TAPANUI.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 13 October 1870, Page 5

TAPANUI.

I observed a letter in a late issue of your paper signed "Alexander Matheson," animadverting in rather a flippant style on certain statements contained in my communication of the first of August. It is a rule of mine never to notice or answer letters of such a nature, but as the veracity of several well-known facts has been impugned, and as the subject in dispute is engaging the attention of the township at present, I may be excused if I say a word or two by way of reply. The first thing I complained of was the gross irregularity of the arrival of the mail. This, Mr. Alexander Matheson denies in the coolest manner imaginable, aud says, " with one or two exceptions it is as regular as any in Otago." Now, instead of this being the case, it is a notorious fact that not more than once or twice during the last four months has it arrived at anything approaching twelve o'clock, the contract time, and no farther than last Saturday it was five o'clock when the boy was seen crawling up the street. Perhaps Mr. Alexander Matheson will deny this too. Of course we are reasonable enough to make allowance for delay when the roads are bad and the day inclement, but no such allowance could be claimed for five hours detention last Saturday, as the roads were good, and the day magnificent. The second thing complained of was the kind of horses employed in carrying the mail. On this point Mr. Alexander Matheson says, " without fear of contradiction (note his expression) that he never had a "single screio " engaged on the mail service, as he always secures young horses." Now, a man to make a statement like this under the circumstances must of necessity be one of two things — either an arrant fool or a sorry knave. Poorer specimens of horseflesh were never employed on so important a service, and it is wanton cruelty, if nothing else, to continue some of them in it. They may be young certainly ; but if so, several of their appearances sadly belie their youth, and it is not the first time I have heard the boy assign, as a reason of his lateness, that he could not get them to go along. And for the better information of Mr. Alexander Matheson, 1 may state that the boy told me on Saturday that it wag nearly eleven o'clock before he got away from Beaumont Ferry. Allowing this to be correct, it says very little in favour of the speed of young horses that they occupied six hours in travelling a distance of 22 miles on a fine day and dry roads, but rather confirms niy opinion that they are totally unfit for the work required of them With regard to the mail arriving wet — never to my knowledge has any complaint been made on this account, nor is there the slightest occasion for so doing. I should rather say there was cause for congratulation. Thia is the best fulfilled part of the contract. In reference to the boy who ridea in charge of it — his ma3ter evidently considers him quite a prodigy, and I daresay the generality of people would find no fault with him as a boy, for he seems intelligent enough. Still it would be both a useless and imposible task to try to prove that he is in any way pre-eminently gifted, either mentally or physically, beyond other boys, for I imagine the chief attraction Mr. Alexander Matheson perceives

in him is that he performs a duty which ought to be discharged by a man at. a considerably less cost. I should conclude by merely stating, without comment, the fault we find with the boy. It is well known that the Tapanui and Switzers mails combined, form rather a considerable load to be carried on horseback, and perhaps it is difficult to get them securely fastened on to a pack-saddle. If this could be done previous to starting, I have no doubt they might remain so all the way, but frequently the bagß become loose, and the boy, from sheer want of strength, is unable to re-adjust them again, hence the consequence is that by rubbing against each other the papers get chafed to such a degree that they are rendered absolutely useless. Should Mr. Alexander Matheson prefer it, I shall be happy to send either him or the ChiefPostmaster a sheet with fifty or a hundred names in corroboration of the above. Puo Geegb.

October Ist, 3870.