MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 35, 10 February 1879, Page 2

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

To the Editor op the 'Evening Mail.'

Sir— l did not ir\t,6u4 to have taketl any notice of Mr ]{. U. Smith's letter, which got squeezed into a corner of the,supplement of the Colonist on February Ist," as I thought it was quite a local matter, and those interested knew exactly how many grains of truth it contained, but as I find the District Hoard of Education has depated tbeir Secretary to enquire into the matter, it has become a matter of public interest. I hope the Secretary will make a fair and impartial enquiry into this most important matter, and not a one-sided one, such as the enquiry was About the appointment of the master of the school some time ago. Now, with regard to Mr Smith's letter* he says the master and Committee were in the school at six minutes past seven o'clock. It might have been one of those clocks that keep time according to orders that he looked at, but I do not think he is prepared to say he was there at that time by his own clock. Soon after half-past seven, Mr Smith came to the fence and asked the people to come in and commence, as it would be illegal if they did not, and he said he was not going to stop there after half-past seven if they did not commence business. It was known that several influential householders had expressed their intention of atteuding the meeting, but could not possibly be there before eight o'clock. The gentleman whom it was intended to place in the chair had not arrived, and someone remarked that Mr Smith seemed to be the only person present who was in a hurry. As Mr Smith was getting into his vehicle to go we agreed to go in and appoint a chairman, and we went into the school ground and Mr F. Curran told Mr Smith we would commence, but be would not stop. As he was driving out of the gate the Chairman of the Committee tried to get the box containing the documents of the Committee out of Smith's vehicle but he would not let him have it, and drove off amid cheers and groans. Mr J. Thomas was voted to the chair, and a3 the Chairman of the Committee could not give any information about the balance sheet, without he had the books, a resolution was passed that the two chairmen should go to Mr Smith's and demand the documents and books. Smith says the Chairman of the Committee did not demand the box (may be he walked two miles to have a peep at him in his bar) at any rate he reported to the meeting that he had asked Smith for the box and books, and he refused to give them up without authority. The balance sheet, Smith says, was only a first copy stuck up in a hurry (as they were late). This precious document gave an account of the receipts and expenditure of the previous Committee, as well as of the retiring one, and part of it had been duly audited and passed at the last election. The chairman was witling to give any information he could, but positively refused to sign that document. Does Mr Smith think the Chairman of the Committee was so near a relation to Balaam's animal that spoke once that he would not have told the meeting that there was auother balance sheet made out and signed if such a thing had really been done. I do not think the people of Wakefield think him so far gone as that yet.— lam, &c, One of the Elt ctobs.

To the Editor of the " Evening Mail." Sir, — Will you oblige me by inserting in your next issue as an answer to the question of your correspondent who styles himself "'A reader of the 'Evening Mail.'" My wages is eight shillings per week, a snug comfortable room and bed to sleep in, and plenty to eat of the very best. I hope the above true statement is satisfactory to correspondent and all others connected with him in the inquiry. I am, &c, The poor boy at Acton Adams'. Nelson, Feb. 10th, 1879.