MR MERVYN, M.H.R., IN EXPLANATION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2382, 19 November 1870, Page 2

MR MERVYN, M.H.R., IN EXPLANATION.

To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sir —As you have copied into your paper a communication which appeared in the J'uape.ka Times purporting to be a report of a meeting which I had the honor to address at West Roxburgh, and as the Evening Star has an extensive circulation outside the Province, perhaps you would permit me to say that the whole article is a tissue of falsehoods and was not written by any resident in the district. The facts of the case are shortly those : I received a requisition from three electors of the Manuherikia district and a number of electors of the goldfields, to address them prior to a then anticipated meeting of the Assembly. They suggested Tuesday evening for (he time of meeting ; but as I understood Saturday evening would bo more convenient for the miners, I named that evening ; hence the paucity of business men, who usually act as chairmen. After a delay of about live minutes, on my motion, Mr Low, of Dunedin, took the chair ; and in justice to the inhabitants of the Teviot, I must say a more pleasant and enthusiastic meeting I never had the honor to address. At the conclusion of my address, Mr Tamblyn (who is not a total abstainer) moved & vote of thanks to me for meeting them, and also of confidence, hoping I would came forward as a candidate for the Waikai district (West Roxburgh); this being duly seconded by Mr Glass, a Mr Baightou, who as far jis I can judge was the only dissentient in the room got up and complained about the Clutha being made the boundary line of the Dunstau and Waikaia districts, and also of the imperfect postal communications, introducing at the same time private conversations which he alleged he had with different persons, and as this is an old trick of his, I declined to take cognizance of anything, that was stated in private, It was simply owing to an oversight on the part of the chairman that Mr Tamblyn’s motion was not put, Mr Low can corroborate the accuracy of these statements. I have thought it the more necessary to refer to them, as I am not, nor did not intend to become a candidate for the representation of that district. I may in conclusion remark that it is not the first time the member for Bruce has prostituted the paper with which he is connected, for the gratification of his petty malice. I believe his reports of Mr Reynolds’ speech, and also of Mr Macandrew’s dinner were equally truthful. I have been the means of defeating a little game in which he was interested, in re George Green’s Land Claims Bill, and hence the abuse which has been showered upon me. I am, &c., D. H. Mkuvvn. The Teviot, Nov. Id.