A CONTRADICTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 634, 12 May 1882, Page 3

A CONTRADICTION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —As a resident in the Alford Forest district, I was considerably surprised at the imputation contained in a “ - paragraph from the pen of your Mount Somers correspondent, and which appeared in The Guardian on the Bth inst TSt ran as follows :—“ Strange to say, not ■'>, pne person came forward to represent the iAlford Forest district, though they have dilate professed to take such a deep in--3 :V” latest in the Society (Mutual Tmprove■i being the third meeting »n called to consider it was thought by leeting that the Alford fjieople with contempt.” friendly feeling which, has thick, T trust, may ever te two {daces, 1 think it is

most unfair to infer illfeeling, and unjust to charge Alford Forest with showing contempt when the absence of many may be accounted for otherwise —viz., firstly, the meeting for the two districts was held at one end, if I may term it, of the district, Mount Somers schoolroom, instead of at the centsal situation, Springburn school, late Side school, and the distance between these two places would prevent many from attending, especially in unfavorable weather. Secondly, to all who did not happen to see the advertisement, the meeting was unknown. Thirdly. If the Alford Forest Residents determine to start a Mutual Improvement Society I am certain they will be able to do so, and although the company of any of the Mount Somer’s people would be highly esteemed, 1 think it would be foolish to expect them to ride eight or nine miles in all weathers—perhaps on a dark night—to, say, the Alford Forest School. This is the fair way of looking at it. Reverse the place of meeting to this end, and how few of the names mentioned in your correspondent’s paragraph would have attended ? Had the place of meeting being central, this district would have been better represented. — I am, etc., A Resident in the Alford Forest District.