CORRESPONDENCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2505, 1 July 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

The Editor does not, necessarily, adopt the opinions expressed by correspondents.

of clause 5, and that the other insti notions regarding-the grade, grating, and order of working should follow so soon as’ possible, that X wonld advise the men on strike to go to work and sign the regulations on these conditions. In the presence of the four of us, a telegram was drafted, to be forwarded to the Manager, Mr Gow; which commenced and ended thns : “To smooth matters over and get the men to work, you are instructed not to insist on the latter part of clause 5 new regulations.” The words of the clause then followed. The concluding ; words of the telegram were : “ Further instructions will. be forwarded to you by letter.” After this telegram ■was read oyer to me, it was signed and given to a messenger to forward to the Telegraph Office. I then telegraphed to George Mansfield and others that it was perfectly safe for them and all the other men on strike to sign, and go to work. Judge of my surprise on arrival on Saturday, to find the men still idle. I then agreed to go with toe men-to the Manager and get the matter arranged the first thing on Monday morning. Before arrival at his office, a miner by the name of Ryan informed the men that the Manager had left for Kawhaka, although he (the Manager) was informed the men were coming down to sign, and willing to go to work! , On looking over your Saturday s issue, I found inserted only the part words of clause 5. Why the Manager suppressed the commencing and con- ’ eluding paragraphs of his telegram from the department ; or why he left for Kawhaka; or wlxy he refused to answer my knock at his office door last night, and blew out. the lights, and. went out by the back door; or why he allowed Miller’s party to delude fonr other parties to get their tail-race certificates endorsed and keep their own. title clean—(for they are and have been getting •water and at this moment their certificate is not endorsed and the Manager knows it) ; or why the Manager told'the Mayor on Friday that he (the Manager) only got the telegram from the. Mines department on Thursday night—considering I received a telegram this morning from Mr M‘Kerrow that the telegram was sent on Wednesday last—the reasons for this peculiar conduct are best known to the Manager himself. This, I know, the men have lost for the last four days £IBO, and the Government a fourth of that sum. Prior,to leaving Wellington I promised the Minister of Mines and the department that I wonld use every endeavour to work in harmony with the Manager of the race, and that pledge I intend to keep; and I sincerely trust that his good sense will come to the rescue, and that he will not render it impossible for me to keep my word. The Manager’s proceedings yesterday and since receiving the telegram of Wednesday last do not tend to harmony, or to make the men contented and Kumafa prosperous.—l am, yours, R. J. Seddon, M.H.R. Kiimara, July 1, 1884.