CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3917, 19 September 1891, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Kindly allow me space in your yaluable paper for a few remarks re Mauriceville Notes by " Rustic," which appeared in your issue of yes terday. There can be no doubt that "Rustic" has been very hard on us poor " Scandies," as he pleases to call us, because we, as he thinks, have prevented an increase of publican's licenses in the district, by which he fancies we haye done a very bad and blameworthy deed. In our opinion we did a good day's work on the polling day; we"Scandies" have lived in Mauriceville for a good many years, and have done well without an hotel. Maybe we are not rich, but we are happy aud content, which, I fear, cannot be said of all the people in townships where they have got the blessed institutions, and are " head and shoulders above us," and therefore we think we could do some time yet without it. When he says chat we " foreigners are but imperfectly acquainted with the English language " he is right, and I am therefore unable to express myself as I would like, but if hi should thereby conclude that this means ignorance in every respect, I must tell him that he is mistaken. We know our own language pretty well, and a good many of us have some knowledge of the English too, and there are people among us well acquainted with their language. I wonder if this can be said of " .Rustic" and his friends. We yery well know what we do, and are not so easily led away by misrepresentations as he thinks. And when he further says that " strangers visiting Mauriceville search in vain for a place to put their heads in" and " must munch their bipcuils on the road-side," he very well knows that this cannot bo for want of accommodation. We have two, if not three accommodation houses in Mauriceville, which I Jjave heard travellers recommend as well conducted, especially those in the township, but if the only reason why strangers speak " with disgust" of Mauriceville is that they cannot obtain spirituous liquor here, we say, let them go where they can get it; we can live without it. I have never seen it proved yet that an hotel has added to the moral welfare of a community, g.nd I doubt very much if it would be any advantage pp us; therefore we bigotted, narrow-minded " Scandies" will try to keep it out as long as we can. I am, &c., SjCANpY. Mauriceville, Sept, 18th, 169 J.