ST. BATHAN'S.

Dunstan Times, Issue 199, 17 February 1866, Page 3

ST. BATHAN'S.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) A public meeting was held at the Montezuma Hotel on Wednesday, the 31st u'.t-, for the pitrpese of appointing a deputation to wait upon and sympathise w.th Mr Warden Stratford respecting a gross insult that gentleman had receive*] while engaged listening to a case in the \ Warden's Court in this township. | The deputation afterwards waited upen IMr Stratford, and presented the following I address containing 103 signatures :

" To If. Stratford, Esq., '■ Sir " Yi T e, the undersigned inhabitants of St. Hainan's, having heard with deep regret of the insult offered to you while } res'ding in the Warden's Court, on the 11th inst., consider it our bound* n duty in justice to you, and for the honor of tha el s rict, to tender you our sympathies for the very wanton i;sult lately offered yi u, by a resident in this township. That unfortunate circumstance is the more to be regretted' when wc consider that your visit to this district was entirely voluntary, and withavicv/toprcventanyinconvenience to miners through tliei temporary absence of Mr Warden Hickson and moreover that, from the treatment you received at the hands ol a few thought hss per ons. being a stranger in this district, and as a matter of course, unacquainted with the individual character of the inhabitants, it is not improbable that ycu should leave with very unfavorbie impressions of the district generally. Wc, therefore, wish to avail ourselves of this opportunity of assuring you that the parties from whom this unbecoming I conduct emanated, are men of no standing i or' weight whatever in tho community, I bub that oa the contrary they have ever

been looked upon by the majority of the population as the promoters of discord and the originators of the greater part of the dispute! and litigation, whieh have of late made this district remarkable. "We also wish to assure you that by incurring the displeasure of those parties, and by being chosen an object for their senseless and scurrilous attacks, you have in our opinion, given the most positive proof that the discharge of your duties as Goldfields warden has been both dignified and impartial. We are, <io., Mr Stratford replied at some considerable length, and thanking the deputation fo.i their expression of such kindly feelings, brought the interview to a close.