CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, 13 January 1844, Page 385

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor op the Nelson Examiner.

Sir — Attacked and condemned as ray feeble protest against injurious monopolies has been, not only by those who apply the accusations it contained to themselves, but by a less interested and less irritated " Nelson Settler," and above all by your own editorial pen, I might well retreat from such an unequal contest had I not been fully aware that I nave no other object to obtain than the promulgation of truth, and the consequent advantage to the colony and my fellow colonists.

That a man whose pen or whose tongue knows no impulse but the extension or protection of his purse, should imagine that no person would write unless he had been "hired," is amusingly natural ; but I always supposed " A Flour Merchant" to be far too "sapient" to expose his narrowraindedness to public ridicule.

It requires no examination to see that "A Flour Merchant's " object was to write a letter of such a character that no person having any respect for themselves would deign to answer it, as he no doubt thinks that the "least said is the soonest mended;" but, rather than he should accomplish this object, I will descend to notice each assertion that is not wholly foreign to the subject.

" First, the fact of there having been monopoly is proved by this," that in consequence of the system by which this place was colonized, of which " the annals of colonization " present no parallel, Nelson has from the first been amply supplied with flour, bo that even a scarcity has never occurred; yet the price, whenever an opportunity offered, has been raised 200 per cent, above the price in neighbouring colonies, and the late lamented Company's Agent more than once found it necessary to supply all the inhabitants from the Company's store, to put a stop to such public robbery. To deny that a monopoly has existed is to argue not only in opposition to well-known facts, but against all common sense. What but its present and no doubt mere temporary removal has reduced the price of bread from 2s. 2d. to 7 id.? That the Flour Merchant's monopoly is just now defeated is no proof that it did not exist or that it will not exist again as soon as opportunity offers.

" Secondly." In stating that there is no first flour in the colony, I give it not as a matter of opinion, but a matter of fact. "A Flour Merchant " should know that the fact of flour being in his possession is not the only thing necessary to constitute " first quality." There are tests which admit of no deviation ; and there are persons who could tell him as accurately the number of wires in each square inch of the machine through which his flour was dressed as he could tell them the number of threads in any inch of linen cloth.

" Thirdly." The very flour now quoted at £15 ss. was bought by " A Flour Merchant" of the captain before he had even entered the town ; and it was to prevent its being offered to the public that he gave a price so unusually near to that at which he was selling. I am sufficiently " sapient " to know that the man who speculates openly and straightforwardly in such a way as to benefit himself, must be a benefactor to the community, and it is such men that wise colonists would support, aad not those who practise such mean transactions as purchasing a part of a cargo upon condition that none shall be sold to any one else in the colony, a system which often produces a scarcity of many necessaries, and just now almost deprives us of our very salt. I quite approve of " A Flour Merchant's " system of stating " facts in a plain manner," and have endeavoured to follow his example. He also does well not to be " farther provoked," and it is particularly " sapient " of him to give his own " address," so that " the applicants " may obtain " any other information " where he can have it all his own way, without fear of any " silly " interruption. I next come to a " Nelson Settler," who, though far more collected and humorous than " A Flour Merchant," must be very far from an accurate observer.

He first states that I " affect to be very indignant with the Nelson merchants," &c, " for grinding out of the poor," &c. If there was anything affected in my remarks, I am sorry for it, as there is nothing I would wish more carefully to avoid; but as for the poor, they were neither named or alluded to, so that that idea must be exclusively his own. His "discoveries" are certainly very remarkable, but very much at variance with my observations. The first cargo of flour brought to the colony was retailed to the public at £16 and £18; the second was bought by a flour merchant, and sold by him at £40 and £45. " Purchasing a few hundred tons at once " is an expression which "A Nelson Settler" probably borrowed from those who wish to make either themselves or the colony appear of more importance than they really are. " A' Nelson Settler" goes on to say " A little candour might have shown him how a person visiting the Sydney market in its present depressed state might be enabled to purchase for cash articles which he could afford to undersell," &c. Just co; and having been shown that, I maintain that it was the interest of the Nelson settlers to support those who " could afford to undersell those who were dependent on chance visits of vessels for a supply." With regard to your own criticisms, Mr. Editor, I beg to say that I have long observed your list of wholesale prices current, and have very generally found the price of flour quoted at what it could be procured' for from th 6 resident merchants, and sever,, till lately, at the imported price,

I would further take the liberty to remark that I consider your now adopted system of quoting the imported price, and that only, as highly objectionable, as it offers no criterion by which to judge either of the price at which it may be obtained in the colony, or of what far- , ther importations are likely to realize. In conclusion, sir, permit me to express a hope that, should either you or your correspondents condescend to notice any part of this letter, you will not content yourselves by the mere use of such appellations as an " absurd notion," " affected indignation," or abounding with fallacies," but be so good as to point out the statements that are untrue, the figures that are incorrect. Let us confine ourselves to facts and figures, which alone will serve the cause of truth, or the only object sought by Your most obedient servant, Anti-Monopoly.

[In reply to whatever in the above may be intended to apply to ourselves, we have merely to say that the prices current are furnished to us by a gentleman whose integrity and general correctness we have no reason to doubt. That they are invariably free from error we cannot vouch for; but, as we have repeatedly said, our sole object in publishing a list of prices being to give information, we shall at all times thankfully receive any communication on the subject. — Ed.]