ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 271, 4 March 1848, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator.

New Plymouth, February 14, 1848. Sir, — I have no means of knowing the writer of the letter signed " A Ruined Settler," in No. 259 of your journal; but, from the extravagance of dolorous assertions, imagine he must be some waggish anti-Taranakian, or else a denizen of most hypochondriacal temprrament, who, by moping over past misfortunes, instead of endeavouring to forget them, has got into the morbid, monomaniacal habit of harping upon one string, and would fain make the unjaundiced portion of mankind scream with him the like doleful and desponding ditty. Supposing the writer is of this last description ; can he fancy that by such whimpering, whining, and complaining, he will better his own condition, or

rouse the favourable attention of the Government or the Company to the state of this settlement? " Aide-toi" should be his maxim and that of every settler. Pul your own shoulder to the wheel, my " Ruined" friend, ana strive with cheerful enrrsy to promote the prosperity of Tarnnaki, and with it your own. The case if Tavanaki is not a hopeless one. On the contrary, there is at present a fair remuneration for labour and capital. _ The best reply to the desponding and injurious statements of the " Ruined Settler" will be Sound in the facts — exhibited in the last statistical return — thn' lliere has been a small increase of population; that the number of cattle has been augmented 35 per cent., and the number of sheep in the same proportion. We have 220 acres in cultivation more than last year, and the prices of wheat, barley, and oats, are satisfactory. The wheat harvest is abundant.-^-larger inquantity and better in qualify than last year. The Star of China has just disposed of her sheep and cattle here at good prices ; and orders have been given for more stock. Several settlers are ready to cultivate land in the new " block" south of the Sugar Loaves, when the Company's Agent is prepared to give it to them. Now, these are not indications of " ruin ." That your correspondent has suffered losses, I am by no means prepared to deny or to doabt, but the settlement is not ruined ; and if he is unable or unwilling to help us, let him abstain from doing us an injury by statements calculated to deter others from joining in an enterprise which, I firmly believe, is likely henceforth to be successful and profitable to those who will engage in it with cheerfulness and industry. 1 am, Sir, your obedient servant, A Hopeful Settler.