ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 421, 30 April 1879, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

[ Wf, areafcall times ready to give expression lo every shade of opinion, but in' no ease do vve hold our .elves re-poarhle for the sentiments of our correspondents.] “ VERITAS” IN REPLY. Having refused to give publicity to the above in last issue, we received the following from “ Veritas,” which we publish, as also his former letter. We have not departed from our original intention without a motive, and that motive is, to show what an Editor is expected to do. “ Veritas” was warned that his letter was not of the right class, so he must take the consequence. He says : “ Sin, —I am really surprised at the partiality you display as a Journalist. If my letter contained one word yon considered too harsh, you could have softened it down to your own views; but you have published to the world that I am only an “ agent &c.. of a large property'" and not owner, which I flatly deny, and must again ask you therefore to publish rny letter.” REFUSED LETTER. {To the Editor of the Pate A Mail.) Sir, —It is unusual for me lo return to a subject that is known to be disposed of, and I will only trespass on your space to say a few final words to'yonr spiteful correspondent “ Amicus Veritas.” Sir, it is the surest sign of a hopeless case when an advocate attempts to biacken the character of his opponent. Three parts of his letter is devoted to this noble and Christian-like work, which ymn yourself, sir, say is “ Hard on Veritas.” I entirely pass over these gross personalities as being as unworthy of notice as the writer himself,'-'and-1 come to the other portion, wherein he says I am “ agent or representative of sections,” and again, “ Veritas and his employers,” &c. Sir, your correspondent “ Amiens Veritas,” your j “friendly, truthful” correspondent, is an unmitigated liar, and the .very father of ] this He, which same lie is only worthy of a ■

•person of his religious professions ; perhaps after all, one need not be much surprised at the desperate tone of this infamous libeller. The man has made a great mistake. This “Taffy of the Tan Pits” of Turakina sold out, and crossing the river, set his face hitherward. One of your townsmen “ saw him coming” and sold him the very outside section of,.this Township, for one hundred notes more than it was offered to me a short time previously. He has since woke up to find that he is at the wrong end of the place, has evidently lost his money and his temper, and has commenced to villify and abuse those who differ from him, and to add to his troubles, he bought one small three cornered section opposite his little store, and has been pestering the Government to buy it, and thereon build the Post and Telegraph Offices. Strange to say, the Government are so blind to their own interests, as positively to refuse it, so that this long winded scribbler and “ your own correspondent” stand opposite each othei out in the co hi, and are .the veriest outsiders in the Township. But let them be of good cheer. I would say to thorn, “do not cry over spilt milk.” First of all, “ learn your business,” and then attend to it ; “ be careful not to iake valueless cheques,*’ nnd unite in vi to new comers a hearty welcome ; and be content with one hundred per centum prolit, instead of eight hundred or a thousand. If these distressed persons will follow this advice, they may yet live, but one of them will not he allowed to tell the European children of his Sunday schoolclass that they are “ worse than Maoris.”

One word more—we all know that “ drowning men will catch at a straw,” but it is a new idea to prevail on a third party to offer the Government land, the owner of which had never been consulted.

In conclusion, I beg to thank you, sir, for giving.so much of your valuable space/ and to say I shall not again write on the subject, knowing it to be finally settled, and should this venemous reptile again defile your columns with his slanderous slime, I shall treat him with silent contempt. —I am, &c., VERITAS. April 24th.

(To the Editor of the Patea Mail.) Sill, —The people here were greatly pleased with the spirited and able letter bv “Amiens Veritatis” in reply to “Veritas,” which lately appeared in your paper. But whilst coinciding in the main with the sentiments of the former, there are still elements of reason and sense in the statements of the latter. Some members of the deputation who waited upon Mr Macandrew were not altogether actuated by disinterested motives for the public weal. It is notorious, for instance, that the real displayed by the proprietor of one hotel hero (so unusual in that stolid gentleman), is grounded upon motives of the purest selfishness. He has recently been moving heaven and earth to get an extravagant price for his hotel, which he is desirous of disposing of, in order to get away' from the place. When that, happens, I fear that the tears that are shed will be few anil far between. This anxiety' to got the public offices adjacent to his own building, is exactly similar to that of “ Veritas,” and that is to procure a handsome figure (for he is awfully fond of ■viler') for his hotel. But it is far from being dubious, whether it would not be to the interest of the inhabitants here to be without such an. incubus of Highland pride and olfensiveness. The same gentleman, like “ Veritas,” is the owner of a number of sections all over the town, which he is holding up for disposal at the most nnconscioiisable prices. No attempt is being made to utilize them and thus forward the town. He merely desires to grab all the siller he can, and leave the place, and when that happy event occurs, he will probably be escorted and serenaded by a goodly' number bore to the appropriate air of “ The McGregor’s March.” I do not wish to further intrude upon the columns of your valuable and interesting journal, or it might bo shown that some nf the others are inspired, in their pretended ardor for the public good, by' collateral motives of self-interest. The Government, I think, should select some independent gentleman-to procure a site for the public offices, suitable to the interests of the general inhabitants, and should decline to be led away by the blatant oratory of self-seeking and greedy monopolists.—l am, &c., sandy McPherson. Normanby, 28th April, 1879.