ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 614, 4 January 1867, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

— — ♦ — WB DO NOT IDENTIFY OT7BSEI.VES IN AN* WAY WITH THE ! OPINIONS EXPBESSED BY OUB OOBBESPONDENTS. j ♦ (TO THE EDrjoß OF THB SOTJTHXAND TIMES). Sib, — Alloiv me, through the medium of your coluujns to draw attention to the very disgraceful letters that appeared in the Southland News recently signed " Vetus " and " Gamecock." More foul or filthy productions;. the offshoots of malicious and diseased/minds, it hasneverbeen my lot to have seen in print. Itisapity that such anonymous letters should be allowed to, appear, because throughout the whole of them, thereisnothingbutvirulentabuse, which is calculated to impress any person not acquainted with the low character of the journal in which they appeared with a very unfavorable idea as to the political morality of the community. Instead of endeavoring to enlighten the public as lothe doings of the General Government — instead of seeking to co-operate in a political sense with other provinces in order to bring about a change in the present unworkable constitution of New Zealand, and thus confer a real benefit on the community that supports the News — that journal has, on the contrary, been the means of inflicting great harm upon the prospects of Southland. It has sought to hold up to ridicule and scorn every person connected with the Government. It has thrown out vile insinuations of malpractice on the part of every one in power, yet has never brought the slightest shadow of proof to substantiate them ; it has assailed the private character of individuals with t rancour but seldom witnessed, and it has pandered to the morbid taste ofa few to the detriment of the true interests of the many. The latest specimen of its venom is applied to the recent visit of Commissioners Peaesost and "Weldon to Stewart's Island. It takes the report of the latter gentlemn, and dissects it; trying to find faults here, and snarling in abitter manner there. The article does not find fault with the report, yet the editor thinks it delightful to wrangle over it, — to endeavor to pick out something that will cause a laugh, or be the means of inflicting ridicule. In Dunedin there is a similar publication, and it receives also a certain amount of support. I allude to the Saturday ßeview, edited by the notorious Mr Grant ; but that is no reason why we should tolerate in our midst a paper that is gradually gaining for this province outside a name that will seriously, if not but a step to progress affect our position with the other provinces. No one will come to reside in a community or purchase land where the mildest epithets applied to its chief members are swindlers, robbers, artful dodgers, &c. Trusting I may be the means of eliciting the opinions of others, I remain &c, A Citizen. Invercargill, January 3rd, 1867.