A RO AND FOR AN OLIVER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 247, 24 October 1872, Page 7

A RO AND FOR AN OLIVER.

(To the Editor.) Sir, -In your issue of the 3rd mat,, uu<k-r the heading of Alexandra, a correspondent treats somewhat on the breeding of •what he designates a bantam in choice and most expressive " other tether " dialect. I presume, to be bred is to

become a member of some family. Corrgß.pondeftV knowing nothing of my family, has only his Imagination todraw^ on. Whereas the people of the district know something of the breed of & correspondent who lately informed the public, through the columns of your paper, that his father was a beer barrel,and r was •strongly opposed to tempawinefe. Prom his revered parent, no doubt r correspondent acquired his publican spirit and deportment. But his manner of expression must be his mother-tongue. Ever since the last general election, a few persons in this district have evinced in many ways the extreme hatred they bear to the men who were the principal means of returning our liberal member, Mr. T. L. Shepherd, and obtaining a majority of votes for Mr. Reid at Alexandra. The vilest epithets have been hurled at the settlers. One worthy mate of correspondent swore that he or they would wash I the sanguinary cockatoos off Bald Hill Flat into the Molyneux ; that no more land should be settled on, and that the present settlers should not be allowed to obtain their land in fee simple. Bald Hill Flat contains the only piece of agricultural land of any extent in the district. The water of Butcher* and Goal Creeks c was brought- in at such a level that it would bear on the whole block. The payable ground proved very limited in extent. «In proof thereof, the parties owning the races sold out of them for very small sums — they not being able to obtain sufficient gold to keep them. This was before the land was thrown open for settlement. "Spectator" having business at the Court, was much surprised to hear "Objector "urge untruthful objections against applicants for agricultural land, and also present a petition to Mr. Warden Carew. Thesignatures obtained thereto were procured by the baseless assertion that - the whole of the land known as Bald Hill Flat was highly auriferous. This is false ; for, so far as it has been tried, it has proved tb.9 reverse. A person having a broken leg that must come off the saw cutting through the bone does not sound very musical butrather jaggerd}'. Not that I say "Objector" would wilfully make misstatements. ' He has no doubt relied too much on hearsay — prompted principally by spite. A correspondent reports me to have said " that the further I got up the Flat the poorer the ground got." This is true. He says further, 'it will show the knowledge he has got of mining ; his presumption because he could not get gold in his claim that the other mile should be of the same nature. " It is net my presumption, bu l . Correspondent's ; and proves him to be a thorough, practical paper miner. Most people are under the impression that to take nothing from nothing, nothing remained. The word "poorer "does not imply anything, neither is a claim a mile. And further, he reports me have said " there never was an outlet to the Flat.' This is false, and, except the 50 foot fall, op a par with the rest of his letter referring to me. Mr. Objector was urging in Court that the Bald Hill section was highly auriferous, and was talking of sluicing. Is aid there was novoutlet from that section, meaning for that purpose, unless through a number of farms. Correspondent gives you some startling information. First, " that Mr John Cole Chappie knocked down the bazaar in his old and affable way." „ Second — extremely warm on Mr. Theyers — corresponpondent says, " 1 find that our local ale. is giving great satisfaction throughout the township ; and there is no doubt, if Mr. Theyers continues to brew hinself and turns out the same article, the success of the Alexandra brewery will be certain." Can your readers believe this statement ? Brevity is said to be the soul of wit. Could not Correspondent attain this result without "boiling down" Mr. Theyers? Mark the bitter irony and malice aforethought in these wor.ls, "and turn out the same article." As if he (Mr Theyers) would not boil out. I would advise Mr. Theyers to enter an action against Correspondent, for publishing with malice aforethought a base and malicious libel that has injured his business as a brewer, say for £200. Alexandraites might join in'a joint action — that inasmuch he inferred they were worse than cannibals, and liked their man boiled or mashed into beer — say for £100. • The cases would be sure to be gained. For it would only only be necessary for Mr Theyers to appear in Court, as Correspondent puts it, in his old and affable way, to prove the falseness of a Correspondent's written statements, and bring to grief this measurer of men. "«. Spectator. Bald Hill Flat, 16th October.