New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4987, 17 March 1877, Page 2

New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1877.

Mb. Travers is again the victim of misrepresentation. ' As - before this paper has misrepresented him, Mr. Hutchison scored a point against him, as Mr. Hutchison has gone on scoring points ever since the present contest began.. It now seems that Mr. Hutchison had no right to have scored this last point, because he did so on a bad foundation. Mr. Travers had boastfully announced that he would poll two votes to'one recorded for hia opponent. Oh this; the Mayor, with a good memory, recalled a previous boast of Mr. Travers’ in Canterbury to a similar-effect, when the subsequent voting showed that he only polled about one-twelfth’ of, ,tho votes given to', his' A antagonist/ 'Now! ‘Mr, Travers, or* sbine silly writer- acting- for him, asserts .that all he said 'was that on one particular point he would poll two to one against Mr. Hutchison; Consider*' , ing the facilities, which bur method of : taking the suffrages affords for recording votes upon particular points, 'this is a very safe way of, boasting. . As, however, the explanation tiiidly vouchsafed for Mr. Travers r is that-.anomalous- thing, a distinction without a difference, we are quite content to let him quibble out of a false .position if possible. The public will fully and easily appreciate the, position, as indeed there is , evidence that ithey have already, done. Mr. Travers, like the Yankee canal-boat captain who fruitlessly endeavored. to “smash” a .store, has a prejudice against the New 'Zealand Times. He gave, full vent to -that prejudice last night. • Out’report of his meeting! is necessarily condensed ; but lest he should again say that we misrepresent him, we give here a verbatim report of what he said, Speaking of the New ’ Zealand Times, he was good enough and polite enough to observe ; “ I object to personalities altogether; but one is, forced into them by the course ithat has .been taken in this election by 'several persons. I have been made a shaft for the grossest assertions on the part of a paper which chooses to call itself respectable, and a colonial organ withal! This morning the New Zealand Times throws dirt upon Mr. DransfielD because he happened to qiiarrel with the Mayor about the Town, Hall plana, and because he has intimated his intention to vote for me. I can only say, gentlemen, that if I thought that any friend of mine would act in a mean way to serve me, I should at once retire from the contest. I say ■that the insinuation which was. made in the. New Zealand Times this morning is a blackguard insinuation. I called upon the .principal proprietors of that paper this moriiing, and stated that while I did not object to be called to book iii my public character for any defects ,1 may have, still that I did moat atrbngly.object to my name being brought forward when there was no need for it.” Next Mr. Travers said :—“ It is monstrous for any newspaper with the slightest pretensions to respectability to bring any man’s name in for the purpose of casting dirt upon him. I ask you not to be influenced by dirty, filthy, nasty, blackguard insinuations of the kind, I ask you to judge me by facts, regardless of the opinion of any newspaper whatsoever, whether it praises me or bespatters me with foul.abuse. I. ask you, gentlemen, not to be influenced by anything of that kind.” Mr. Travers cannot say that we have suppressed a word of his criticism upon this paper. That his r criticism took the form of most vulgar abuse is his own fault; for,the fact that his groundless vituperations will prejudice electors against him, he must thank himself. Whilst being garrulous, however, he might- have been grammatipal withal. With a characteristio oblivibusness of correct metaphor, it will: be noticed that he speaks of himself:as “a shaft,” when he evidently meant “a target.” As, to the'gentlemanly feeling which- prompted him to servo a writ upon a gentleman connected with the literary staff of this paper/ and to call upon some of its principal proprietors in order to complain of its conduct, we say nothing. It is to be hoped that his call has satisfied him as well as bis writ .will. The “principal proprietors ” of this paper are gentlemen, and understand the rules of etiquette under the existing circumstances.

It seems, a pity that Travers is as ignorant of this as he is of good behavior towards those who do not choose to be flattered or bullied into supporting him. / ■ .