To the Editor of the Evening Star.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3578, 15 June 1880, Page 3

To the Editor of the Evening Star.

Sib, —I hear that the Colonel and his friends are busy with petitions moving about. No. 1, first in his favor, signed by gum-diegers and not by settlers residing at Hikutaia. If you can call Mr Robert Kelly's little son a settler, he can count his signature as No. 1 settler. No. 2 petition being for the purpose of removing our worthy Magistrate and to censure the action of the Licensing Commissioners. Every honest and industrious man will applaud their action in closing the low drinking dens of the Thames Goldfield, and denounce the action of those who favored the pernicious traffic. I have made it my duty to try and find out the number of bona fide settlers that signed these petitions. I have enquired of many, and all to a man told me that they refused to sign those obnoxious petitions—obnoxious to every industrious settler at Hikutaia. Mr Kelly even asked the two carpenters that erected his house, and they told me they refused him. Both petitions were abortions, so far as the Hikutaia settlers are concerned. Some of the gum-diggers being elated, signed as settlers; one of the most respectable signed his name as a labourer. I would advise the Colonel and his friends to limit their influences to the Thames goidfield, for we won't be led by such spurious conglomerated stuff at Hikutaia. We get our living by honest industry, and not by adulterated liquors, and ill-meant abortions (petitions.)—l am, &c, H. .Alley. Hikutaia, June 9th, 1880.