CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 288, 3 December 1881, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor op the "Evening Mail. ' Sir,—" A Waimea Elector " in yesterday's Mail states that the Hall Government is essentially a Tory Government. The Government that passed the Manhood Suffrage Bill, the Triennial Parliaments Bill, an 1 the numerical Representation Bill "has al! the elements of Toryism ia embryo!" Lord Beaconsfield himself could net have said anything with more unblushing effrontery. Well, Sir.ldo not know whether "A Waimea Elector " has the elements of sense about him ' in embryo,' but for the nonce we must claas him aa a member of the stupid party. I am, &c, Dec 2, 1881. P.S. A Waimea Elector's no'ion of a truly Liberal Government ia evidently one that will borrow foolishly, spend recklessly, bring the colony to the verge of national bankruptcy and ruin, and retire leaving their successors to lift the country out of tho mire. This I call Liberalism prostituted ! MR FITTALL AND MR RICHMOND. To the Editor op the " Evening Mail." Sir,— l reerefc to bavß to (rouble you with a few remarks in reply to your very moderate correspondent " A Hater of Cunt/ although big communication i 3 scarcely worthy cf notice. In fact, I do not suppose that MiRichmond himself will feel flattered by such supporters. And, Sir, your own perfectly fair and impartial report of my remarks at the Domination ia, perhaps, as good an answer to such an effusion as a man could deoire. I claim to be as great a " Hater of Cant " as your correspondent can possibly be, ait'ough bis idea of what constitutes cant and miae may slightly differ. I was fully pre-i-ar :d for the howl ab ut cant, and ail ihnt sort of tbiuf? which my question was likely to awaken in certain quarters. Therefore, I am not surprised, nor in the slightest deerco a'arnjtd, at the tornado of abuse which i f h*s brougbt abo'U my ears. Let me assure your correspondent that his attf mpt to jump bodily down my throat has not choked me. Tbere are men in the world who appear to think that their mission is to go about daubing their Maker's name out of .all His works, and these men always raise a howl of indignation thß moment anyone raises a question aff-cting the Bible or religion. Buc th ■ fury, hatred, and uncharitablsness of which they complain i 3 in their own breasts, and not those of the persona upon whom tbpy manifest such an eagerness to jump. Sir, I desire to treat Mr Richmond like the honorable gentleman that I believe he is, and therefore let me siy, more to him than to your correspondent, that I sincerely regret that my question and my reference to it at the nomination appeared to occasion him vexation and annoyance. I beg that he will accept my assurance that this was quite unintentional on my part ; at the same time having reflected on the matter in the qnietaes3 of my room I really cannot bring myself to see that there was anything unfair or illegitimate in the question I pot to him at his meeting. I have asked myself " Had I been a candidate would / have felt aDy difficulty in answering such a question ?" " Would /have objected to such a question being put to me ?" To these questions I feel I c*n honestly answer No. I admit that had I ask?d Mr Richmond what denomination he balongad to, I would hsvp been guilty of an impertinence. Had I tsk?d bim to "hang his soul out for me to gloat over " I would have been worthy of " A Hater of Cant's," abuse. As to the "ghruls, and vampires, and foul creatures that haunt grave yards and charnel houses," I must confess I know nothing about them ; I was not even aware of the existence of such dreadful civ atures, and your correspondent clearly hns the advantage of me there. Sir, unless lam rery much mistaken, neither I, nor " A Hater of Cant," nor anybody else, can possibly prevent such questions as the one under discussion coming to the surface of

the political -watcTp. in ibe very near future. In conclusion let niebfg "A Hater of Cant," vhen next he tnkts upcn hin.self the office of cemor, to put aside seme of his hatred, acd cleave to the truth. I no vor said that the " present Government bad ktpi the fire fit Parihaka frnoulderii g, at any moment re.':cly to burst into a flame that would scorch the 1 whole country side, for mere party ends." I These are his words, not mine I merely said that I thought the Government had timed their little victory at Parihaka with a view to (he elections ; 1 ihink so still, and in thinking so, I have a goodly portion of the Press of New; Zealand with me. ! I am, &c. Samuel Fittall