TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING POST.

Evening Post, Volume XVIII, Issue 29, 2 August 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING POST.

giß— Keeping in miSTyour injunction to remember that " brevitf"is the soul of wit," I wUI7 with your permission, reply to " Philo's" last production, and white doing so I will.endeavor, soTnr as lanVrittie, to use "parliamentary" languago- """Pfitto" evidently excels in one thin?, and that is writing absurdities ; but I think, sir, he has proved by bis last letter his disregard of truth. If " Philo," -pbidmthropic, large-hearted <* Philo/'hastSe welfare of the colony so much at heart, why does he " hido his light under a bushel," and write under an anonymous appellation. Surely if, in writing on the immigration question, he is seeking the " welfare of the colony at large," he need not be ashamed to sign bis name to hio pbilantroplc epistle*. But, sir, underthe norn de plume of " Fhilo" he has made the most false and scandalous charges against the" working classes of this colony. More untruthful statements about the toilers of this country I never read. Tho probability is that this philanthropic (save the mark!) "Pbilo" i* some individual who holds some sinecure office ' in connection with, the Immigration l-Depart-ment, and that his pockets swell in proportion to the number of immigrants that arrive in the colony, and if not, he is, as I said in a former letter, someone with a long parse, and- therefore beyond the probability of want. But that is beside the question. " Philo" is still of opinion that immigration should go on aedthtt thousands more should be brough tto tbes i shores. I say no, this is not the time to bring immigrants to New Zealand. If the Government still continue to bring out immigrants during* the present depressed state of trade here, the results will be disastrous to the colony and to the immigrants themselves. The proof ol this is apparent, from .the fact that there is not sufficient work in the colony for those who are already here. I am not taking into account. " ioafer» " or idle and shiftless men, for I am sorry to say there are a tew »uch in this country as well as in every other country under the sun, but independent of these, there are many honest industrious men, who are unable to obtain work simply because there is none for them. " Philo " says, "At the same time, I believe that laborers and artisans themselves will be benefited by a return to a less artificial and inflated state of things." I believe, Sir, that this part of " Philo's " would be more truthful if It was altered so as to read thus—"! believe I should be greatly benefited, and my pockets would be better filled, if the working classes would accept one-third "their* present rat*-of~ wages." In conclusion I would advise that^hjianthropic individual, " Pbilo," tojpeoaa 'MVfol for the porpoee of teaching thtwowing man how to^spend bis money, if he has a spark of manliness in him he will in his next letter (if he has the temerity to write another) sign his name, so that the public may know who this large-hearted "Philo" really is. I am, &c, t - •? . * . C.H. HILLB. , Cambridge Terifaee^2sth. July, 1879. . -