MR. FINLAY’S DENIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2347, 13 November 1908, Page 2

MR. FINLAY’S DENIAL.

QjL [To tub Editor.] Sir, —I will thank you to republish tlio Itev. Mr. Grant’s letter in this matter,_ which reads as follows : ‘•Sir/ —In, you rreport of Mr. W. D. Lysnar’s meeting appears the following statement regarding; the Rev. a. Finlay: ‘The Prohibition Party had brought forwaid, the liev. JVfr. Finlay,'and when he (Mr. Lysnar) said that the value of property in Cliitha had 'decreased, Mr. Finlay said it was a lie. He (the speaker) had the .figures to prove that the statement was nob a lie. Yet the same clergyman had come back to him afterwards and asked him to get him a billet to advocate Continuance.’ I wired the substance of this statement to Mr. Finlay on Saturday morning, and late on Saturday evening I got the following reply: ‘Contradicted Lysnar’s statement concerning me last election. See L.M. and G.B. Absolutely deny Lysnar’s latest assertion. —Finlay.’—I am, etc., William Grant.”

At my request Air. Grant has published his wire to the- Rev. Air. Finlay (or rather, I understand, plain Air. Finlay, mining agent), which reads as follows:

“Rev. Finlay, Hawker Street, WelI'ington,—Lysnar last night stated you asked his influence get billet advocate continuance. —Grant.” Mr. Grant says lie wired the subi,stance! of the statement referred to in his letter to Mr. Finlay. Now, I say, Mr. Editor, this is not so, but I "leave your readers to decide. I might mention the statement of the position as given is not correct, but I will not deal with that phase of the matter, seeing that the .Rev. Mr. Grant only sent a distorted part of my statement to invite the denial. — I am. etc., AY. DOUGLAS LYSNAR,