POOE MR ROTHERAM!

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 17, 21 October 1879, Page 2

POOE MR ROTHERAM !

We notice that Mr Botheram, as is his custom, has again fled to the sheltering wing of the Wanganui Clnonicle, which attempts to defend him from our recent criticisms upon his mismanagement ! The whole burden of our contemporary's reply is, that the Foxton settlers are jealous of Wanganui, and that when Mr Botheram thinks it necessary, he will use no delay in giving us additional train facilities ! If we had no cause of complaint, why did Mr Botheram, a year ago, promise a third train? Since then, he has repeatedly talked the matter over with the Editor of this journal, and every time has had a fresh excuse ; but at last the hollowness of these official promises became so flagrant that we felt it our duty to direct attention to the injustice. Why does the Chronicle not defend the East Town wharf job? The attempt to place the whole blame of the detention of goods at Foxton upon the officials here, shows plainly that the Chronicle has been hoodwinked, and that some one has told it what Mr Botheram would call " a deliberate lie." If everything was as the Chronicle states, why did Mr Botheram the day our article appeared muster the hands and tell them in future overtime would be allowed ? Yet these are facts, and surely we on the spot are better able to find out the truth than our contemporary at Wanganui. Mr Botheram no doubt regards our trade as nothing oompared with Wanganui, and it is that very fact which makes it a necessity that we should watch his action. Owing to that impression he has in the past neglected his duty to this end, and whilst he has raised his own name as an economical manager, our trade has been damaged ; and what is the result? Simply that the returns

have falllon off to an extent that has frightened even Mr Rotheram, and seriously endangers his reputation ! Well, we care very little for Mr Rotheram's reputation, but we do care for our trade. If he makes regulations, by which goods are detained in Foxton from Friday until Monday, then we shall need no trains at all, and Wanganui will become the only port on the West Coast. His tendency has been to that end in the past. For the future, a careful watch will be exercised upon his actions. The coarse vulgarity of our contemporary's? illustration we pass, as worthy o a journal which has just licked the dust for a dastardly libel upon a Colonial politician.