AN INTERESTING CORRESPONDENT.

Manawatu Herald, 2 July 1904, Page 3

AN INTERESTING CORRESPONDENT.

TO THU V.l.irnit Hi' nil', MAV.'.WATI* txntMiv Sik, —1 happ- iK-d to gi.uicr tiirongh youi; issue of Saturday last, when I noticed a letter to the Editor, i was attract->1 -by this because it is a si>:ne\, hat r:nc exhibitioji ■of interest in puMic matters to see a letter in the t ; o.\ii)ii paper. I found the most interesting part of the letter was at the end—namely the signature. The letter was written by one, “ Elr> Tuf, V.C.” It in;crested me much to reflect who Mr Eirrut could bo. Jhe name is distinctly foreign—Russian, I should say—- and it is very gratifying to find a foreign .gentleman taking an interest in our public aifairs tin fact it is gratifying to hud any ouc id all taking an interest in them.) further reflection led me to the conclusion that the writer had acquired a fairly good knowledge of our language, tin' the letter was written in fairly good English (for a foreigner.) One thing which struck me as peculiar was that (ho gentleman placed his initials after his name, instead of before, it. I haul not hitherto known that: this was a practice with any European nation. 1 his shows how little one really know.m i concluded, however, on inrlher reflection that if the foreigner had succeeded in learning our language with such comparative accuracy, he must also have been acquainted with the usual order in which we. place our initials, and the only solution I can arrive at is that the letters atthc end of your correspondent’s name indicate that he ’ is a hero of the Victoria Cross, and it is pleasing to find that ft foreigner should have succeeded in gaining this honorable British distinction. A friend of mine to whom I communicated my reflections on this interesting subject suggested that in view of the keen in- , tercst, which is now being evinced in Eastern affairs your correspondent might in reality be ah Englishman, , who as a consequence of studying the questions- of the East to excess had accidently written hia name backwards in accordance with the practice of those nations. However, whilst giving due weight to the ingenuity of this idea, and admitting that it would be a satisfactory explanation of the position of the initials, I am not altogether prepared to accept it, because if this supposed student of things celestial had succeeded (as he obviously did), in writing half a column in the right direction, it is scarcely reasonable to suppose that just at the finish he should begin at the end and write backwards, unless possibly he allowed y4gan interval of refreshment before signing his epistle. I am inclined to adhere to my first opinion, and trust your foreign correspondent will continue to take an interest in nnr public affairs, and assist: them both by his support and his meditations, I am, Ac., Alpha. Foxton, July 1, 1904.