Correspondence

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 September 1916, Page 2

Correspondence

r Our corryepondents' opinions ero their own ; the responsibility of editorial ones makes sufficient ballast for the editor's shouldters.] HOROWHENUA LAKE ACT. (To the Editor). Sir,—Mr. Retter in his letter evidently does not wish to reply to my arguments re his accusations that Mr. Field did not do his duty in connection with the above act, nor has Mr. Retter proved that the borough received more communications from Mr. Field than the Countv Council. I think the publication of Mr. Field's letter by Mr. Retter shows without doubt that the duties entrusted to 'Mr. Field were well performed. A charge was made against Mr. Field that he had kept the borough in touch with every move in connection with the act, but Mr. Retter has made no attempt to prove this. Xor does he seem inclined to accept my word that the borough has not receivcdi any communications from September, 1915. till after the passing of the act in August, 1910, at which time a similar letter (published by Mr. Rotter) was received hv the borough from Mr. Field. Will Mr. ißetter inform me why. if the borough had been kept in touch with every move of the bill, it was necessary for Mr. Field to send the borough the explanatory letter? exactly the same as the one sent to the County. Council. Will Mr.'"Retter also inform me that if the communication in connection with the petition of the natives had bee.n received by Mr. Goldsmith at midday on Tuesday, for his council to be represented at the Parliamentary Committee meeting in Wellington on the next day, at 10 a.m.. does he think it possible that any one of the councillors would have attended? T understand that Mr. Retter was not in the district at the time. lam afraid if this part | of the business had been left to tliem ino e amended Horowhenua Lake Act would have appeared 011 Statute I Book. T feel sure, with the facts 'be- | fore them, the public wiH agree that i Mr. Field carried out his duties in connection with the bill earnestly and j well, and the thanks of not only the ( residents of Levin, but the whole of i the district, are due to him for assistj fiig this much needed amending act to pass into law.—Yours, etc., B. R. Gardener, Chairman, Lake Domain. A NOTE FRAE AULD JAMIE. (To The Editor.) Sir, —'Twas a braw gathering at the •Scots concert th'ither nicht. a' wantin' their money's worth and a bit thrown in, and all getting it; ivra singer back ! twa times and maybe twice twa times gin .she wad. An' was I asking for mair } ve'll be askin'? Well, I'm frae Aberdeen masel'! But-ivra Scot amang us got his bawbees' worth in all ways. Hughie was there wi' me all hamesick and longing for a whiff off the heather all the time the Scots songs were coming oot; an' if but ye'd see.ll tlie way Bob frae Ayrshire clappit Ills haunds and stampit when the wee Scotch laddie frae Maoartymoro or some such ither toon on the west side frae Greenock (across the water) sang abo'ot coortin' the lasses in the gloainiii'; weel, hae been glad ye'd co,me along! We had the auld sangs an' the now sangs; a gey guid time, the wheelwright ca'd it next mornin' -when the Sassenach speired him about it. All I missed was the twa three .staves ■ frae the sangs like ma auld minnie used tae gie me; next yeax I'd like tae hear ane or twa o' tliae. Ye ken the kin'. I've nae doot, Mr. Editor: all aboot the callant wha fell in t' duck dub, an' the game-reiver wha got ta 'ed up and gaed the muircocks guid cause tae craw crousely. (Hong it! I'm gettin' that richt weel bock tae t 7 auid Doric, wi' rccallin' 111 a callow days, that. I'll be wa-ntin' hiime for sure.) An' whaur is hame? In the big shire, ve'll be sayin'. Weel, 111 a mithter was frae Lanarkshire, an' she was Scot for sure. She always telt mo there were three sets o' people in t t' warld: Scotchmen, Hiielan'men. and Sassenachs. Mither didn'a min' the Hielan'men a wee bit, really; . her j guidman was yin, ye ken; but she used ' sometimes tae get him richt niad wi s : n,gi.ng tae him aboot them . One wee chorus tell o' th' Hielanmen's luck. I'll gie it ye here:— "There's naught in the liielands but long kale and leeks, And lang-legged calhuits gang wantin' their brceks; Gang wantin' their breeks and their single-soled slioon: They'll all get new breeches when Mary comes hame!" That's the kin' o' sang wantit to tak' ■ old fogies hairts back tae Bonnie Scot- | land. Min' ye the concert pleased -.me I richt weel; I'll 110 deny that; but I'd I hae liket weel a saug about '"Heather Jock7s Noo Awa.'' or "The Tappit Hen ! Will Never Roost." or two o' ithree auld 1 auld songs our forbears lo'ed to sing at | the inglelieuk. - - Yours, etc.. AULD JAMIE.