or through ignorance?  I would say through ignorance, knowing the
directors of the above Company would not lend themselves to any fraud upon
the public.  But buyers of scrip in the other Colonies will not altogether
believe this.  We want to establish confidence, and not to shake it.  So
far the shaken portion is predominant, and it has been caused thus:
readers of your paper, in the other Colonies, would read, as appeared in
your paper a few weeks back, 119 oz. gold from Centrals.  A few days
afterwards, this had dwindled down to 102 oz. and now we have 240 oz. 2
dwt., dwindling down to 203 oz., or a loss of £141, 17 oz., of which was
lost in melting only; therefore it must have been 17 oz. of pure dirt.  I
can understand a loss of inferior gold being brought to the standard by
taking therefrom the silver, but there is no excuse for sending muck, and
calling it gold.  Therefore, for the good of the Company, and for the good
of the country, the directors should obtain the services of a practical
man for battery work.  Such a one would not only save the large quantity
of gold which is being lost, but when the directors receive a bar it will
be gold and not mullock, and this will give the confidence which is so
much required.
Yours etc.,
PRO BONO PUBLICO.