Original Correspondence.

Otago Witness, Issue 554, 12 July 1862, Page 3

Original Correspondence.

-^ ■ To the Editor of the Wits ess. Waipori Digging*, June 30th, 1862. Sir,— Knowing that your valuable pnper is alwajs willing to publish anything that may teud to benefit the working classes, I b?g to inform you that the miners of Burnt Creek ami surrounding* gullies held a public meeting this forenoon to take action regarding thy uncalled-for risj in the tobacco (from os to 10s.) There were 5"2 men that smoked attcu led the meeting, and out of the 52, forty-nine pledged themselves lo smoke no more until such time as the tobacco came down in price to os. We, of Burnt Creek, hope that the working classes in other places will follow our ex uuple, and if they do, our give'ly monopolists will find in a, few weeks that their stock is iar above the consumption. 1 believe this is the severe it stroke that evei 1 the tobacconists ha\e got, 1 causa there will be a g eat number of those thitgav.; up smoking that will never commence it again. If a man can wmt it for a few months he can want it altogether. It is only a habit, and any habit can be given up, especial y a bad und expensive one. I believe that I lnve emoko.l on an average five ounces of tobacco weekly i'*i- sixteen years, anil never believed that I could j;ive it u;> tilt I trie.] it in c irnest. Five days since I gave it up ; the fir-it two days 1 longed for a smoke, but no a Ido not think about it all day long. Now, Sir, this is a gool work, * started by the miners of Burnt Creek. I trust the miners on all the other gold-fields will do th» same I believe, Sir, by your agitating 'his subject through your widely circulated journal, that \ on will be doing an everlasting benefit to the workiug clashes. I have the honor ta be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Keweth M'Leod, Clninnan.