SICK AND DESTITUTE RELIEF FOND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1188, 4 September 1867, Page 5

SICK AND DESTITUTE RELIEF FOND.

To the Editor of the Nirw Zealand Hebald. Sib,—Tour correspondent " Philolethes" asserts in his letter in thiß day's Herald, " that he shows from 'Justice's' own statements, that he proves that which he goes out of his way to disprove." " Philolethes" is not very lucid in the passage just quoted, however in explanation it may fairly be asked. What did " Justice" attempt to disprove ? Ist. That the Relief Fund under the late Believing Officer, Mr. Haselden, liaa been grossly mismanaged, and this was disproved by showing that his conduct as Believing officer, had not been impugned, but on the contrary, that he had been deolared to be free of blame by the Commissioners, by the witnesses examined by them, and by the late and present Superintendents.

2nd. That the present Believing Officer, Mr. King, had not and could not have reduced the expenditure, by at least one half, inasmuch as- the number of rations issued had increased since his appointment. " Philolethes" admits this increase, but intimates, (I do not doubt correctly,) that were it not for Mr. King's aotivity and vigilance the increase would have been much greater j and accuses me of " quibbling " because I gave the number and not the cost of the rations issued. I was not aware that the Belief Officer had anything whatever to do with the cost of the rations, knowing that contracts are entered into every half year by the Provinoial Government for supplying rations, at the lowest rate at which they could procure them; and in my former letter I distinctly stated that if any saving had been effected it could only bo because that tbo contract had been taken at a lower rate than formerly.

On enquiry I now find that the contract price of rations for the firßt half of this year was, bread and beef ration 4£d, bread tea and sugar ration 4d, and for the present half year the prices for the same rations are 3£d and 2f d respectively. So of course there is a saving, but one which in no way depends upon the Belief Officer.

Some one has been playing a triok on " Philolethes," and has made him commit himself to the astonishing assertion, that the soup kitchen " Rations, under Mr. Has>-lden's management, " cost somewhere about two shillings each." It so happens that the Provincial Oounoilß' proceedings contain a statement of the number and cost of these " soup kitchen)" Rations, while under Mr. Haselden's management, and it is as follows: 21,787 Rations, costing £392 IBs 9d, or rather less than 4Jd per Ration !! I neither made nor insinuated any oharge against Mr. King. , I doubt not that he ia both zealous and active, and I believe that he does not require to be exalted by depreciating the respectable gentleman whom he has succeeded. JusTica. To the Editor of the New Zealand Herau). Sib,—Tour special correspondent at_ Shortland Town, although himself anonymous, hesitates not to make free in the mo*t gross and calumnious manner with the names of other individuals- He states (date, September 1), that if we have done certain things we are guilty of " doing somothing excessively like a swindle, and are guilty of obtaining money under fahe pretences." But, sir, we have not done these things. The undersigned W. Coppell has not received any sums for either the prospecting party, or the Blabbing and bottoming the British Claim,

The only sums that have been received by us in connection with the Thames diggings have been collected by the undersigned, W. Sutton, on account of the British claim alone, and unconnected with any other party or parties. The money received amounts to £4 17s, which has been paid over to Mr. W. O. Wilson, to be forwarded to Oapt. Butt, and for which we hold Mr. Wilson's receipt. The next paragraph in your correspondent's letter is more positive, and has no if. He saya, " Let it then be plainly understood that these men have no right whatever to do what they have done." This is a direot charge which may require to be dealt with in another: manner. Our present is simply to refute and repel the base and calumnious insinuations which have been made against us, and which have no foundation whatever. —We are, &0.,

Wit. COFPZLK, September 3, 1867. "W. Suwton.