CORRESPONDENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3638, 8 December 1879, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

BAKEBS' SHORT WEIGHT. TO TIIE EDITOR OF TUB STAR. Sir, — Tho paragraph regarding short weight of bread purchased (by tho police I presume) from tho various city bakers should liavo given a little more information, tho absence of which may possibly do harm to many an honest and deserving tradesman. In common with many others I should like to ask if a number of loaves were purchased, or if the whole stock in each shop at the timo of visitation was woighed and the average taken. This latter appears to me tho only fair method, as in the manufacture of many hundreds of loaves it is easy to understand slight variation in weight may occur. My reason for referring to the matter is that my baker appears in the black list as a defaulter to tho extent of 1J ozj per loaf, wlll'ln Hlln'tlcr f.VIA fiinn lio li<m Vinnn iiinjvi'na

nuuu uurmg mo winu Jie jius uoen supplying us I have had no reason to believe that his bread was short weight, and have been much pleased' with its quality. — I am, &c, M'VEY BAIED. Suffolk Brewery, Dec. 6. THE HALL MINISTRY. TO TJTK EDITOR OF TIIK STAR. Sir,— The Hon John Hall is a gentleman well known by his friends to be highly deserving of whatever little pretension his title may confer upon him ; but he is a gentleman who will nover roako a name or money for himself or his followers if he does not accomplish it now. Ho is only the Premier of New Zealand, whereas, if merit had its due, ho would bo sitting in the Mayoral chair of Kaiapoi. But the Hon John Hall is not by any means ambitious, and he is generally credited with being too backward in his manner to take the Mayoral chair of that salubrious but unexciting municipality, though it is well known that if ho were to change his seat the Colony at largo would be gwatly benefited by tho substitution. A few would try to perauado him from taking such a long and important stop, viz.— those who now live by him and expect to gain largely by his tuakc-believe efforts at statesmanship ; but till other persons would gladly do him honour were he to consent to go to Kaiapoi. Tho great majority of tho people' are already dissatisfied with his want of energy, and would liko to aeo affairs in the Colony assume a degree of activity and enterprise. Perhaps when the Hon John Hall gets clear of some of his veteran rats — but most likely not even then— a different condition of affairs may be looked for. The only fault to be found with tho Hall administration so far i» its total absenco of honesty and good faith ; but perhaps the Hon J. Hall is not altogether to bo blamed for this. His Ministers are responsible for a good share, and the ovil may be remedied if the Premier will get men on his sido who know tho difference betweon an Act of Parliament and a Parliamentary Act. Some of them appear to have an idea or what an act of charity should be, and have already given away to the Auckland members a largo proportion of the charity that belongs to the Colony at largo. Sir George Grey received a little of tboir charity, and it is notorious that heroes not like it, but this may bo accounted for by the fact that the late Premier is a very indifferent judge. A little money circulated throughout the Colony at present would do no harm, but wero it paid all to ono part qI it only, as wages for carrying invalid or sick members from one side of tho House to tlje other, the possible effect might be peculiar. The Government say that they have not got a great deal of monoy to spare, and they are not very likely to have until somoone, who is able, without insulting, those whom ho may ask for it, is commissioned to borrow a few more millions sterling. Ever since the Hall Ministry came into, office a great chango in the general aspect of affairs has taken place. When the Grey Ministry >was in power (towards the latter -part of their reign) several branches of industry became stagnant, but things have taken a turn since, and now, excepting rotten politics, erery branch of

; itradeiß- swiftly moving backwards ; murmurs • are imcrafrequent in consequence. The Hon • £ ; "&U was never to be called a smart man, ' ? ufc os- mighfe be able,: to gather a little meaning aom. the following rumour which :is ' afloat; "Some people in Akaroa have lately been, hoard singing ' The Marseillaise Hymn.' JOE BROWN.