A CORRECTOR. OF CORRECTIONS CORRECTED.

West Coast Times, Issue 1342, 11 January 1870, Page 3

A CORRECTOR. OF CORRECTIONS CORRECTED.

So the Editor of the West Coast Times and Observer.

Sir — I was under the impression that the Colonial Secretary's telegram to the Borough Council was so clear as to be readily intelligible to all. But it appeal's, by soni'-simple-minded folks, to be regarded as a Sphinx's riddle, requiring an (Edi;,us to furnish a solution. I cannot congratulate our «•• dera " (Edipus," who appears in your column- to-driy, upon his re emblancc to his great prototype of mythological celebrity; nor do I think he stands much chance of securing a sceptre, or a second Jocasta for his wife. It strikes me that the original (Edipus rendered much more service to the Theba"s than our local namesake of his is ever likely by his sagacity to render to the citizens of Hokitika. But for such service as he has rendered to the County Chairman, that dignitary will doubtless, in imitation of Creon, the Theban monarch, provide suitable recognition, but not to the extent of vacating his chair, as Creon did his throne, until he (the Chairman) has shown the people of Hokitika some further special marks of his fayor. It was pure kindness that prompted Mr Hoos to prevent vi et armis the storing. e< en temporarily, of the two hundred cues , kerosene, in the depot erected for the reception of such go< ds by\ the Boiouuh Council, That body was short of funds, and if the kerosene took fire in the depot, the whole of that elaborate building would be destroyed, and the Corporation plunged into further financial embarrassment to erect another. While, on the other hand, a fire taking place in the heart of the town, wheiethe kerosene was perforce stored, would burn brifckly and effectively, and not keep the owners of property in a painful and lingering suspense. Beside?, you see, instead of burning one paltry block, the whole town would probably s^o ; and then with a tabula rasa before him, what a splendid scope for the exhibition of talents akiu to those Mr Hoos has displayed in the laying out of the gardens about Government House, making the place picturesque and comfortable for the (Edipus v.ho may succeed him. With that calm dignity "which a mai is supposed to feel when he i^ "monarch of all he ?urve s," Mrlloosiias been heard to say while casting a majestic glance at the Town Hall, " Til have that building removed from that be for j J'm done." He did not say whether by screwjacks, or by planting, it causing to be planted, a coup.c of hundred cases of kerosene in its inmccHnte vicinity. But it's all kindness ; his love a id affection for the people of this town know no bounds. But my business is more particularly with " (Edipus/' although I cannot well dissociate him from the County Chairman, •whose cause he sallies forth to

espouse and defen \ I wish your correspondent to understand that he commits a ridiculous error Avhen he states that I have sriven a " sophistical explanation of ■ Mr Gisborae's telegram to the Borough Council" in my letter to your evening contemporary of Saturday last. The fact is I have given no explanation at all ; it is quite unnecessary. The telegram is so plain that " those who run may read," and underj stand without the aid of any commentary. I It was very satisfactory to the Borough Council, inasmuch as it granted, or led to being granted, all that that body sought, viz., the use of the kerosene depot, pending further arrangements. The result Avas truly gratifying to the Borough Council, and it must necessarily haA r e been so to the citizens generally, more especially to those whose property if situated con tiguous to the spot where the kero-ene aa-ss scored. The police mu^t have been jubilant, for it relieved them from keeping guard over an empty depot, setting them free for more useful or enjoyable occupations. If " GCdipus" avouM look again at my letter to the Star, and give it " a' proper careful reading," he Avill see that he has committed the egregious mistake of treating a quotation from Mr Gisborne's telegram — adduced as an argument to show that you, Mr Editor, were Avrong in a proposition set forth in your " leader " of Saturday last — as an explanation of the said telegram. The subject of my letter was to show that it was not enjoined by the Colonial Secrctrry that theßoiouqh Council must apply to the Commissioner of Crown Lands through the County Chairman, at ail events in the matter oK the reserve in question, and in support of this I quoted words from Mr Gisborne's telegram AA'hich admit of no two meanings. If " CEdipus " will bp good enough to point out a single sophism or an erroneous premiss in that letter, I shall thank him, and forgive him for saying in this day's letter that I am " Avholly incapable" of performing a simple operation of the understanding. I am, Sir, Yours obediently, JOHN AVHITE.