MR GOWER IN REPLAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 33, 24 December 1880, Page 2

MR GOWER IN REPLAY.

TO THE EDITOK OF THE MANAWATI? HEHALO. Sin, — I see by your paper of tho 17:h that J.F. Rockstrow replies to my letter, mid says that he is the promoter of the petition against the Governor's consent being given to tho Sandon and Foxtou Railway. I confess that I wjS not prepared for the mass of verbiage hurled at me, aimed, not at the conduct of the directors, bnt evidently intended to do me serious hart in my private bus Less and calling. In my letter I wrote of the promoters of the petition. J. F. Rockst<ow stiikes hi*, and my opinion of his letter i-t that the writer is like the outtle-fish, which ejects a vast quantity oi inky-like fluid under which it lies hid, and so hopes to escape its pursuers. If it were needful, nnd to tho point, I could show that his charge of fieklc-uiiud-edness agaitiat me is as nothing in comI parison with his own conduct, whether in connection with the County Council, Local Board, or Railway scheme, and is only made to cover his own retreat I wrote in tho [ interests of the public, and notably of those I shareholders who had paid their first call, so my reply Bhall mainly answer his letter from & public point of view. He — J. F. Rockstrow — is the promo/er of the petition, the only our, and I venture to day no iino eliie wouid do this; for no one, to my knowledge or in my hearins, has ever refused tp pay their first call, but j. ]•'. Rockstrow. To him belongs all the praise, honour, and glory of having endeavoured to man- nnd \ f possible upset the Sandon nnd Foxton Railway Company. The breadth of his public interest in doing as ho h;is done may bo gauged by the fact of his offer, made to Mr Sansou and mysuif, that if the directors would only erase hU name from tho share list, he — J. F. Rookstri.w — would withdraw all opposition ! ! J. F. Rockstrow assumed tho ottieo of critic. Ho would not ho a director in the company of others, but he was wiser than all who were direotora. Not one of. them could read the Act aright. He accuses Sir Sanson and myself of mismanagement, but would not be a director, to aid us by ld«f connsel. No ; some responsibility would be inceurred. J. F. Hockstrow now assumes the office of detective officer. Her Bays that I "had thewitisfaciion of receiving money returned to me by my srratefu,! chairman for services tendered." Had he only published something a little plainer, I should have had

good grounds for a libel action. At present I content myself with eaying it is false, utterly false and untrue. In conclusion,, fao b^. jjejnp&i^ke any more nogQs oß^^jfegir upon hfin. Iniu much jj||Jged, but in pnblid matters I am quite gjpjptent to rSeeive^as clear an expU4iS|ion Wtfi& direct ifln attaok as my oppOTewiplikcii. I am (thin skioued, and ;win(»»Qfnewhnt as tho blow comes, but I "jjLo t|B<w*l consider is my duty to -jLjbfc counijrjj |pll»l«c, and myself, aiid fearieTOfc aw lit <lhe rifltilt. ?' Wl % '■:■/■'- Yours faithfully, „ ■ L \ John W. $o\veu. Cara||von>December 22, 1880.