CORRESPONDENCE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 1, Issue 43, 7 September 1870, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

[We <lo not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents. ] “ BESIDE THE BILLY.” To the Editor of the Cromwell Aruus. Sir, —lt was only this evening that my attention was directed to your paper, in which appears a tale bearing the above heading. I have also observed a letter from John Guilson, denying the truth of Mr Wood’s narrative. I regret that John Guilson was not able to furnish you with more information concerning the deceased man, W. Pitt. My object in writing is to remove any doubt as to the identity of the deceased man by supplementing Mr Guilson’s exposure of Mr Wood’s fictitious statements. Being a resident in the Teviot at the time William Pitt met with his death, I am in a position to state that at the time his death occurred ho was, along with his mates, endeavouring to cut a passage through the snow for the horses belonging to Mr Brown, storekeeper at Waikaia. His mates left him to go to their hut about a mile distant to procure some refreshment, and on returning they found that the deceased had perished in the snow within a short distance of where they had left him, although two hours had not elapsed since they had left him. Information.was then sent to the Camp at Teviot, and police constable O’Neill went out and buried the man without any coffin, in the grave indicated by the pule and board now erected over the spot. I think it important that this information should be published in order to remove any wrong impression as to the identity of the unfortunate man. which might otherwise arise through the publication of Mr Wood’s fictitious narrative.—l am, &c., Truth. Teviot, August 31, 1870. [Our readers should bear in mind that the tale alluded to was never intended to be read as strictly and literally true. Very few stories of the kind are so, and for this reason we cannot agree with our correspondents’ rather severe comments on the subject.—Ed. (7. A.] THE TUAPEKA MAIL-CARRIER. (To the Editor of the Cromwell Aho us.) Sir—The arrival of the Dunedin mails at Clyde, with the exception of that via Tuapeka, is still very irregular. Owing to the indomitable perseverance of the mail-carrier between Clyde and Lawrence (Tommy Young), the Tuapeka mails are always landed at Clyde in good time. On the last upward trip, Young found it necessary to swim several of the creeks on the road. The same lad carried the mail last winter, and rt was decided to present him with a testimonial in recognition of his pluck in riding through miles of deep snow in order to bring the mails in at the proper time. The matter was loft in the hands of a certriu gentleman, who, it is believed, received several subscriptions for the purpose mentioned. Probably by this time the gentleman has returned the amount to the subscribers : lie that as it may, however, many arc nnder the impression that the lad received the testimonial which ho so richly merited.—-1 aui, &c., A Clyde Resident.