KIRITEHERE BOADS: A.E.L. TAKES UP THE CUDGELS.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 350, 21 February 1908, Page 2

KIRITEHERE BOADS: A.E.L. TAKES UP THE CUDGELS.

(to the editor ) Hlß,—Two letters hare appeared in yoar paper lately on the subject of Mr Robin»->n'a repert, and also on some remarks reported to have been made by me to that fentleman. F at first proposed to leave untu■wered Mr Gregg’s latter—there was nothing in it I considered offensive or person d; it expressed the natural irritation of one who had a pet corn trodden on, or a pet th ary attacked and I thought no usMql public service could be served by replying. Mr Loss' letter is somexbat different—it is of the nature of a personal challenge, and 1 can hardly allow Mr Hobs to go unanswered, or answer him without also replying to, in Mr Roes’ own language, his «co-opera-tive settler’s letter,” Mr Gregg’s. I kinking the matter oyer it seems to me that to do justice all round I mu-t ask vou, Mr Editor, to allow me to pnb ish n series ef letters, in which I will endeavour to deal as shortly as possible with tne various matter contained in the above mentioned correspondence. For me to attempt to do otherwise would encroach too much on your ,pace in one issue, and probably he tedious leading Thia letter will amply deal with personal natters chiefly affecting myself; the succeeding letters will touch on land •nd values, on reading new country, on lund speculation, on pioneers past and present, exploiting the Government, where the trouble starts, and kindred subjects. Mr R. iu his letter strongly objects to one in my " position ” having tho audacity to make comments on the controversy raised by Mr Gregg. I confess 1 am floored first shot, and hira nothing to reply to Mr R. In everyday life it is not possible for ua all to be Brigadier - Generals, as in Artemus Ward’s celebrated Briga J s, or all Peter R .sses. Peter’s objection is a heavy blow, and my philosophy is put to sore straits to help me be-»r it with equanimity k without grinning. Whan I get my wind back I may take Peter on again—but Peter and “ position,’’ I’m afra d he’ll beat me every time. Now, Mr Gregg asks in his tetter, Who the deuce I am, and where do I come in ? That is fair and square and under tbe circumstances a reasonable question from a stranger and I’ll answer seriously and at length so that Mr Gregg shall have certain knowledge concerning me, knowledge already in the possession of Mr Rnbinson. and it will explain M r Robinson’s reason for quoting me or what he understood me to say. The following biegraphy is given with the idea of putting Mr Robinson right with the public on this one point:—Nearly 40 years ago my father removed me from the old Exeter High School and put mein the office of a fnend who was a valuer, surveyor and architect. There I helped in lau i and property v&inations, measured standing timber, drew plans, did some fiald work surveying—in fact all the us i&l work of such <n office—until a friend’s letter from New Zealand determined me to try colonial life. One of the first billets I tumbled into wa« overseer of public works on the Mountain Road, Taranaki, and was later overseer in charge. This ie where I first mat Mr Hursthouse. 1 helped lay out the Norman by township and received in payment a number of sections, and in clearing these sections, putting the timber into posts and tbe balance into firewood, I first learnt to use an axe, thanks to my old friend Ned 81. ke—at that time a magnificent axeman and* man—an accomplishment I am not a little proud of oven at this day. I did wall and took up a deferred payment section near Inglewood and helped occastonallv with brother to clear and fence it In i was a: -rariou. time? s -u- .nbe- -f tWRoad boards, Chai.-mux of tbe Mar.- a r owa Board and a .uember of ta< laruoati County Council, 1 owned aOv. worked land, -tarred brickyards, buiit and h;rte e

hande' made tbe first valuation of the laud between White Cliffs bd<l Bell Block, under the then new “ Property Assessment Ac'U” 1 went to Australia and there had much and hard experience in the back country. I was the white man to nettle in KawhU after the Waikato War, a.y<] here and Ruffian I mm sheep, dealt largely in atock. owned contiiderable land and ran ee ratal flax

and sawmills. Ont of 37 rears I have been in the colony not five have been spent in towns, unless the last few years I hare spent in Kawhia is counted. My life has been spent in the back and among back block people. The work I mention ab >ve does not by any m'ans represent all I ha<e done or all my ventures 1 have only referred to those that have some bearing on land, values, Toads, settlement and similar subjects. For me to write the above has been particnlarlv unpleasant and I think I need hardlv ask those that know me to believe that in writing it I hive but one single motive, viz,, to defend Mr Robinson, an old friend, from the flippant aspersions of Peter Ross and Co. Whether Mr Robinson acted advi-edly in using u>v name is for the public to say after I have finished my writing, but that Mr Robinson honestly balieved he was getting fuformarion from one w’-ntie experience entitled him to be listened to, is certain, and be used it un that belief. I can defend my-elf; Mr Robinson, like Mr Burd, being a public servant cannot,. In concluding my first letter 1 would ask this. Could anyone bat the veriest dullard pass through my encc. and be ignorant about the question raiseci by Mr Gr*gg? My most candid friend" have never accused me of being dull-w tted. 1 winder an r change P»ta *3 opinion, brt “ position,” confound yon, Peter, there you have me.— Yours, etc., A. E. LANGLFY.