THE TRAIL OF THE VIPER.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 57, 16 July 1879, Page 2

THE TRAIL OF THE VIPER.

Thehe are some men wbo -would prefer to reign m hell than serve m hpaven, while others who find it morally impossible fcb speak a word of truth, sail upon the opposite track, and glory m their pre-eminence m falsehood. Such a man is the editor of the Rangitihei Advocate, who has not only reduced lying to a science, but now ; seeks to make the unfortunate journal 1 under his oontrol the official organ of slander and malicious unveraoity. In & former issue it accused, the Mayor of Paimerston of prostituting his official position as a Magistrate to abuse from his plac* on the Bench a police officer for doing his duty. Wo showed that the statemant wis a malignant falsehood, and an outrage upon .all decent journalism, but though the lie was liammed down the throat of the utterer, it 'still spits forth its poisonous venom, and m a recant issue it has the followi iug :— We have the evidence of Sub-inspector G-oodall, who heard tlie facts from Constable GHlleepie ; and that of Robert Ward Eoq. R.M., who hnd the particulars from the Clerk of the Court, that our first paragraph detailing the particulars of the case was substantially correct. With reerard to the receiving the information from Inspector Goodall, we have nothing to say. Had any other journal made the assertion, we would not feel inclined to doubt the Fact, but the chronic mendacity of the Viper is calculated to destroy all thought of credence. Now, with respect to Constable G-illespie from whom the Inspector is supposed to hare heard the story, perhaps the Viper will be astonished to hear that Constable G-tlt/espie not only admits that the Court had not been declared open, but asserts that, after the alleged abuse is supposed to have been given, he himself asked Mr. Snelson if he would declare the Court open ? There is consequently a lie floating about somewhere, by whom set adrift we will leave the public to surmise. Either Constable GtlLLbspte told the Inspector an untruth ; the Inspector told the* editor a falsehood ; or no falsehood at all wa« uttered until it was concocted by Annaxtas himself. Now for the H.M! Mr; Foster, the Gl»rk : of the Court, i« justly very indignant that such a pure invention should be published, and its authorship laif 4 at his door. A fabrication has been disseminated, the falsity of which is very much to his detriment, and the worst of it is, that the rules of the service preclude his attempting to publicly contradict the statement m the columns where it was published. The moment the unpleasant conversation commenced between Mr Sx'elson and the ■ Constable, the Clerk with commendable prudence walked into his private room . until the dispute was ended, and he has a distinct recollection of asking a'ftefthe controversy concluded, if he should order the Court to be opened. We suppose the scientific wriggler will try to assume that because Mr. Snelsox while carrying on his controversy sat m a chair on the Bench, that the Court was open, but unfortunately for such a line of argument it, must riot be lost sight of that Constable Gilles'pie'sreception of the lecture vras not exactly m keeping with what a policeman should do when spoken to m open court from the Bench. He argued point for point with - Mr. Sstet,sok — as we maintain he had a perfect right to do — and further proceeding to the rack produced the Act m support of his view, and it was then Mr. Snelson made use of the words, " Yes, if" the police and others wish to act the part of bush lawyers .and to construe the Act to suit themselves." Wensk, if the Court were oppn and the Magistrate spoke to the police, would they dare retort, and proceed tb produce legal authority m support of the views, unless m conducting a case before the Court. Theiden- is tlie quintessence of absurdity. But there happens to be another proof as well. Mr. McNeil had arrived before the unpleasantness took place, and as the Cotirfc was not sitting, he did not tajce his seat on the Bench until after the recrimination had concluded. How now, Mr. Viper i Our reporter is prepared to substantiate what appeared m this paper ; Constable Gillbspie declares that he opened the Court formally after the occurrence ; and th« Clerk of the Court endorses that statement. The onus of the lie then rests between the Inspector, the Magistrate, and tho editor. As well might we expect to Iget heat-frora an icicle^, or sustenance from, a stone as appeal to. the apocryphal —we migh. «ay perfectly mythical — honor or honesty of the slanderer to do justice to the man he ha^st foully wronged ; but we dooxnect, nay more we demand that Robert Ward, Esq., R M!, will publicly contradict the falsehood with which he has been accredited We have always considered the Resident Magistrate the very model of justice and equity on the Bench, and we trust to be able to have a similar estimate of him m his private capacity. He takes his seat on the Pal merston Bench tomorrow, ami we shall be there to chronicle his public admission. or contradiction of the unfounded statement 'with whjch he has been credited, and which is calculated to seriously damage % subordinate whose : tongue is silent, and hands tied by official tyranny. In its last issue the Viper— rwhifh without being retained, holds 'a brief for the police — insinuates that, " efforts had beea made to. throw discredit on the action of the police," and that Mr. Coleman at a recent meeting called the constable " a thing." This is pimply a lie pure and simple, as that gorifcleman hot even, once mentiqned Constable Gillespie, neither did he during the night moke use of such a word. We neel only refer to our columns to. prove that not one solitary line has been written m condemnation of the police. On the contrary^ our woi'ds were th,at

" while the police knew they had a disagreeable duty to perform, they did it m the least objectionable manner possible," and the resolutions at the meeting eontainednot a word of ceniure. In penning this article we are influenced by no mo.tive antagonistic to Constable Gillespie, who has always proved himself an efficient and impartial officer, our motive b.a« been to nail the brazen lie upon ' .the forehead of the utterer,that all men may know a small portion of his lagolike vindictive mendacity ; to ■how.that our statement was correct ; to remoVe a stigma from a worthy magistrate ; and above all, to do justice to an official who has been vrronged, and has no other means of redress. The police are somewhat m a maze to know why the Viper continues its unsought-for championship, and could they utter their wish would paraphrase Canning.'s " New morality " to suit their case : — Give me the avow'd, the erect, the manly foe Bold I can mcct — perhaps return his blow, But of all plagues, good heaven, thy wrath can send, Save, save oh ! save me from a lying friend.