Correspondence.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 105, 22 October 1858, Page 2

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Colonist. Dear Mr. Editor,—When I inform you, Sir, that I am a married woman with a large family, you will imagine the nervous state in which "I find myself upon thus presuming to address y O u, and especially as I know if my dear husband found it out he would never forgive me ; for although he is a good, dear, kind creature generally, Charles' temper I am sorry to say is very violent at times (so you must not let him know I wrote this). But the fact is, Mr. Editor, I want to speak to you about the Superintendent. I don't, know how it is, but Charles' affairs never seem to have got on since the present Superintendent got elected. He was al-, ways opposed to his election, and he said at the time we should all go to the dogs ; I recollect his saying this so particularly. I must go back a little, Mr. Editor, so as td make you fully understand the thing, and then perhaps you can suggest a remedy. My dear Charles is in business, and when the diggings broke out here some time ago he was getting a very nice little comfortable living, and I am sure he was much better-tempered than he is now. Well, Mr, Editor, of course Charles acted like a prudent man, and got ready, like the rest of the storekeepers, for a very large business; and as Charles' credit was always A good, of course the merchants kindly let him have whatever he wanted, and we really were in a fair way of doing very well, and of going home like Mr. Fell. You must excuse the rhyme, Mr. Editor, but I am, and always was, acoustomed to make poetry;—and if the diggings had gone on, I am sure we should have done so. Well now> Mr. Editor, here is what I wish to write you about particularly: the diggings .didn't go on as we expected, and whose fault was it but the Superintendent's ? My husband says he knows there is lots of gold there, for he went over when 'things got slack and got some himself, although not much.

I am sure ,the merchants did what.they could. They got up a large subscription list and offered .£SOO to anybody who would find a workable gold-field, and I am sure there is one over at Collingwood, for lots. of people that I know have been working there these two years; and the moment they bring over the gold they can get the money for it, although perhaps, (I heard my husband say this the other day,) they could get a few shillings more an ounce for it in Wellington; but then, Mr. Editor, I don't think people ought to go to Wellington or any other place to sell the gold when they get it,here, for I am sure the Nelson merchants will give them all they can afford. Well, as I was telling you, Mr. Editor,'l am sure Charles would have done very well if the diggings had gone on as everybody said they would; but the; Superintendent would not let them, at least I can't see whose fault it was but fiis; and then of course in time; Charles had some bills to pay, but the merchants saw it was not Charles' fault he could not meet them, so they kindly renewed them, only adding a little interest. Oh! there is another thing I forgot to tell you of. When the diggings broke out everybody thought that it was his duty to secure a few pieces of land, as it would be sure to rise, and they would make money by it. Well, and of course, Charles did the same. He did not pay for it all at the time, but he made sure the profits of his business would pay the rest as well as the paltry interest long before it was due; #nd lam sure it would, Mr. Editor, it it had not have been for that sleepy Superintendent. Why, only look what the Superintendent of Wellington has done—spent a hundred thousand pounds in a very short time. Now, if our Superintendent had done this, business would have been better, and those plaguey bills which Charles has had renewed so often that the amounts are almost doubled, would have been met long ago. lam sure the Superintendent ought to look better after the province than to let everybody be so short of money as we are. Really, Mr. Editor, I hopel you, won't get cross with me for writing so much, but you know from the fulness of the heart the mouth

speaketh, Mr."Editor; and I know "ffl&rles: has* 1 & another bill due next week, wMch ha 3 been XG*\': newed already three times/ all owing to that;' " Superintendent, and what we shall do I really ; -, cannot say. . By-the-by, I am glad the Rich/,mond people shew the Superintendent up as.they ought to do; what business had he to do but '* take the tickets, I mean the dog tickets, Mr., Editor, to Richmond himself, and then he would ', have had the satisfaction of knowing he had- - done his duty. And the Motueka people too— I really did not think (privately speaking between you and I, Mr. Editor,) that he was bad enough to keep a Jot of supporters who kept' '" cattle to annoy other people with and to eat up their crops; they ought to write to him about it. But there, Mr. Editor, it is of no use ; if he would not take the dog tickets to Richmond to oblige the people, I am sure he would not oblige the Motueka people by writing them a ' decent letter and telling them he -would fetch the cows away. But there, I must stop or I sllall be talking, I mean writing, all day, and Charles is so cross about these bills, and he swears at the Superintendent every time, And says he'll leave the settlement, and sometimes he says I must stop behind with the children till he sends for me, 6do relieve, us, I mean the settlement, Mr. Editor, by seeing if the Su-. perintendeut won't go out and let somebody else go in, and then I think we should be all right. Please don't shew this scrawl to anybody, it is so badly written, but then I am so nervous, and believe me, Mr. Editor, to bd Yours affectionately, JEMIMA STUBBS. [Mrs., Stubbs has, we perceive, fallen into the general mistake made by all (with due respect be it spoken) elderly ladies of this province. Had her husband have bought no more than his circumstances warranted, he would not have the annoyances attendant upon incautious and - injudicious expenditure. How could he expect to pay 20 per cent, for the use of money, and to speculate in land, &c, upon borrowed capital. - To his own imprudence, and not to the Superin- '' tendent, should he attribute hia unfortunate position. We regret that there are so many cases of similar infatuation.—Ed. Colonist."]