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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 2, 2 January 1875, Page 2

To the Editor op the • Evening Mail ' Sib—Mr Dodson, the Mayor, in this day's issue of your paper, has taken upon himself a, task which it would, I think, have been far more creditable to himseif had ho refrained from. In referring to th& Colonist's report ot the City Council's meeting on Friday night he endeavors to lead the public to believe that it was totally unfair as towards him.-elf, and in explanation gives only so much as suitß his purpose. As he has done so 1 think, in my own defence, I have a right to reply to some portion of that letter. One statement is "that the Manager handed in a report on the Gasworks, dated 31st October, and he, the Mayor, at the meeting made the remarks (see Evening Mail of this day's issue for paragraph referred to). Now, sir, ib is a weil known fact that the Mayor never made any statement at all about my report at that meeting, but, on the contrary, he took the report (which was addressed to the Town Clerk for the information of the Council) and put the same into his pocket, and never ]aid it before the Council at all until he was compelled to do sj by the Councillors themselves demanding it. I may perhaps be allowed to express my opinion as to whether it would not have shared the same fate as other correspondence, which was sent to the Council through their former Town Clerk, which waa never known to the Councillors officially until the com-s---poadencf was published in the press. 1 think also some remarks made by the Mayor to the Colonist with regard to credit and facts would apply very strongly to his own etakments.

There is an old saying, " People that live ii glass houses should never throw stones," which he sbou'd not forget. Mr Dobpon states that, according to the Manager's own report, " The works are second to none in the colony " and here he stops.in place of quoting the whole paragraph, no doubt with the intention of leading the public to believe' that all the works were in first-class working order, whereas the paragraph reads thus : — *' Gas Works. — Ao regards these works, I can eav as to their completeness and substantiality that they are second to no other Gas-works in New Zealand, and I am happy to sty that everything is working emoothly aud satisfactorily, with the exception of the letorts, which are all nearly worked out, and which is the cause of a great waste of coal," &c Now, sir, I do not think that it would have been any discredit to the Mayor had he told you that the real cause of so much more gas having been obtained from a ton of coal since September wa9 that new retorts have been set and worked, and not because the manager has been more attentive to his duties. As regards any explanations or statements that I gave to the Committee who drew up the report on the Gas Works.^and which report entirely exonerates me from all blame, and has been adopted by the Council, I onue more state that they are substantially; correct. I am, &c, KW.X W. C. Mirfin, Manager Gas & Water Works. Nelson, January 1, 1875.