MR. LEARY MR. EWING AND MYSELF.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 303, 18 December 1874, Page 3

MR. LEARY MR. EWING AND MYSELF.

(To the Editor of the Mount Ida Chboniolb.) Sib, —Will you kindly permit me to say a few words to the electors of Mount Ida, through your paper, by way of defence or explanation. As to Mr. Leary's insinuations that I was in some manner, the authors of the letters signed "An Elector", I have simply to say that he is laboring under a wrong impression. I neither wrote nor dictated a single word in them, nor do I understand yet what the High street clique means. With regard to his appearance in Court and his melancholy and unfortunate relations with the Macandrew committee, I neither knew of them or heard of them until bronght out in the present discussion. After this frank and open statement on my part, if Mr. Leary has one spark of a gentleman about him, which I make bold to say ho has (though others may doubt it), he will at once beg my pardon and recall those expressions made use of towards me which are equally untrue and uncalled for.

I am informed that the question of Education will be prominently brought forward by some of my opponents, and a little capital made out of it; I therefore think it necessary to state my views clearly on the matter, which are the following : If we are to have a system of State Education, I hold it should be purely secular, as the Slate itself is, or should be, secular; but, at the same time, if any parties, such as the Koman Catholics and Episcopalians, have strong religious and conscientous objections to a purely secular education being given to their children, and if they comply with the demands of the State and satisfy it that the secular departments are properly attended to, then I see no harm or injustice to any one in returning to them the amount contributed by thorn by way of State aid. Indeed, the injustice seems to me to be in refusing it; but it may be said, as it often is, that it is unfair to others that the State should be called on to aid such schools. But pray who is the State P .Is it not composed of all parties ; and if one party only receives their fair proportion of public money, others suffer injustice. Such, then, are my opinions on Education, and I think they are founded on the golden rule (which is applicable in, politics as in other affairs of life), always to do unto others as you wish others to do unto you.

Mr. Ewing said in his speech at St. Bathans that " He used the word gratitude, as Mr. Armstrong had at one time, while acting as represeutatve for the district, laid him (and through him the mining community) under great obligations." Now, Sir, I do not wish Mr. Ewing to feel himself under an obligation to me, as I then only did what I deemed to be my duty and no more. He has as good a rignt to enter the contest as any other, but had I known ho was about to enter the field, it is doubtful if I would have done so. But as I have put my hand to the plough, I will not look back in the face of my oponents, and to the disappointmentj of my friends. However, I thank Mr. Ewing for bearing testimony to my usefulness during my service in the Provincial Council, which is a sufficient answer to all who may gainsay it. As to my usefulness during the time I had the honor to represent Mount Ida I may mention the following:—ln the first place the Naseby head race and. sludge channel were commenced; the District Hospital was erected and subsidised by the Provincial Government; the telegraph wires were extended to Naseby; An extra mail via Hyde and Macraes was obtained ; The town of Naseby was formed into a Municipal body; A road was formed from Naseby to Kyeburn coal pits; a dray road was also formed up Mount Burster to Clark's diggings; in addition to which a track was cut. from Naseby to the Maorewhenua diggings; A grant was obtained for a Naseby Athenaeum, and a school for the JKyeburn diggings, and numerous other small votes in aid of the district, which at the present moment have escaped my memory. Now, Mr. Editor, you seem to think that T am bound to retire because I said in my address to the electors —" That if

a local man such as the present member were to come forward they should support him in preference to a stranger', But if you read my address again you will see I do not consider myself a stranger. Since that address appeared I have received many letters pointing out that, a member residing in Dunedin might be very useful, as they say Mr. Oliver proved himself to be. As to finding the equal of the present member, where could we find such ? You may think this flattery, or you may deem it irony, and yon are at perfect liberty to make your choice. I am, &c, John P.'Abmstbono.

(To the Editor of the Mount Ida Chboniclk.) Sib, —Lest some misrepresentation may exist throughout the district, will you permit me to state, that with perhaps one or two exceptions, the miners in this immediate neighborhood, intend to vote for " Honest John Armstrong," notwithstanding the last address issued to the electors. Mr. Dillon having been a resident here for a long period, it may be thought he would get a good deal of support in this neighborhood—such is not the case. —I am, &c, MINEB. Hyde, December, 16th 1874.