THE DIFFICULTY OF BELIEVING WHAT ONE DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 45, 23 February 1867, Page 2

THE DIFFICULTY OF BELIEVING WHAT ONE DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE.

To the Editor of the ' Evening Mail.' Sir — " Anti-Pickles" has gone to a deal of trouble to inform the public that your correspondent "Pickles" is a very clever man. "Pickles" thanks him, and now feels sure of it, when such a philosopher as " Auti-Pickles" stoops to notice him ; but "Anti-Pickles" is riled, and "Pickles" rejoices. "An ti- Pickles" says he sees through my disguise, or that "bold eyes" can see it. Cau they? Then "Anti-Pickles" has "bold eyes." I wonder whether they are both alike ; I think not : they must be odd ones, as it's verj plain he don't see the good of a railway, so he is riled with "Pickles," who does. But the logic of " Anti-Pickles" is very good, and nearly as good as his eye-sight He thinks because some of the greates' statesmen, poets, etc. were once engineerst tailors, tinkers, etc., that such men ar, of course most fitted for statesmen, etc.e generally ; and I suppose he imagines, because Andrew Johnson, the President of the United States, was a tailor, that tailors generally would make the best Presidents; if so, "Anti-Pickles" can't be a tailor. What's twice the half of two ? "Anti-Pickles" must be one of those who don't believe in persons "who can tell the value of land without seeing an inch of it ;" and I suppose he couldn't tell the market value of a ton of potatoes, unless he saw every "spud." He's the man to get on, though ; he'll never " buy a pig iu a poke," with his two "bold eyes." Yours, &c, Pickles.

Hji j i - i V i ' i ■ The Ngaruawahia correspondent of the Southern Cross mentions that the steamer Itangiriri grounded and stuck on the flat near Armitage's farm on Friday last. The cargo and passengers were taken off by the Bluenose, but the attempts made to dig the Rangiriri out, and to haul her off the bank, were unsuccessful. The river is reported to be gradually becoming lower. At the twelfth half-yearly meeting of the New Zealand Insurance Company, held in Auckland on the 1 6th January, a loss of £7,150 on the half-year's transactions w_s reported. This was chiefly owing to the great number of fires in Auckland. We (Auckland Herald) understand that the existing contracts on the so-called Auckland and Drury Railway, have been or about to be taken off the several contractors' hands by the Provincial Government, and that it may now be said the line, so far as formation is concerned, is complete from Newmarket to Onehunga. A very great falling off indeed from the intention of its promoters, tbree years ago. It is needless at this time to go into the question, why or how it has proved so far a failure. We have the works executed at great cost, and the lands bought at splendid prices for the sellers. What is to be done with them? This has also been virtually left to the direction of his Honor, who no doubt will utilise them to the best advantage. Speaking of the quality of the work as performed by the several contractors, we believe that they will compare favourably with any works of their class in the colonies. The Hue is also substantially fenced in and secure for the entire length from Newmarket to Onehunga.