ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 455, 13 October 1877, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Uve wish it to be limit distinctly understood that we are not responsible for the opiniunn oxpratuad by our correspondents. ] ♦ MR. EARLE'S PIANO. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL. Sir,—Observing a letter iu tho North Otago 'Jimes of this morning, commenting upon your remarks regarding a piano, which it appears belongs to Mr. Earle, I feel it to be my duty to express my disapproval of your conduct. You stated that it was out of tune. Now, no oni» had any right to tuaku a statement of that kind. It may have been true ; but you should, before writing your criticisms, have gone to .some person and enquired whether the piano was lent or not. It might have been diiiieult to obtain this information ; but if you had waited a lew days, it would, for a certainly, have been the talk of the town. H you discover,.d that the instrument was lent, tin; tenor of your remarks should have been fashioned accordingly. It is a matter between the public and the liberal lender of fie pianoforte. The former pay the price of admission to a concert, and thank the latter for his liberality, although his instrument might have been the means of rendering the entertainment a pain rathe" than a pleasure. Those who made the arrange ments for the concert were, of coiir.su, not a bit responsible for the obtaiumeiit of an instrument that would satisfy your hypercritical ear. Anything that would look

like a piano, or make a jangling noise, is good enough. Who is to know what kind of entertainment is provided until they have paid their money and entered the Hall ? I happen to know that Mr. Earless instrument is one of ;i very superior kind. It was manufactured in London, and, strange to say. although it was not known at the time it was made that it u.-is destined to fall into the hands of ils present possessor, it was constructed with exceeding care. The case is composed of walnut—not solid, but veneered, and it has a compass of between five and seven-and-a-half octaves. Inside there are strings—two to each note, except where one might have got broken. The notes are much the saiae in tone as in any other instrument, consisting of seven notes with semi-tones. Jf the pitch of any note, having become deranged, should not indicate the whereabouts of a semi-tone, it is easily discovered where it should have been by means of a narrow black key.— I am, &c, Clavier. ♦ OLE, BOYS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL. Sir, —A letter appeared in your issue of Wednesday concerning our public school boys, which, I regret to say, is putting things only in their true light. Whether it is that the more noble or manly sports adopted at the schools of their fathers are falling into' disuse, or that the boys prefer semi-vagabondish amusements, it is hard to say ; but one thing appeals to be wanting in our system of school management. The masters have not, nor do they seek to have, the least control over the boys once the} r are outside of the scbool walls. It is not in school that a boy's character is fornu-d, and the formation of character should be looked upon as being one of the necessities of education, especially with colonial boys, who seem prone to bad habits.— Yours, &c, Another Parent.