Correspondence.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 6, 31 July 1914, Page 3

Correspondence.

WHILE it is our endeavour to give correspondents every facility for the free expression of their opinion, it should be borne in mind that the views expressed do not, necessarily, reflect the opinions of the Editor. To the Editor. SIR, —Will you please give me space to reply to Mr Mellings’ letter in your last issue? For his information I wish to state that Mr Jas. Fitness got out the sketch plan for the committee, and the little part 1 took in the matter was at the request of the President. There is the difference, that Mr Fitness is here to answer for himself, whereas Mr Marshall is not, so I refuse to discuss anything that concerns M r Marshall for that reason. Mr Mellings challenges me to publish their trustees’ letter to us- I. h ive no authority to do so. But the gist of it is inviting us to participate in the management of the Miners’ Hall in the same way our predecessors did absolutely refuse t

I First, it is no part of the business of the Medical Society to I run a public hall ; secondly, we do not intend to condone any . of the mistakes of the past. Mr » Mellings states that I am rather vague in respect to the £2O busif ness. I notice lie does not deny the soft impeachment. The only thing vague about it is that I die not give the name , of my informant. Had there i been anyone else present J • would have do. Mr Mailings further states that is is a majority of the miners who have to settle the matter. I say again that no one outside the Waikato Miners’ Union has a say or vote as regards the Miners’ Hall. The land is vested in the name ol their trustees and is utter humbug to say tha f the majority of the miners have a say at all. Mr Mellings returns to the Accident Fund. 1 will give your readers the facts as known to us. There is a resolution in the minute book to wind up the Society and divide the money. The money is withdrawn from the Bank. One member ques tioned myself about it, stating that he was entitled to some Accident pay, but did not get any ; and they keep the Accident Cash Book back. Only for an oversight on our part. We would have compelled them to hand it over. Mr Mellings states in a former letter, there was not very much to divide. I I will let Mr Mellings’ sneers j and inuendoes pass as they do j not help the matter, and they j usually act like.a boomerang. We have no wish to wreck any scheme, but we are not going to allow our Medical Society to be wrecked. There are some of us who have worked for over twenty years to make it what it is to-day. In conclusion I should like your readers to again read the auditor’s report and the correspondence that has ensued. They can then form their own conclusion as 1 claim that Mr Mellings has not refuted one single statement I have made. Thanking you in anticipation, I remain, Yours etc., J. A. PARKES, Chairman of the Medical and Accident Society.