CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 341, 22 December 1875, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

MR. ROUT'S DEFENCE. To ihb Editor of xhb • Evening Mail ' Sir— From the repeated references made at the nomination yesterday by Mr Rout and his supporters, to the charges made against him in your paper lately, it may be inferred . that the shots have gone home, which must be the more bitter to Mr Rout, from the fact that he is evidently quite unable to rebut ..them, for in attempting to reply to the charge of extravagance brought against his once called economical Government, all he had to say wasthat the Bank overdraft had been reduced. In effect, that it is perfectly true they .have increased the departmental expenses, but as they have not spent money on public works they have been enabled to reduce their liability. Now this reply is about as absurd as Charles Lamb's, who fi on being reproved by his employer for leaving his office so early, said " But then see how late I come " Surely it would be better to elect a straightforward man like Mr Richmond, who certainly does not try to throw dust in the eyes of the electors as his opponent does, and who, above all things, does not want a place Before concluding, it may not be out of place to say a few words about the remarks of Mr-Rout's seconder. This gentleman falls into the error, so common among unthinking persons, but which in his case no doubt is due to his youth and inexperience, of condemning anonymous communications as being cowardly. Mr Freeman Martin must learn that real object is a good one, that of obtaining a fair hearing for what in itself is perfectly, true, but which would in many cases most undeservedly lose a great part of its weight if the writers' names were appended.— lam, &c., * Anon.