OPEN COLUMN.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume II, Issue 56, 25 January 1868, Page 3

OPEN COLUMN.

(To the Editor of the “ Ydrop Markory.”)

Deer Sor, —I’me glad the hallidays is all ower, for we had a howstrow time on’t. Consuming this hood I really must say summat, it seems to me that Government spent 6 hundort punds a year back in driving staks in the rivor bed te stop the wator. Now it has broke throw Kempton’s Kreek, I and Blotters te, and if ye divent send better hingeneers frae Port Nic weal be Hingerneers ourselves without there big eateries Mistor, for there was won canny man westh of is legs on the mane road and tumel’d ower mony a time. Yes Mistor its a yeur sin the pay Maistor was tell’d on’t, an he went te tank an seed it was all reet. Now Mistor divvent ye think that we must hev some bettor men then we hev at the present time. Your’s respectfully, A RETIORT INGEN FITTOR. (To the Editor of the Waieaeapa Mercury.) Sir,—A proposition has been made in the leading article of Saturday’s issue of the “ Wellington Independent ” that ought to receive the attention of the settlers of the district, and therefore, as the best means of calling attention to it I wish to offer a few comments through the medium of the “ Mercury.” The writer in the “ Independent ” commences the article by stating, “ It has often struck him as a matter of regret that Wellington is not the head-quarters of an agricultural society,” and he concludes by saying that “he hopes that our (Wellington) merchants will take this matter in hand and endeavor to get their agricultural friends to form themselves into a society. The Provincial Government might make the Society a small annual grant”. A straw, a feather, or things light as air, will show which way the wind blows, and the above extracts from our Wellington ultra-Provincial organ shows the strong spirit of Centralization that animates the press and people Of Wellington in everything affecting the interest of the country districts. As it would be for the interest of the agriculturists of Wairarapa to have the head-quarters of their Agricultural Society in their own district, the merchants are requested to bring their influence to bear on them to induce them to send their stock, implements, and produce to be exhibited forty miles out of the district that some imaginary benefit might he Conferred on Wellington perhaps that some •worthy citizens might be judges of things they have read about ih books compiled out of others, and to confer gOme such service on Wellington. Dr Feath'erston’s ultra-provincial organ states that, “ the Provincial Government might make the Society a small annual grant,” This is cer-

tainly cheering news for the. Wairarapa to be told that although the Provincial Government could not give a “tanner” out of the £2OOO voted for surveying a line for a railway to the Wairarapa yet to get Wellington made the head-quarters of an Agricultural Society, “ the Provincial Government might give an annual grant.’' 8 Now Sir, I beg to submit that such of the Wairarapa settlers as are inclined to subscribed to the floating of an agricultural society would benefit the district in which they live by supporting one that would have its head-quarters in the’ Wairarapa, so that when the Wairarapa shall get local self-government its Shire Council may make the Society an annual grant. WHA-DROP-SHIRS.