BOARDING-HOUSES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 365, 25 June 1877, Page 2

BOARDING-HOUSES.

TO TUK KIMTOR <)]•' Til!-: KVKNMNC; MAIL. Sin, —ln your issue of the 21st inst., I have seen a communication signed " Ishniael.te," making serious charges against boarding-houses, by calling them "sly grog shops, uliiiH dens of thieves." Now, sir, tlios: are sweeping assertions, and ones that are edeulat-d to ruin every boarding-house keeper in < Imniini--asser-tions, too. t'tat would lead a . ' infer that it is not safe to go into at of them for a meal or a bed. I thimbefore " .Ishniael" took the boardinghouse keepers collectively, he had a right to indivhlualise, <n-. in other words, to separate tiiat is, to draw a line of distinction lvtw 'en the honest boardinghouse keeper and the " thief's den." lint no ; he went on the principle that " one swallow makes a, sumuter." Jf 1 can fathom '• Is'miaei " right, Ids line of argument is: One dishonest boarding-houso keeper has been found in a curtain p'ace, therefore all the boarding-house-keepers in that particular place are dishonest. Or, it is rumoured that a robbery wtis committed in a, particular boardinghouse, consequently ad boarding-house keepers in the locality are robbers and must be " rooted out."

]Now this argiimmt must be that of a madman or a pointed mind, and I presume the latter is the cas- with " Jshmael." He must have a very poor opinion of his fellow men, and 1 question very much if he were weighed ill the scale himself if the balance would be in his favour.

Jc is an old saying that the tongue is the index of the In art, ami as ] do not know " Ishinac.l," not' n<-iI in ris he known to (ho public under that name, I do not hesitate to tull him that my humble opinion of him is that his heart is as foul as his remarks are unjust. There are boarding-house keepers m Oamaru whoso characters bear no stain either in private or public life, and who give good accomodation to their boarders, :uid who.se principle and manly spirit, shrink at thy thought of being classed with such low characters as " Ishinael" would lead us to believe by his virulent; insinuations. J now wish to inform " Ishmael" ami the public that J am no Inlarding-houso keeper ; neither have .1 any motive but that of justice. I. wish to vindicate the cause of honest and upright men who are maligned by your informant. Hoping that the cause of just,ice will always find a space in your invaluable paper, and that you will signify the same by giving insertion to the above.—l am, SiC.y Shamrock. ... i.. .1.. -i— - ■■