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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 78, 25 December 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times

Sir, —Feeling confident that your columns .are always open to redress unjust aspersions, I beg leave to avail myself of the opportunity to refer to a letter signed “ Justitia,” which •appeared in the Hawke's Bay Herald of the 23rd inst. The facts of the case are as follows. I did not dispute the whole of the items in the account, as he states ; but on the contrary admitted the correctness of the bill, with the exception of .£l, which was struck off by the Court. When the furnititic uaiucu tuciciu was finished, X only having received them into my house on Smith s promise to finish them when my

house was finished, called as a witness a cabinet maker, who proved that the articles in question were not finished, being not polished, as agreed upon, and the 100 table being minus the castors. I also called another witness, who proved a verbal agreement between myself and Smith, wherein he made an overcharge of ,£l. Smith did make an attempt to polish them, I admit; but failed, as he himself stated, through having put some preparation in the coloring matter which negatived the polish, and left the articles like any second-hand things that one may pick up cheap in a broker’s shop. So certain was Smith that he could not make a job of them, he has taken them back on my allowing him £1 for the use of them. But as to Justitia, let me tell him that there were two witnesses I called instead of one, as he states ; and also that although one was in my employ, he is just as scrupulous as regards his oath as Justitia. Further, that the reporter to the Hawke's Bay Herald was in Court, and is possibly quite as capable of making a fair digest of a case as Justitia. If Justitia would make himself known, no doubt he would be made a J.P. of, and then we should have an opportunity of seeing the qualities which he thinks our magistrates lack. I am really afraid, Mr. Editor, that he is some poor fellow out of luck, looking for a billet, and thinks by disparaging others to make a stepping-stone of them to ascend the ladder of his ambition. Fearing I have trespassed too much on your space, I am, Sir, &c., M. McNaltv. Dec. 24, 18G2.