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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 998, 12 November 1881, Page 2

Mr. Matthews has made himself diligent since our last issue, in complaining of our report, of the Borough Council’s proceedings last Tuesday evening, in regard to Mr. Oxenham’s contract. Mr. Matthews has called at our office, and has written a letter —marked “ private,” which we cannot publish-—giving his version of our alleged incorrectness. Mr. Matthews explanation rather muddles the matter, and is an apt illustration of how persons can deceive themselves by playing upon words. We regret that Mr. Oxenham’s banker should have been so conspicuously indiscreet in first of all sending the communication he did to the Borough Council, and, secondly in calling public attention to what is, ab initio, a private business arrangement. Mr. Matthews’ letter to the Borough Council is as follows :—- Bank of New Zealand, Gisborne, 4tli Nov., 1881. The Town Clerk, Gisborne.

Sih, —I beg to inform you that Mr. Sydenham Oxenham has assigned to this Bank all his right and title to all moneys and payments that have accrued, or may accrue to him under his contract with the Borough and County Councils for the delivery of road metal or gravel. At any time you may require me to exhibit to you the assignment with power of attorney I shall be prepared to do so, —I am &e., John W. Matthews, Manager.

In our report of the matter it is stated thus :—“ The Bank of New Zealand Manager notified that Mr. Oxenham had transferred all his interest in the tramway contract to the Bank.” Be it remarked “ all his interest in the contract,” was transferred, and not the contract itself—in which latter case the Bank would have to stand in Mr. Oxenham’s place and carry on the work. Mr. Matthews contends that our remarks have led the public to suppose that Mr. Oxenham has made an assignment of the contract itself to the Bank, which is a very different matter to assigning his “ interest '* in it. And if, as Mr. Matthews says, Mr. Oxenham has assigned “ all his right and title to all moneys and payments that have accrued, or may accrue to him ” by virtue of his contract to the Bank, if that is not an equivalent to our expression that he has “ transferred all his interest ” in it, we do not comprehend—what seems to be a great difficulty with some persons—viz., our “ National language.”

We make this explanation in Mr. Oxenham’s interest. We think it not right for the Manager of the Bank of New Zealand to proclaim from the housefops of the sfreet that we have caused alarm in the minds of his constituents by our misreporting the business of the Council, and not write a letter we could publish in reply. As far as we can judge it was tantamount to a breach of confidence, as between himself and his client, to send the letter he did to the Bank ; and that very fact, coming from a man of Mr. Matthews’ sagacity, lends a coloring to the supposition that the Bank, ipso facto, does stand in Mr. Oxenham’s shoes. If the Bank has no interest in the assignment beyond the ordinary commercial advances, why he did not take the usually accepted authority to receive the payments, on account of the contract, as they became due ? Whether Mr. Oxenham has really assigned “all his interest” in the contract, we cannot say ; but he cannot have much left, if he has assigned all present and prospective payments- on account of it. To our mind such a letter as that of Mr. Matthews’ to the Borough should have been marked “ private and confidential and it gave general surprise when it was read. We regard Mr. Oxenham’s transactions with the Bank as of an ordinary but exceptionally private character ; and if he suffers, it will be due rather to Mr. Matthews’ ill-judged letter, than to our mis-report of its contents.