TO CORRESPONDENTS

Kumara Times, Issue 1641, 31 December 1881, Page 2

TO CORRESPONDENTS

A correspondent, who, we suppose, belongs to one of the Lodges lie refers to, but who does not seem to have been present, is disposed to be angry with us for not noticing more fully than we did last night the speeches made during the two and a-half hours which were taken for supper and toasting on the night of the M.U.1.0.0.F. and A.O.F.- ball. Two such important lodges acting in concert, he did expect at least to see the names of the proposers and seconders of the various toasts, and some general allusion to the circumstances which brought two strong associations into harmonious unity for carrying out a grand ball ; and he quotes instances when we published fair reports of the speeches delivered at less important like festivals.—Our correspondent has given us a task. Perhaps if we had said in our short notice "The Press" was not toasted because a representative was not invited, it would have been at once understood. To excuse ourselves with our correspondent and all others who. may be inbued with the same idea of negligence on our part, we may state we were fully prepared up to the last moment to have fulfilled our duty in this respect, but we did not receive the customary invitation; We believed up to • the last that the c'onimittee of management had overlooked or forgotten the Press. We know now on gorid authority that this was not the case, and that the matter was considered in committee. The Press usually receive the first, consideration, because, as all professionals know, it is often the instrument. of making entertainments reproductive. The committee in this case did riot gettoa.sk the Press to "please' draw attention to the ball in a pavagr'aphj" which we did three or four times pridi i to its taking place, each noLice bemgj of course, equivalent to an advertisement. We trust this explanation will prove satisfactory to our correspondent, whether he be a stranger or a resident in the place. If we had adopted the usual course, and that which has been pursued on previous occasions, that would have been to take no notice whatever of the event. That course, although it would have been just, might have annoyed manjr, and led them to suspect that offence was given and resented. We bear no such feeling ; our reporter was by the act of the committee spared the time and trouble of a longer report, and he was pleased rather than otherwise at the seeming, though now, as we know, intended omission. We shall conclude our explanation by exonerating the committee of management from any intended personal motive in so acting ; we believe the omission was on the Score of _ economy, though, as we have shown, it were a false economy. Our correspondent has necessitated an explanation front us, and as it applies to the Press generally, we trust our readers will excuse these lengthy remarks.