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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 284, 29 November 1881, Page 3

To the Editor of the " Evening Mail." Sib, — A 9 I find that it is being industriously circulated iv the district that the prime movers in, and chief supporters of, Mr Richmond's candidature for the Waimea are two residents who are supposed to be actuated solely by motives of persona! enmity to Mr Shephard, wiil yon permit me to give aa emphatic a deni*l as I can to this baseless asser ion and to explain in a fesv words the circumstances und«=r which Mr Richmond took the fi-ld ? For some time •after Mr Shephard had advertised himself as a candidate it was believed that Mr Put intended to contest the s^at against him and, it was only r.n discovering thai such wasnot Mr Pitt's intention that I and some of my friends at Spring Grove, di-satisfied with Mr Shephard as a politician, and feeling that it wonld be for their best imeres s that the e'ectors Bhoul < have a choice of candidates, tnrned to Mr Richmond, a3 a g=nt!etuan wh > from hu antecedents and past services to the colony would bs likely, if elecie.i, to command the respec' of the House and to do his da y to, and keep faith wi»b, his constituents. The result of our potting forward requisitions in Mr Richmond's favour showed incontestably that, so far from his being likely to be friendless ia the di3trict, he would obtaiu a large amount of support, bo less than 70 signatures having been obtained with very little trouble, and in a very short time, ia Wakefield and Spring Grove alon°. These vequi?itioDß were forwarded to Mr Richmond, but it was not until h.5 had saii-fi^d Vim-Bf-lf by persoDal inquiry in other quart< rs that his candidatuie would be acceptablethat he presented bimaelf. Happily no one with a shadow of truth can say that I hive been actuated by any feeling of personal dislike to Mr Shephard. On the contrary I feel it is only doe to him to say that on the one or two occasions ia which I sought his aid as member for the district ho acted with

the utmost courtesy and promptitude. On the other hand, the chief considerations that have moved myself and others to take an active part against him are (1.) that in the House he has generally associated himself wish the more reckless politicians, (2.) that he seems to have been distius'ed alike by his political friends and foes, (3.) that he was not faithful to his pledgrs.— l am, &c, H. J. Bltth. Wakefield, 26th November, 1881.