To the Poverty Bay Settlers.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 417, 7 October 1876, Page 2

To the Poverty Bay Settlers.

A gentleman for many years in my employ is now in England selecting, on my account, goods specially adapted for this province. To make room for consignments shortly expected, I shall, for the present, offer my large stock (to which I invite your attention), at unusually low prices, with extra allowance for cash. My BOOK STOCK comprises Standard Works in the Sciences, Travel, Fiction, and Poetry; elegantlybound Gift and Table-books ; many thousand volumes adapted for children and young personsi.libraries, and prizes ; Educational Books' (used in the schools under the Boat'd of Education ; Technical and Toy Book's, Maps, &c. In Stationery I keep full stocks of every ■ description required for .the desk, counting-house, and private use. To teachers under the Boardl act as agent —receiving and forwarding their salaries monthly. I shall be happy to supply Lists of Works in any Department of Literature. All orders with which I may be favored will receive my prompt and careful attention. —Edwabd Wayth, 100 Queen-street.— September 30, 1876. 1041

Sib, —“ A Settler ” treats the readers of yesterday’s Herald to a piece of irony in anticipation of the debate on agricultural matters by the Debating Society at their next meeting. If ‘A Settler” would take a moment’s thought he would find that the gentlemen comprising the Society number amongst them possibly a greater proportion of experienced farmers than is amongst the settlers on the lands of the district, and might recognise the probability that of both settlers andathe Society who are equally without prajMcal knowledge, may be by discussion, here, there, ana elsewhere, brought to see where the rottenness lies, which causes this “ small and singularly fertile district " to depend almost entirely, not on the “ tastes and habits of the occupiers of the soil who make the best use of their lands according to their lights,” but on the produce of various other less favored but more enterprising localities. “Settler” uses up the supply and demand axiom, but he keeps wide of the facts that there are here monopolies to be counteracted ; insecure tenure to he weighed against the wish for in-proving culture ; 12j per cent, to be had only on tangible security of, say, sheep and consequent fleecing; prior occupation for the most part by those given to , the “ innocent, easy, and profitable Industry ;” all of which and many more are against the producing powers of the district, and hinder the application of the “ practical knowledge, business habits, and superior intelligence essential” to cultivation. I agree with “A Settler” that there is much risk inpassing opinions on matters one does not understand, and I think therefore he should have reserved his ideas for comment on what may take place, their expression would then be legitimate, and not a sort of obstruction of the exercise of a very desirable object—-the discussion of subjects of local interest. I hope however that “A Settler’s" letter and this may beincentive of a refutationof “A Settler’s” sneers, and that matter worthy of being reported may be elicited from even the unsophisticated.—Yours, &c., Townsman.