(To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.) Sir, — A very great "mistake has possessed the ignorant portion of the public mind in re spect of the late decision of the Court of Appeal, in the Immigrant Promissory Note Case. Great numbers of them fancy and also assert — that their Honors then and there decided against the payment of those promis sory notes. I beg leave to state, for their in formation, that their Honors made no allu sion to the question, either for or against tho payment whether immigrants shall or shall not pay ; neither does that decision bar any immigrant from paying or the Treasurer from receiving the money. In this respect the Treasurer and immigrant both stand precisely as they did two years ago. The decision is simply this — tho Government cannot recover on those notes ; or in other words, the Government have not power by virtue of those notes to send immigrants to prison, distrain on his chattels, drive him from the Province, or intimidate him politi cally. The immigrant can pi'escribe his own terms, take his own time, pay when it suits him, and assert his own rights, without fear or intimidation ; but I may add integrity is a nobler principle — distinct from all law, it recognizes no law, it elevates itself above all, and therefore, every immigrant that believes the promissory note to be a just debt will, no doubt, sooner or later let the Treasury I feel the benefit of his honest convictions. Chas. Austin.
WANGANUI.
