“GRAIN-THE GOLDEN—TRUTH.”

Dunstan Times, Issue 886, 11 April 1879, Page 3

“GRAIN-THE GOLDEN—TRUTH.”

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUNSTAS TIMES ) Sir—" ill you Isin 11 y allow me a little of your valuable spare to briefly reply to your criticism ol the few notes J put together flurino a recent visit in reference to some of the towns of the district of which you are the natural champion, and which have been published in the Mount Ida Chronicle. In reference to your assertion that my “ notes were not taken from observation, hut from information received.” and your assurance that I believed all I heard, allow me to say that 1 did hear a great de d about local matters, both at Alexandra and Clyde ; but to show you I did not believe all I was told, I may mention that one gentleman at Civile remarked to me, in speaking of the bridge, that the proper way to look at the question of whether the County would he justified in re-erecting it was this Clyde, as a municipality, had considered it necessary to erect the bridge, and since the municipality has merged into the County, an I was virtually (as f understood him to infer) the County its°lf, there should be no question of utility, but the bridge should he replaced as it was when the County took it over as a municipal asset. That this was the proper way to look at the matter I could not believe. As another instance, when at Alexandra, I was told on all hands that Alexandra was, properly, the town of the lower part of the County ; while at Clyde the opposite was as peisistently poured into my ear. I naturally was unable to side with both of the contending parties ; and my -belief, unfortunately for me, since Alexandra has iio watchful editor to defend its rights,-was’ fixed "on, Alexandra. 1 must say that at C'yile a variety of information was volunteered me, the whole of which, you would seem to think, I should have bo-

lisved. I should he sorry indeed to believe that there is no one in Clyde capable of speaking the truth. In the matter of the propriety of the main road being made through Alexandra which seems to he the sorest point—l maintain that, ninety-nine out of every hundred impartial persons who might visit the locality would take the view i have taken. What use there is in carrying the two main roads live or six miles up the bank of the river before they are joined, when they could as well moot at the crossing of the river, I cannot imagine. Every circumstance seems to point to Alexandra as the natural junction, and your County Council, in deciding to crcet a bridge there, would S' em to he of this opinion also. As for my statement re Clyde being bolstered up by officialdom, the truth of which you seem to deny, 1 confess 1 am surprised you did not pass it over in silent contempt, as being the easier and more effective way of showing your disapproval. Permit me, sir, on this occasion to show that I can be generous to an enemy, even when he denounces me in such a scathing and scholarly manner as you have done, when you stigmatise me as “ the writer (scribbler) ! ” by saying that you are the first person, out of the very many I have heard speak of it, that I ever knew den) it. Of course I understood that [ shoukl have you down upon me when I ventured to say a word against Clyde, hut I certainly did not expect you to make a stand on this point. As for yor advice, were [ dispose! to accept it I should be inclined to request that it might be more intelligibly expressed than it is when you counsel the proprietary of the Chronicle, when next despatching a travel* ling correspondent, to send one “who has eyes of his own," and one who has sufficient judgment “to discern what is chaff, and what is ‘grain—the golden— truth !’ ” As it is, 1 should he sorry to give you further trouble on my bch ilf; and I intend, as I have hitherto done—extraordinary as it may appear to you- to think for myself ; nor shall I fear r o write or say what I think while 1 have truth and right on my aide, as I have in connection with this matter. —I am, &c., The Chronicle Correspondent.