CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1943, 22 February 1919, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir.—As your correspondent, Mr McMiuTfly, has “thrown up the sponge,” I will be just and merciful with himms becomes a Britisher*. It is time he did cry a halt, lor (lie further he goes, the more muddled he gets. Now, Sir, he says let lhc■ • public judge as toSvho is wriggling.” • Well, they are judging, and be it said, to the discomfiture of Mr Me Murray. Re his challenges, I declined bis first, which consisted of low, and read finis: “If, therefore, lie will authorise you to publish his name, I will donate one ton of low per month until there is sufficient to buy a good British piano (see in your valuable paper of: Dec. 18th, 1918). Very well, I declined to reveal my identity on those terms. Then I stipulated cash-up, and he agreed in the following words: “But as he has thrown out a challenge, I am sport enough to take him on. I will be pleased to substitute in my challenge £IOO cash in place of one ton of tow per month” (see his letter of Feb. 4th). Now, Sir, all the way through he has taken unto himself to dictate the terms, never once giving me a say in the conditions. That’s his notion of being a sport, and when 1 asked (fiat ho deposit the £IOO cash with the Secretary of the School Committee he replied, after his sojourn in the jungle, thus: that “ I must not usurp the Committee’s functions” (see his screed of Feb. 11th). As I also suggested (hat Hie stake-holders purchase the piano in conjunction with his supporter on the Committee, and that is one of his numerous wobbles, for that is where be wriggled out, after t declaring (h;il be was not wealthy. I will endeavour further to unravel the tangle he lias got into. In one of. his letters he defies me to prove that I am more patriotic than lie (see his sufferings of Dee. 10th). That question he raised himself. In your issue of Thursday, 20lh February, lie uses I hose words: “I have never professed to lie a good patriot, mudo I now, but bad as I am, lam practically staking £IOO to nothing that I am no worse than be.” Well, as he lias admitted that fad, after all bis gymnastics, there is nothing further for him to do but band over the £IOO cash,' and on doing so I will diselose my identity. By that admission be does away with the need of a committee, for ho has found against himself. I laid the idea I would catch him if I kept him hustled, and see where he lias landed himself. There is only one thing he can do now, and that is to treat his obligation as something more than “a scrap of paper” (sec his relapse of February 11th). Ami now I repeat at this juncture my offer to him, thal. for £IOO cash I reveal myself. That 1 am prepared to do as soon as lie pays ihe money over, as lie has proved .his owm, argument against himself. I. wrote the first letter on this subject on December 7(li, following on a subleader in your valuable paper; lie came at me like a billy-goal, ami now says I “butted in.” Apart from that, has lie and his munitioners not --r. also been butting into all and sundry per medium of petitions and trying to dictate to the Committee, the Board, and the Department, with something called a “broad principle,” which no doubt accounts toxins lack of knowledge when he used that boomerang. No wonder he was plastered. Further, Sir, I have not read one sensible answer to my argument that_l have brought against him, not one word has he written in rebuttal or agreement, but a trail of quibbles, to show wjiere bis mind was; nothing but the dictating of terms, -which must always go to the challenged parly, and yet ho says he is not going to be dictated to as to what he will or will not do by.his nemesis “International.” ’ What a “sport”— wants all the say! He says lie cannot a fiord to have £IOO lying idle. No more can I, as I haven’t got it. He says 1 here'is no hurry for the piano; that is dictating to the Committee, as it is their business. That’s what ho wrote in his letter of February 4th. As I have boiled his epistle down, and found nothing to answer that matters, ami it is only (lie things of today and the future that I take an interest in, I will now get back to ’ my ideals and elevated position, which he recognises that I have attained to, after all his admitted quibbling. (See his passing of Feb. - 20th). And now 1 am waiting to hear the beautiful music that will enchant the ear, a real British piano—not a “Waldemar made in Berlin. ” But something more uselul that will remain to remind us how Mr Me Murray found against himself. -Thanking you, Sir,, for your space, and now I wait to reveal myself when the piano arrive.-.—l am, etc.,

INTERNATIONAL. [THIS correspondence is now closed.—Ed.H.]