CORRESPONDENCE.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 15, 3 August 1895, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

A REMONSTRANCE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sill, — I wos very much surprised to see in your issue of the 27th inst, a letter over the signature of J, G. Ward, in which I am rather roughly handled. My first thought was, can this signature be that of the great J. G. Ward, who has lately made a triumphal march through two hemispheres, forming alliances and arranging treaties right and left from Japan to Vancouver Inland, astonishing the financial magnates of the O.d World, and even " flattening out " the Governor of the Bank of England en route. Can it be possible that I have the honor of being vilified by such a great man ? I can scarcely think so. Mr Editor, are you certain that you are not being made the victim of a cruel hoax? I would expect that one who has rubbed noses with Royalty in the person of the " first gentleman in Europe," not to mention Ripon and other smaller fry (my patriotism prevents me from even hinting at a celebrated interview with the London Chamber of Commerce) could not be the author of the letter referred to. Still, nearly all great men have their weaknesses. There was, for instance, Alexander the Great. We all know his weakness - Scotch whisky. The great Napoleon was vain of his personal appearance, and why should not the great J. G- W, have his weakness. I have a faint recollection of how he floundered in the celebrated binder twine controversy, especially in his opening letters, and if he is really the author of the letter in which I have the honor of being vilified, I am inclined to think that intemperate effusions to the Press are his weakness. If so, I would strongly recommend him io future, when he fesls it coming on, to retire quietly to the back yard and dance on his hat a while, and then write. This plan, if adopted, would have the advanof concealing to some exient the failings of the great man from tha vulgar gaze, and his effusions in the future would no doubt show some trace of the sauvity of manner for which he was so distinguished ere he departed from these shores on his ambassadorial tour. Is it not strange that it never seems to have occurred to the great man that a satisfactory explanation might have been given if he had applied to tha proper paity, in the usual way ; instead of which he seizes on a cap, which he says somebody else told him wa3 bis, not only puts it on his head but actually pulls it hard down over his eyes, and then demands that I should prove that the cap belongs to him. Now, Mr Editor, ia that fair?— l am, etc., Johx McQueen. Knapdale, 29th July, 1595.