A REPLY. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 22

A REPLY. TO THE EDITOR.

Silt,— ln your iasue of the 31st ult. I notice your correspondence column is assuming — certainly not a depressed appearance, like the general run of the affairs of thiscountrj. I am favoured with two letters in answer to previous letters of mine, and the likelihood is, still more to follow. Fiisfc, there is Outis' letter, then Mr Slesser follows suit. As Mr Slesser has signed bis name to hits letter and as it Deems to reflect Outis' ideas, I will confine my remarks to Mr Slesaer. Mr Slesser says in his letter that I must have heard a rumour that men W9re drunk in Oatram, and I laid the blame at the Hindon men's door. I did not hear a run: our, but Ireadau account in the Witness emanating from a correspondent in the vicinity of Outram, about the facts that have aroused the ire of Messrs Outis and Slesser. If the two gentlemen, and those they pretend to be the mouthpiece of, are sober, industrious, working meo, then any of my remarks do not apply to them in the slightest degree, and if Outis, Slesser, and others have denied that they were connected with what took place at Outram, by letter to the Witness, individually, they should rest satisfied with that explanation to tho public. As Mr Slessev remarks in his letter, I was in Oamaru. And if Mr Slesser, or any other observing aud tlriukiug person would favour Oamaru with a virifc at the close of the harvest season, he would think he was completely over tho brink of the social precipice,'> as the manner ia which a deal of

hard-earned money is spent solves the problem of the cause of a good deal of the hard time, among working men in New Zealand. As Mr Slesser seems to think I write from rumour, I will, for his information tell him a fact which may enlighten him as to the cause of hard times a good deal, and also partially as to the cause of so many looking for work : A. well known contracting firm in Dunedin lately paid 76 of their workmen a month's wages, and only 32 of them showed up the first working day after pay day to resume work. No doubt nearly all of the 44 absenteps were busy putting in seed that would enable them to reap a crop of hard times from, at no distant date. To be poor and looking for work is no disgrace j but I ask Mr Slesser to study a little, if only a little, and try and divine what is the cause of it.— l am, &c, Andbew G. Nicol, Seventeen Mile, Grey mouth, August 6th.