ANOTHER COMPLAINT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 404, 25 July 1881, Page 2

ANOTHER COMPLAINT.

To the Editor. Sib, —We would not reply to the letter signed “E. B. Pearce,” in your’issue of Saturday, but for the reason that the statements therein contained are calculated to do us injury, if allowed to pass unchallenged, and we will take leave to present the other side of the story, so that the public may be able to form a correct opinion as to Mr Pearce’s grievance. That gentleman has lost a splendid opportunity for holding, his tongue, but seems to hope that he may derive some benefit,S in some way or other, by assuming the role of martyr or much persecuted man. We have supplied Mr Pearce and family with provisions, clothing, etc., ever since March, 1880, and some time ago on asking him for a statement of his position, he put down amongst his assets, fifty tons of potatoes, the bulk of them grown on our paddock which we had let to him. Imagine our disgust when we found the potatoes had all been removed, from our paddock, and sold, with the exception of about twelve tons, pitted at his own place, not one shilling of rent having been paid then or sin.ee for the paddock. This fact, together with other unreliable statements, and unreasonable demands for assistance, compelled us, with Mr Cox, to adopt extreme measures, otherwise the chicory might have disappeared like tho potatoes ! We believe Mr Pearce when he says he had a strong desire to start chicory works—but we would like to ask whose was the capital, and whose the assistance by which he did so ? We would ask Mr Pearce further, whether he spent one shilling of his own in his much talked of local industry 1 How can Mr Pearce be the heavy loser he wants to make out, seeing he never paid for anything that has been taken from him. If Mr Pearce cannot see, no doubt the public will, that he has only himself to blamo for the position in which he now finds himself.—We are, etc., OrrA Co.