ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1282, 17 May 1880, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE OAMARTJ MAIL. C Sib, —In your valuable paper of Thursday appears a letter sigqed "Mnemosyne," who, after writing a whole paragraph of rubbish, winds up by abusing the Committee of the Athenteum for doing one of the- few sensible things that, in my estimation, they have done for the last eight years I have been a subscriber—that is, to set apart a room for members only. At this proceeding " Mnemosyne"' waxes wroth, because he cannot have the same privilege without paying 6s per quarter, or LI a year. In other words, he wants for nothing what another mai* has to pay for. Perhaps, one of the reasons, among others, why in a town the size of Oarnaru there are so few subscribers to the Athenaeum is because thero are a number of people like "Mnemosyne" who have found their way of getting what they want for nothing. In order to this I will give an instance that happened to myself. As I was going to leave town for some time, I asked another boarder if ho would take my book to the Institute, knowing that he used to be a subscriber. He told me at once that he had left off being a member for the reason that he did not care much for reading books. The only thing he cared for was home papers and periodicals, and he said he could see them for nothing in the room, and that he was not such a fool as to pay for what ho could have free. There is another matter in " Mnemosyne's" letter I might mention, and that is the sympathy he expresses for strangers. Had he made inquiries he would have found that they can have the benefit of the room free for a fortnight by seeing the librarian or going in with a friend who is a subscriber. So that in this case his great sympathy is dead lost; and if I might presume to give advice to " Mnemosyne," it is to become a subscriber at once, if only for the privilege of taking in strangers. And now, Mr. Editor, I must conclude. I had hoped that others better able would have answered his letter, but as they did not I have given him all the information I think he requires.—l am, &c., A Subscriber. I Oamaru, May 15, 1880.

ELECTION MATTERS. TO THE EDITOR OS" THE OAMAItU MAIL. : Sir.—The question which the Liberal electors of Waitaki have to consider is not one of personal like or dislike as far as the candidate is concerned; it is a matter of principle—a matter of the return of a representative who has the confidonco of the people; a known man, one who has proved himself true to his salt—a hard and fast Liberalis the man the constituency of Waitaki wish to return. Much as one may admire a man for his generosity, kindness, and good qualities in a. social sense, it does not follow in a politioal one that the constituency must oonsider him fit to represent them. There are too many interests at stake to allow of such a proceeding. At the present juncture tho Conservative party is using its utmost power to crush out Liberalism; they are holding out all Borts of baits to all sorts of people; some are hooked, others are not. In this constituency they have resorted to many methods of hoodwinking the electorate; notably, by putting forward three candidates on their ticket, a Conservative, an independent, and a Liberal Conservative. This cast of flies was pronounced by the Walton of the Conservative party to be the favorite for the Waitaki waters ; it was said that the electorate fish were sure to take them, in fact to swallow them without a wink. The Liberal party must own that this Walton is a skilful angler, and that he has dressed his hooks admirably. It is said that he procured the feathers for the second and third hooka from the wings of the Liberal birds that moulted last session, that the wool came from the Waitaki runs, the tinsel from the property tax, and the hooks from the Treasury. The rods to whioh these casta are attached are held by Government •sportsmen, whose political professions declare them to be "all things to nil men." Truly the candidates for Parliamentary honors must feel themselves highly favored by the way in which they have been brought before the constituency.—Yours, <$5C., •Ajax.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE OAMARU MAIL. Sir, —Has Mr. Roberta no reply to make to the letter of Mr. W. F. Kinnear, in which he states that he (Mr. Roberts) was a party to the calling of the last meeting for the purpose of giving effect to his retirement 1 If he does not contradiqt the statements therein contained, it must be concluded that he cannot, and if he cannot, Mr. Jones would be warranted in contesting the election. Mr. Kinnear stated at tho meeting, and in the letter referred to, t}jat Mr. Roberts, last Monday morning, requested his Committee to call a meeting to give effect to his retirement. Mr, Roberts, in his statement to that meeting, omitted to controvert Mr. Kinnear'a aasor-. tions. He still remains silent, although the same assertions have bpen repeated in a letter which has received considerable publicity. Mr. Roberts places much stress on the circumstance that Mr, Jones had promised not to opposo him. Ho said that he knew thai Mr. Jones was a man of honor, and would not, therefore, break his word. Would not adherence to a pledgo be as honorable in Mr. Roberts aa in Mr. Jones, or any other man. Mr. Roberts has given as his reason for his singular vacillation that, having heard that Mr. Reid was not ooming out, he thought his chance of sucoess would be improved. If Mr. Reid should stand, as is rumored, it will therefore, according to Mr, Roberts' own idea of propriety, be hia duty to the electors and the Liberal QaußO, if not to himself, to announce his retire* ment without delay.—l am, <&o., Country Elector,