"HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE."

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 83, 4 May 1877, Page 2

"HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE."

TO THB EDITOR OF THE AKAROA MAIL. Sir, —Seeing a correspondence in your paper of the Ist inst. signed officially by Bro. Cooper, the W.M. of our Lodge, as a Mason I am completely surprised, first, as to the official signature, secondly, as to the injudicious action of not being in strict conformity with the ancient landi marks and customs of the Lodge's sanction, as well as the old motto, of Audi, Vidi, Tace. Silence is gold, and our W.M. should remembers the words that " he will neither permit nor suffer any deviation from the ancient landmarks and established customs of the Order.' I Without in the least detracting anything from the merits of a brother Mason, and we have several amongst us who have contributed furniture and other articles to the Lodge without the slightest wish of having their names published or their actions eulogised, they knowing well, that all Masons should or ought to exert themselves for the welfare of the Order. It ill becomes anyone of us to meddle with matters which strictly belong to our lodge-room. Why did not-our W.M. supplement the speech at the proper time and place in the Lodge ? The outside world know little and care less of the doings of the craft, and if anyone felt desirous of appreciating the masonic zeal of Bro. Pearde, as all young Masons generally evince much zeal just after the first or second degree, why might I say, did they not propose a special banquet in honour of our worthy brother, and present him with a beautiful set of plate, or what is far more estimable and useful in these hard times, a purse of sovereigns, which would cheer and comfort our worthy and departing brother in his new field of labor, and which it is to. be hoped will prove a healthier and wealthier locality ? It was not my intention of writing for the public press, but surely, Mr. Editor, when our worthy W.M. officially inserts articles in your paper, your very humble and private member of the Order may follow suit.

Excuse me, Mr. Editor, for trespassing too much on your valuable time, and allow me to remain.—Yours, &c, " A POINT WITHIN A CIRCLE."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE AKAROA MAIL. SiR,-rAlthough myself, not Submarine Cable, it was at my suggestion the letter so signed was written. I perhaps have fallen into the same error that Submarine accuses Martindale of, viz., "not being sufficiently explicit, when I gave *' Sub" the required information. I should have mentioned that the children coming to this school did so simply as a matter of convenience, not because they had any complaint against the master of the Head of the Bay school, quite the contrary. Martindale, in his usual happy manner, has distorted Sub's letter so as to make it appear as if discredit were thrown on that school.

With regard to the second letter, I have taken the advice contained, and now with most lucid vision I see Martindale in the light of a gross perverter of the truth ; firstly, in sajnng Mr. William's children attend Miss Blythen's school, (that young lady being schoolmistress at the Government school,) the children in question only taking private music lessons from her, and if they use the bye-road they like a round-about road. Secondly, in insinuating I went from house to house complaining, &c.; and now, for his special benefit I will inform him I have only crossed the threshold of one house since he thundered forth his anathemas on the devoted head of poor Libeau for daring to think of improving his property, and pay for so doing—dog in the manger way of doing.

But it is useless to say more on the subject ; Martindale is too well known for anything that he can say to be at all defamatory to me. I only add that, when a man stoops to such gross misrepresentation and prevarication, and that not to further public interests, but mere private ones, and togratify a long standing spite against a neighbour, it is he who ought to have the words " avarice," " petty private interests" " nefarious jobs,"and such terms applied to him.—l am, &c, THOMAS MACMILLAN. P.S.—I must ask those private individuals whose names I have used, quite unavoidably, to pardon my doing so. [This letter must close the correspondence—Ed A.M.]

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE AKAROA MAIL.) Sir,—l have just heard that the nominations of Messrs H. Piper and James Bell to " The Lakes Reclamation Trust" have not been confirmed by the Government for the following reason, which in justice to those gentlemen I ask you to make public. Previous to Mr. Montgomery being asked to send the names of two gentlemen who would act on " The Trust," Mr. Fitzroy had been requested to do so, but he was absent from Canterbury, and Mr. Montgomery was then applied to by the Government. During the interval Mr. Fitzroy returned, and insisted on his prior right to nominate, and we can only hope that his nominees will show the same wish and intention to carry out promptly the provisions of " The Trust," as would have been the case if Messrs Piper and Bell had become members. I am, yours, &c, E. C. LATTER. 2nd May, 1877.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE AKAROA MAIL. Sir, —It was with feelings of the greatest surprise that I read Sergeant Ramsay's statement in your issue of Tuesday last, to the effect that Patrick Geoghan had been " lambed down" at my hotel. I cannot refrain from expressing my surprise that a charge so damaging to the character of my house should have been inserted by you upon the mere ipse dixit of the Sergeant, unsupported by a single particle of evidence, and I trust you will do me the justice to give equal publicity to my version of the matter, so that the public may be able to judge if I have in reality been guilty of the offence with which I am charged. It was stated by the Sergeant, according to the report, that Geoghan had spent about £100 during the last five weeks, and that he had frequented other hotels but little. Now, Sir, the Sergeant, generally so correct in his statements, is utterly wrong on the present occasion. The facts are as follows:—

On March 29 th, Geoghan came to my house, and he remained there until the 27th April ult. He paid me during that time the sum of £19 3s, (this included £2 6s, borrowed in cash for small purchases), leaving a sum of £16175, actually paid to me for his board, lodging, and refreshment. This statement my books can indisputably prove. I can further state that I have done all in my power to prevent him spending his money as freely as he wished to do, and even went to the Bank on one occasion to ask the manager not to let him have more than £10, as that sum would be sufficient to pay his debts, and to last him until the following week, when he promised me that he would leave Akaroa. I have frequently used every endeavour to get him out of Akaroa, and back to work, and I shall be prepared to prove my words at the next Licensing Court. I ask any man, under such circumstances, whether I can be accused Of having " lambed down " Geoghan. I am, &c. A. RODRIGUES.

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE AKAROA MAIL.)

Sir, —In your report of the proceedings of the-last meeting of the -Akaroa and Wainui Road Board re the Grehan Valley Road, the chairman is stated to have said, "that others than those interested had signed the petition." This, Sir, I deny in toto ; it is a direct insult to the persons, signing. Also Mr. Houghton's remark;' that it was "in consequence-of the workmen being there that had suggested the petition."" Sir, the petition was in course of signature three weeks before the wo'rk r mencame. Mr. Duxbury's remark, thatmen were always employed on this road, carries its own condemnation on its face, for if it was to, it ought not to need repairing. The.fact is, Sir, this road, considering the number who use it, is in a worse state than any on the Peninsula, and the money that was voted for it was partly spent on the -; Long Bay Road. If any of the gentlemen named, can controvert what I have said, I shall be glad to see their reply. . I am, &c, COCKATOO. Grehan Valley, May 2, 1877.