RAGLAN CORRESPONDENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1410, 16 July 1881, Page 3

RAGLAN CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE J-.DITOK. Sin, — Among the correspondence in your Otli issue is a letter signed "A Resident" >< Raglan correspondence, I should not honour the writer ot that letter with a icply did he not cast aspetsions upon my \eiacity. His attempt at billingsgate lean affoid to o\eilook; it pleases him, and it does not hurt me. ' Poor man ; he must have been troubled w ith bile a\ hen lie hat down to give vent to &o much bitterness. On this account I pardon In-s abuse, and pioceed to notice his statements. ( I ) He says the appointment of the two new J.P. has given " qeneial "-atisfaction."' That I emphatically deny. I have no wish to cast aspersions upon the gentlemen in question, but 1 have not met one man — and I have met most of the settlers in the whole district — who approves of the appointment except " A Resident," I will say nothing of personal bitterness or unfitness for the office, but the general feeling is that men moie independent of the public ought and could have been found. (2) " A Resident" censures my remarks x the pig case heard on June 25th. He will do well to icad my letter again. I did not say the pigs wv>e wild, but thnt they appeared to be so. The pigs were eai-maiked, he says. That, however, does not decide their owneiship, as it has been the custom, with several To Mata settlers when they have caught wild pigs unfit to kill, to ear-maik them and let them go. Once more I beg to say that the decision of the Bench does not give general satisfaction. Even the plaintiff is not pleased with it, And the ]ustices themselves admitted that the plaintifl had not pioreri his ownership to the pigs>, and most of those who heard the eases, and who are competent to judge, are of opinion that all ought to have been dismissed. Your correspondent takes for gi anted that I appiove of the general opinion. I have not said so. I merely report what people think, and am not responsible for that, Public men must expect to be criticised, and coi respondents who report the criticisms are not to blame for them. I thank "A Resident" for his connection as to the number of those troublesome swine, In conclusion let me ask " A Resident" a few questions. Did lie ovei study logic and compoMtion 9 If so, what has he done with them? Does he know that abuse is no special qualification foy public wilting ; Mas he heard of people wanting an opponent and setting up men of straw ? Docs he know that calm considciation mixed -with common sense is an excellent remedy for choler, and offen prevents people from flying into a rage and rushing into print to make themselves udiculous ? And let me comfoit him ■with the assurance that his wrathful effusion will not hinder mo from reporting the real opinion of the community / c public matters, even though he, poor man, should feel aggrieved. — 1 am, &c , Your Own CoKiussroXDEM. Raglan, July 11th.