CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 260, 9 November 1897, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

CONCERNING KARANGAHAKE.

.-.■-■ (To the Editor.) - • '~' Sir,—The "Opotiki Herald," in a correspondent's contribution concerning Karangahake, has succeeded in heaping together epithets that display the distorted and diseased imagination that conceived them. As choice specimens culled from this bouquet of Billinsgate, the following descriptions of Karangahake and its residents are interesting :—" A huge dust pan, *< scum from the slums of the large cities," " refuse of drunken and villainous society," "reeking- and foul ooze and slime." Now, sir, the reputation of a town may be attacked with impunity by cowards who would not dare to charge any single person with vices and crimes they impute to the whole. It is the favourite pastime of little minds to belittle cities, peoples and nations, the corporate body having no machinery whereby the public honour may be vindicated. Probably the callow correspondent with the hayseed still in his hair and the thistledown on his clothing was disappointed in the inhabitants of our thriving town. He* came no doubt expecting to find simpletons and children open for plunder and grateful for advice; instead, he encountered men—shrewd, practical and sensible. No, sir, in our midst we have visitors from all neighbouring colonies, honest, hard-working men ; we have young men and youths from all parts of New Zealand, who have left good homes, parents, and partners to take up the vigorous life of the goldfiekls. Such reports as these are calculated to cause anxiety to friends near and distant, and for their sake we take the trouble to deny these stupid allegations. To the ladies resident in the district .the paragraph is a despicable insult, and one which would be speedily avenged if the author were recognised in the district again. ;

What are the facts.of the case. So far from being a scene of revelry and debauchery, visitors declare this to be one of the quietest and cleanest mining towns in the colonies. The obnoxious '' drank " here is seldom met with, and the safety of the citizens, male and female, is more secure than appears to be the case even in Auckland. Public and private charitable efforts meet with willing and efficient support, and ministers of religion speak with pleasure of the attentive hearing and hearty co-operation of the Karangahake people. During the last six months a" beautiful church has been opened, and money towards the erection of two others has been liberally subscribed. A prospective new drill hall and gymnasium testifies to the healthy enthusiasm in volunteering that pervades the young men of the town. Our circulating ' libraries and benefit societies speak for themselves in answer to these charges. The calls for nolice intervention are very rare considering the population is so largely masculine, and in fact, the permanent police officer was only appointed here some few weeks ago. That there nave been and still are sonic undesirable characters in the town is no argument for the stupid abuse with which the, writer in question has chosen to libel the whole town. But with the evolution of public opinion and sentiment, their influence will be small indeed, and they will have to follow the example of others of their kin, and seek I " fresh wools and pastures green." Very much more might be written on this question, but space will not permit. lam convinced that a study of the earlier part oi George Washington's life would be of greau benefit to the correspondent of the Opotiki "Herald."—l am, etc.,'

W. J. Se^RLE.