ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 489, 10 April 1850, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To tht Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, 9th April, 1850. Sir,— ln these times, when we have to look upon « rising timber, salt provision, and potato trade, with distant California as a last resource, — when all business is so flat that reasonable people begin, as they did in Captain Fitzroy'stime, to look about themselves fora bit of land, whereon to grow their own potatoes in case of need, it is not a little astonishing to see others prepare to abandon their legitimate pursuits and make for that which is least of all required, the Public House business, which is already so much orerdone in this place that the most patronised Publicans find reason to complain, and one wonders how so many can exist in so small a town. A little reflection would soon convince these candidates for Publicans' Licenses, that for the same reasons which render all other business flat the Public House business cannot be brisk. But with some a lazy disposition and a considerable degree of vanity seems to overrule their power of reasoning, and their imagination appears to hold out to them their image, as in the looking-glass of a fortune-teller, a very clever fellow strutting about with his hands in both breeches pockets playing with heaps of money, — an everflowing tap at hand, — jolly company, ' and a horn of Elenty at their tail, (reminding me very forcily of an old tin kettle tied to a dog's tail). Fate wills it and Publicans the> must be. • But apart from their own folly ; do they expect that the public will suffer itself to be saddled with such a nuisance as an almost continuous line of grog-shops along the beach, which certainly are not wanted for supplying the wants of the public and therefore only serve for the encouragement of drunkearess and the more efficient shelter and accommodation of idle and dangerous characters of which the neighbouring penal colenies appear to spare us a full supply 1 The inhabitants of some parts of the Beach, where this great evil is threatened, are in a state of great alarm and excitemeni, but I would feel inc'ined to comfort them with the integrity and good sense of the Justices of the Peace who are enlightened enough not to be instrumental to the creating of so great a public nuisance as an increase^ of the number of grog-shops would prove in this town, and to direct the attention of those seeking profitable employment in the channel of productive industry. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, Comforter.

lo the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, Te Aro, 9th April, 1850. Sir, — From an advertisement which appeared in (he Wellington Independent of Saturday last, from the proprietor of the Kai Warra Flour Mill purporting to have flour for sale of the best quality at 13s. per bag of lOOlbs. In consequence of said advertisement I wa% induced to send for half a ton, or 10 bags, but the Dusty Miller and hitman after consulting together would only let me have 1 bag, it was fortunate however tliat I did not receive more, not being well pleased with the sample ;' on reaching the town, I had it shewn to several bakers as well as other competent judges of flour, and they all pronounced it to be of a very inferior quality, being full of bran and sharps and quite unfit to be used up by itself, I therefore deem it my duty to give publicity to the fact. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, John Pimble.