THE WAIMEA DINNER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 5, 7 January 1868, Page 2

THE WAIMEA DINNER.

To the Editor op the Nelson Evening Mail.

Sir — In both the notices of the dinner given on New Year's Eve by tbe Waimea Volunteer Rifle Company which appeared in your columns and those of your contemporary the Examiner, I observe it stated that considerable regret was experienced on that occasion because the invitations issued to the officers of the City Companies had not been accepted.

As this statement, unexplained, would seem to infer a want of courtesy on the part of these members of the Volunteer Force, it is only fair that I sbould state the fact, — wbich, indeed,-.it would be lalse delicacy to withhold, since.it has been a common topic of conversation, — that* the reason wiry these invitations were not accepted by the officers of the City Companies was, that the names of several of their brother officers were, as it seemed, intentionally omitted from the invitation list, and their comrades, justly incensed at the slight attempted to be put upon them, exhibited a very praiseworthy esprit de corps by unanimously refusing io take any part in the affair at all.

I can readily believe that no blame is attributable in the matter to the members of the Waimea Company generally, since I am confident tbat they would have indignantly repudiated such conduct. But the arrangements were in other hands, and subject to the immediate influence of the neighboring Bashaw 'commanding the district,' and it was probably to avenge some imaginary slight that these invidious exceptions were made. Yours, &c, VoiiUNTKER. Nelson, January 6, 1868.