MR. JOHNSTON'S EXPLANATION.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 69, 27 August 1879, Page 2

MR. JOHNSTON'S EXPLANATION.

TO THE. EDITOR. ' : - Sib,— You will notice that Mr. Johnston at his meeting at the Town Hall on Thursday, m referring to the telegraphic correspondence which passed between us, stated that. I had misconstrued his reply to "me, and he was not guilty of contemptuous silenc*. Iv entering into bis explanation he omitted one portion .which would, have put; ; a very different complexion on the matter, and therefore I would beg to state the circumstances connected with the case. I telegaphed to' Mr. Johnston — " Will you or • not Btand .again for Manawatu ?" . To that I received the following :—" Do you think •it is generally desired that I should. Dissolution not likely." Feeling- thai the message was a ruse to entrap me into committing myself to Mr. Johnston, I was; not to be caught, and responded : "You answer my question l^kejan Irishman, by asking another, If thfti'e be no disßO|utioin thgre will be po election, and not necessary express feeling opmmunity. pELemind you, however,; nptyefr, answered my 'question:"' "yf hen M-V. ston referred to the matter" on Thursday, he refrained ffom adyerbing. to the concluding sentence, when he said 'l had misconstrued the meaning of his 'reply,' "and seeing that he did not answer the Becond demand, I think I haye fah'ly made out a case, if not . of 'contemptuous silence, at least cy aß ion. If Mr. Jplmston did, not to shugie or ehelTe'a straightforward question, would it not liaVe "fieen mpch easier to hare said " yes '•' or " no," than ask my opinion which might prove wrong ; and tolunteer his own upon a matter which did proye' wrong. In making this explanation, } by no means wish to accuse Mr. Johnston of wilful sup-; pression — I am, Sir &c. '". ' "" ' John B. DmmAxt.