Correspondence.

Timaru Herald, Volume II, Issue 64, 5 August 1865, Page 6

Correspondence.

i Our columns will always be open to the discussion of questions of public interest ; but we do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our correspondents. No letters will be inserted unless accompanied by the real name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMARU HERALD. Sir, — In passing through your town I noticed a placard with a number of signatures m favor of Moorkou.se as our next Superintendent; I looked at it with amazement as I was impressed with the notion, that beyond all others, he had been, as a public man, the greatest enemy to Timaru, as well as to all other outlying districts.

I have seen the name of Moorhouse again and again m articles and letters m the Christchurch press, which induced me to enquire what he had done for the province to deserve such enviable notoriety. His policy seems to me to resemble the feats of an acrobat or gymnast rather than the discretion of a serious and thoughful politician. But m Timaru he has many influential friends and supporters ; although he was the projector of the Christchurch and Lyttelton Railway when the establishment of the colony was not a fact but a speculation. Its population did not then amount to four thousand; notwithstanding, he pledged the province to the expenditure of £300,000 to pierce the Port Hills, when goods can be conveyed at a trifling tonnage by sea to the Heathcote. Anything* more preposterously speculative cannot be conceived ; we all admire a bold, energetic policy, but this could be nothing less than stupendously ridiculous.

As an evidence of this injustice to the colony at large, let me call your attention to the state of what is called the Great South Road, which is not m fact a road but a bad track, no one can travel on it without danger to life or limb. Is it not then incredible that £300,000 should be expended m the way I have named when this great arterial communication, as well as almost every other so called road throughout the province, is m an almost impassable state.

Let us see for a moment how this Railway will affect Timaru. It is plain that between Lyttelton and it there is a certain

commercial rivalry, the one is naturally the port of the Northern the other of the Southern part of the province. As it advances southward it will more and more inj ire the trade of your district; should it reach Timaru which is most improbable, it will bring- it into immediate competition with Lyttelton, which can hardly be supposed to be advantageous. Timaru like all other localities may be bunefitted by railway communication, but I cannot but believe that the Moorhouse policy will cast a deep shade over it for many years to come.

It is natural that those who have property m Christchurch will support him. His policy is wholly m favor of it at the expense of all other outlying; districts, the lands of which are sold to benefit that locality. Had the railway heen contracted by loan as intended by the council, and as it might have been, the expenditure would have been an equitable \me, but the injustice to such a district as Tim am is so manifest, that it is almost marvellous he should have a single vote m it. I would also oppose him on other grounds, if Mr. Cowlishaw's statement at a late election was correct; that on his leaving* office the fate of the province was trembling m the balance. That statement has never been contradicted and is uncontradictable. He is a speculative politician and has not the gravity or the wisdom to conduct the affairs of a young 1 province. I am, &c, Nemo.

A correspondent writes: — "Not long since a number of English gentlemen and roughs were apprehended*and punished for being engaged m the barbarous sport of cock-fighfcing. But there are other sports be&ides cock-fighting that require the supervision of the Society for Preventing Cruelty to Animals. Some time since a man was caught m Hampshire torturing a fox to enable some young dogs to taste blood. At pigeon matches men m taking the birds from the box partly crush m the ribs to prevent them from flying away swiftly, and sometimes cut off their feet to prevent them from flying steadily," A dealer m ready-made linen advertises his shirts and chemisettes under the mellifluous appellation of " Male and Female Envelopes." A lady, speaking of the gathering of lawyers to dedicate a new court-house, said she Euppo-ed they had goue "to view the grounds where they must shortly lie l n ' '