The Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, MONDAY, 4th DECEMBER, 1865. A CORRECTION.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 329, 4 December 1865, Page 2

The Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, MONDAY, 4th DECEMBER, 1865. A CORRECTION.

Misrepresentations come so naturally to the minds of some folk that it seems to he scarcely possible for them to give a fair and undistorted account of eve*u the most simple matters; but, regarding all things through the colored medium of their own prejudices, see nothing as it is, and are constrained to impart to others their erroneous impressions. Such a characteristic is a decided fault in any individual, but more particularly in the case of the conductor of a public journal, to whose pages the public have a right to look for a true and faithful account of all matters brought before their notice. We are well aware that the late demonstration of the electors of Napier in favor of Mr Colenso was a great blow to the party whose organ the Hawke’s Bay Herald is;—that they were very greatly disappointed and vexed at a result so different from what they wished, and perhaps expected; hut they should learn to submit gracefully to a defeat, and not try to account for it as owing to a mistake, which yet has no existence except in the perverted view of the writer in the Herald. In endeavoring to account for the failure of their attempt to render Mr Colenso unpopular, and to defeat the motion of confidence in him, the Herald has charged us with ** announc-

ing the meeting as being one of Mr Colenso’s friends and supporters,” which announcement “ doubtless deterred many from taking any part in the proceedings, or giving expression in any shape to their views ”; which statement is altogether untrue, —beside being altogether inadequate to account for their defeat.

For the sake of our readers who may not, readily be able to refer to or remember the exact terms in which we called attention to the meeting, we reprint the paragraph in question—which, it will be seen, is under the heading “ Public Meeting,” and further noticed as being of the “electors of Napier” —

The Public Meeting,— Mr Colenso’s friends and supporters will notice with pleasure the advertisement in another column calling for a meeting of the electors of Napier, at the Council Chamber, This Evening,— when that gentleman will be ready to give an account of his stewardship, and render up the trust (for a brief period only, we believe) that has been reposed in him. We have no doubt that he will meet with that cordial reception he has so often experienced, and which is certainly his due, considering the difficult and arduous labor he has so cheerfully undergone in fighting the battles of the province and people in his place in the General Assembly. Our contemporary at length refers to the oft-repeated assertion respecting the requisition to Mr M'Lean, viz., that many of the signatures attached to that requisition were so attached under false impressions, and without the least idea or intention of withdrawing from the support of Mr Colenso to favor Mr M'Leak as an opponent. This is said to be “ an unlikely story, and one that is a poor tribute to the common sense or intelligence of the electors.” We have been rather surprised that this “unlikely story” has never been noticed before, and supposed that it was admitted as true; but it seems now to be questioned;—if so, the proof is easy: a few minutes’ conversation with some of the parties will be sufficient, for they do not seem disposed to deny it- - at least so wehave found it. We have also several letters now lying by us from those who re» side in outlying districts telling the same tale ; and we may remark, in conclusion, that though it may be no compliment to one’s intelligence to be deceived, it is less a compliment to one’s honesty to be a deceiver.