SAVE ME FROM MY FRIENDS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue XVI, 7 November 1881, Page 3

SAVE ME FROM MY FRIENDS.

To the Editor of the :< Eykxixg Mail." Sir — Kindly allow me space to veiify this adage. I take your report of Mr Shcphard's meeting at the Choral Hail lust night as my authority, m, bein^ rather daaf, I coold n<t bear one-half that was said. Mr Thomson, or Thorn's, in seconding Mr Wratt's motion for a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Shephard was very infelicitous in referring to Mr S'nephari raving gone up as an opponent of the Govorcmenf. Wo aro well aware that Mr Shephard dil go to the House tdedged to r.ppose the Government; he was pledged to oppose any Government of which Mr Maoatdrew was a member. (I venture to say Sir G. Grey would never have thought of reconstructing hia Government to gain Mr Shepherd's vote, able man as he is.) It also reminded us that that wes not the enly hustings promise he bad broken. There was the Triennial Parliaments Bill, al6o his promise to work harmoniously with the Nelson members Most people believe thur union is strength, but Mr Shephiri! told Mr I Boddington ihit he thought chaos wa9 better than union. If «his or any other constitu eney in Naw Zea'and condones such actions a 9 thfise by their rppresen v a;iv<=s it eimplv means crea'ing a number of pcli!i':al mountebank 3or charlatans to fill the Legislature, and they could well lauah and boast of the manner in which they had s<ufl>:d their constituents with promises. Tin's sort of conduct might do for a rotten borough, but I hope better things from manhood suffrage. With regard to Mr Shepherd's lef -hnnued comph ment to me I think I can afford to laugh to eeorn the compliments or abuse of a m-.n whose pledges and promises on the hustings Bre not worth the smallest coin of the realm. To be forewarned is to ba forearmed. I c«n assure Mr Shepherd that bath one and the other fall on me as th.3y would do on a pair of Brurnrrasrem snuffer?, and ih y are always warranted to^be case hardened. I am, &<\, W, Paixtox. Wakeflsld, Nov. 5, If 81.