THE HON. H. SCOTLAND’S LETTER TO MR. J. G. S. GRANT.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 123, 14 June 1876, Page 2

THE HON. H. SCOTLAND’S LETTER TO MR. J. G. S. GRANT.

The lion. H. Scotland’s letter to Mr J. G. S. Grant, as published in the Otago Guardian , is as follows ; “ Taranaki, May 27, 1870. “Sir,—l have read a letter from you In the Tirnnaki Herald, as well as one signed “ Carefulness,” which appeared in the same paper on the 24th hist. I must express my astonishment that either yourself or the writer of that other letter should condescend to care in what light j-onr conduct might he viewed in such a eoi nipt, ignorant, snobbish, Government and town as New Plynimit li. The “ Herald is the organ of old settlerism, as well as of Vogelism in Taranaki. Of the large-mindedness of the. people of onr village capita', yon will he able to form some idea when I tell yon that certain of the elite, of tin- place —viz., shopkeepers of Devon and Brougham streets, who grind the. faces of the poor with their famine prices—arc, by mis-representation and putting on the screw, doing all in their power to prevent the establishment of a co-operative store for the protection of the farmers and working men of Taranaki ; but, please God, wc shall yet succeed in spite of them. “ Do not be afraid of anything our con temptible General Government can do with the view of injuring you in the old country: their censure will amount to a praise. You ought to be thankful that you are persecuted for truth’s sake, and that your persecutors have nothing to say against your private character, “ I have been persecuted by the snobs of New Plymouth, as you have been by the snobs of Dunedin, for presuming to censure the geneial want of humanity here with regard to the poor man. I am the black sheep of the place ; and when I consider what sort of men they arc whom Taranaki delights to honor, I am sure you quite glory in my infamy. “ I hope you will not be discouraged, but go on boldly proclaiming the truth to a corrupted and demoralised Colony in yours, which, I fear, very few of its newepauers are likely to follow yon. “ I have also written to the Belfast News Letter to say that what yon have stated about New Zealand is, to my certain knowledge, substantially correct. —I am, &c., “ H. SCOTLAND “ P.S.—You are at liberty to make what use you please of this letter. “ J. G. S. Grant, Esq.”