraph appears in which reference is made to the departure of Messrs Morris and White en route for Wellington, as delegates " to represent the grievances of the miners of Kumara." In the interest of the great majority of the miners I deem it incumbent on me to contradict this statement, as it is calculated to create an erroneous opinion in the public mind, and especially in the mind of Government, as to the real grievances under which the majority of the miners labour. In the first place these gentlemen do not represent the views of the miners, as they were appointed at a hole-and-corner meeting in Dillman's Town, held by a few who have exercised a monopoly on this goldfield to the exclusion of the general body of the miners in the district. Out of some fifty claims on this field Messrs Morris and White, it is said, claim to represent fifteen parties, or in other words 83 men—out of 350 miners whose interests are directly or indirectly at stake. The delegates who are now en route to Wellington at the public expense really represeut somewhat less than the 83 men mentioned, as several of the parties now on strike deny having been to the secret meeting or sanctioned their proceeding. Those fifteen parties have for the past two years, as I already stated, enjoyed a monopoly of public property, in the shape of priority of right to the nse of the sludge-channel; and the continuance of this monstrous injustice will, I presume, be one of the chief demands before the Minister of Mines at Wellington. Now that their permits have expired, and consequently the period specified in their agreements ended, they, with cool effrontery, go to Wellington at the expense of the very parties whose interests they seek to damn, and endeavour to prevent the parties who have terms of two and three years unexpired from obtaining the privileges which they are legally entitled to.

But, sir, what shall I say of the action of the public bodies, who, as custodians of the public funds, voted ihe handsome—T may say extravagant—sum of £6O to defray the expenses of the representatives of this clique. And, what is more surprising, a member of one of these public bodies was found willing to lend himself so far as to travel some miles to attend one of these secret meetings, and guarantee to secure the necessary funds, which he did. This he did knowing full well that that those twelve miners he was then with did not represent the miners of Kumara, bat only a few who had by his assistance everything to gain, at the cost of their fellow-miners, and no\l)ing to lose. The clandestine and secret meetings of these very few to send two of their number under a cloak to seek a reduction of the price of w.iter should con-

demn the whole thing in the mind of every right-thinking man. As for the borough I am not directlyinterested, (as I do not reside within its limits) ; nor am I surprised, as the Borough Council has always been notoriously prodigal of the burgesses' money, and their latest action is in keeping with their antecedents'; but as a contributor to the finances of the county, I enter my most solemn protest against the action of the Council in diverting ratepayers' money from its legitimate course to serve the paltry ends of an intolerant minority to the detriment of the general public of this goldfield. Apologising for trespassing on your valuable space—l am &c, Hydraulic. Larrikins, June 16,1884.

THE BAD AND WORTHLESS Are never imitated or counterfeited. This is especially true of a family medicine, and it is positive proof that the remedy imitated is of the highest value. As soon as it had been tested and proved by the whole world that Hop Bitters was the purest, best and the most valuable family medicine on earth, many imitations sprung up and began to steal the notices in which the press and the people of the country had expressed the merits of H. 8., and in every way trying to induce suffering invalids to use their stuff instead, expecting to make money and credit on the good name of H. B. Many others started nostrums put up in similar style to H. 8., with variously devised names in which the word "Hop" or "Hops" were used in a way to induce people to believe they were the same as Hop Bitters. All such pretended remedies or cures, no matter what their style ur name is, and especially those with the word "Hop" or "Hops" in their name or in any way connected with them or thenname, are imitations or counterfeits. Beware of them. Touch none of them. Use nothing but genuine American Hop Bitters, with a bunch or cluster of green Hops on the white label, and Dr. Senile's name blown in the glass. Trust nothing else. Druggists and Chemists are warned against dealing in imitations or counterfeits.