CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 20, 23 January 1872, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

**• We are desirous of affordin" every reasonable facility for the discussion of public subjects; but it must be understood that we are iu no way responsible (or the opinions expressed by correspondents.

To the Editor or the Nelson Evening- Mail

Sut, — Mr. Luckie has queer notions about the Maori war. He said at the meeting at the Provincial Hall the other night that the enormous expenditure of the coiony was caused in the first instance by that war, and the action of the Government which allowed it to be commenced. Now, sir, if I remember rightly, it was while Mr. Fox was in power, I think in 1863, that the Assembly in Auckland passed a measure to borrow three millions of money to put down the rebellion which broke out iu that year in the -Waikato. What became of this amount after it was raised, how it was frittered away in raising bodies of men in Australia, and on an expensive and almost useless fleet of steamers the coiony knows by this time pretty well to its cost.

Mr. Luckie should also know that some lime after tho war broke out, and when the coloay was in the direst extremity for want of men and money to carry on operations against the Natives, Mr. Fox straightway left the colooy for England, where he resided some years, during which (he war raged fiercer than ever, and the colony got drained of almost its last penny. Yes, sir, since the day when that ominous Aye fell from the lips of Mr. Fox in the Assembly at Auckland, when he consented to go in for the three million loan, has poor New Zealand suffered politically and socially, and still suffers, while the friends of the preseut Premier try to exonerate that gentleman from having any hand in the matter.

Look up your journals, Oh ye Electors, who deify and glorify Mr. Fox as immaculate, and see whether the facts of which I speak are not stubborn ones indeed. Look up your Biuo Books, ye Iscariot patriots who now surround the present Ministery and who pretend to believe that this country will not be ruined by the enormous pressure of our increasing taxation. Bead all ye who run ; ponder eve the time arrives when every one of you shall be cleaued out before the borrowing system comes to a fina] collapse ; make your piles and seek fresh fields and pastures new, while mythical immigrants pour in by thousands and Lens oi thousands to pay the piper. I am, yours, &c, A Eeadek.