A REPLY.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 45, 5 June 1880, Page 3

A REPLY.

~TO" THE BBITO-B," """ " '.■ •: Sißj— After. fity> satisfactory (Qxpjana^ipn published m your, issue of the 12th ultimo r« the objectionable book giYeu wayvas a iTuonui school prize, I tlioijguV everything hid been said that •wras^iiebesjiary" ;' and-' as »n only was attributed" -to Mr. Seaton, ;I think it would:have been. much 'better if hei had: fallowed the matter to resti and, not Jhavesrushedlinto; your: columns; charging ma with " trying to injure' him m:; Xis 1 absence.'^ —This I deny; as I have not written", a lin,e jeflg^ting on h jm t and ;I mustf call on you," Mr. Editor, : rejEu^i th{s „(?harg«, as it was ko you my" itateuient wa» made personally, and you. who •, brought the n^atfer before tht public. ' „ Mr. Seat6»i'Btateß " He wag not solely' responsible. fdii tile selection of the prizes/ In answer' :; 't6y ; fcKi9>'*K«Coinrmittee handed' the monej to Mp* S)6»tOn •. he alone selected,bought, and paid for the book, and if he is ■ riot;responßible,-VTho is?- , w ■>. Quoting again j " That the prizes were' submitted, to. Mr..Skerman and, tli^ Committee foi^approTat.'^^V^UTegards; this state.:; ment, Mr. Sea,ton contradicts himseifi for m ' another ;part of.,h^^stter-'lm says, r 'Vit:distinctjiy offer^d'to^s^dwy^he : boots to Mr. 'Skerm'an at a 'suisequentmtiebuig, a,s Tiewctf absent at the. meeting wiien tjbey were, produced, by me v % I denythat l everexclwiiged a \word j with"liiß)i: about 'the prizes at all ' «unf il'af tpr. the. diaj Trhen: tHey-w.sirfL to/ haye übeen awarded; ' .iu ';.;. :i :.;X'i Mr. Seaton states "he did not select the recipients, hut was guided by a resolution of the Committee.". There is no* su.ch. resoJutiop m th« minute-book. ; ' ! . * v Mr. Seaton, says; i"- 1 carefully examined' the books girtn to the Catholic ohitdreij, as I'should be the Jast to place, m their, hands anythinjf wfciefe'mighV be ofi^nsiVe, or proyjj • •(jumbling- block religion. ■ Am regards this, ! wjbether he examined the objectionable book or not, it m quite clear 'he bought it and allotted it, iuadrertently of course, aid mo»t unfortunately, . to a. child fof 'Catholic parents ;; ■ Vauci, imoMorer, he. wrote the child'ji"nam* m the book with his* pwnhand. v ! ',- . : ,u'.- : - •. ■ ■■■'. '■ . , Mj, 3c»Wn i»ji;. "H»d anything ob-

actionable been placed m the hands of tbe hildren, it would have been purely an overichfc." This sentence shows that he could not have read the paragraph m which you, Mr. Editofj stated that objectionable books had been so placed, and therefore may, perhaps, be excused for charging me with trying to injure; him, with falsehood and uncharitableness. In conclusion, I assert that I had nothing whatever to do with the Committee -for*, two months before thaprii^-giYingj and never saw the books until the day they were to have been given away. — I am, &c, James Skebman. Silverleys, June 4, 1880. [We are considerably at a loss to know what we are to refute, and more so to know why Mr. Skerman Bhould call upon ub to take such action. Mr. Skerman certainly made a verbal statement fixing the onus upon Mr. Seaton, but as he repeats every word m his letter, it is quite clear he could not hare been misrep.orted. An error was committed ; as m duty bound, we pointed out that error}, but we must decline to be mixed up with the responsibility of the mistake. We have taken a thoroughlr impartial and independent stand m the matter ; our correspondence column was and is alike open k to Mr. a kerman and Mr. Seaton, and we leave the public to judge between them. —Ed. M.TO