CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 43, 17 March 1877, Page 3

COR RES P ONDENCE.

[Our correspondence column being open no responsibility can be accepted m respect to opinions expressed by correspondents.]

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — I see by your report of the last meeting of the Manchester Highways Board that a resolution was past m favor of separating the Manchester Riding from the Manawatu County. Mr Halcombe has evidently taken umbrage at the miscarragc of his motion m the late meeting of the County Council. Now, that gentleman must know that neither because of the non-compliance of the County Council with his request to grant another member to the Manchester Riding, nor for any other reason is the separation of that riding necessary. He, m common with every sensible person, must know that as far as the County Council is concerned, the Manchester Riding will at no distant day have its rights, whatever those rights may be. Therefore on the ground of patriotism his action is quite gratuitous. But circumstances have unfortunately placed him at the head of a population over the aggregate of which he can exercise a despotic sway. He is therefore so little used to contradiction that when he meets with men who venture to have a mind of their own he naturally feels aggrieved. It may be, therefore, that private pique rather than public spirit is at the bottom of this clamour for separtion. It is a pity to see men occupying public positions moved m their public action by petty motives. Such men are certainly incapable of taking that broad comprehensive view of things that is necessary for their representative position. I have heard of strange things being done at Feilding — of people voting m a manner they must have known to be contrary to their own interests. I have heard too of Trades Unions — institutions of the working man, organized to protect his interests as a working man. I have heard that the effect of these Trade Unions is to deprive the working man of all that manliness and independence that should be the inalienable possession of an Englishman ; that he is transformed into a mere puppit to work out the will of whatever tyrannous few may be at the head of the organization. Doubtless it may be that trades unions have emancipated men from the tyranny of one set of masters, but if only to subject them to the tyranny of another set, where is the ultimate good ? And it may be that the E. & C. Aid Corporation have done good m promoting Immigration and placing men m the way of a livelihood : but if the men so benefited are to lose their independence — if the many are to represent the will of the few, instead of the few to represent the /will of .the. many — if the first broad principle of representative government is to .be knocked off it base and set upon its

apex, then, would you call the E. & C. Aid Corporation an exemplary institution ? — I am, &c, Que iust.

TO mi! EDITOR. Sir. — Requiring some chlorodyne for medical use m my family, on applying to a storekeeper I was imformed he could not supply it without an order from the Coroner to whom I applied, and was by him referred to the Constable, who informed me Ik> had no power, but. the Coroner had ; to this gentleman I again applied, who then told me he would not give an order, assigning no reason whatever for his refusal. May T ask you to insert this m your valuable paper, for then perhaps we may find out how we may obtain this useful remedy. Apologising for trepassing on your time. — I am, &c, Chemist & Druggist. Foxton, March 15.