INNOCENCE AND OTHER things.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9011, 26 November 1907, Page 4

INNOCENCE AND OTHER things.

Slß,— Absence has been the chief cause of delay in my asking yon to allow mo to commiserate with the Martou Borougli Council in its irritability about some letters which have passed between us; for few people in Martou know hotter than 1 bow vexing it is to do wrong audio bo told of it. If I were to give you the history of the causes which led to such letters it would perhaps divert your readers, but would not sooth the aforesaid irritability. I trust my self-denial in this will be appreciated as I feel it deserves. I should like, however, to say that I alone was responsible for and had knowledge of the letters complained of. I confess I wrote them of malice aforethought for the purpose achieved, namely, to confuse the extremelv funny professions of economy with'regard to the Park. A property, by the way, of more value, and which it is as much the duty of the Council to keep in order and for use and recreation as the books iu the library. I am not ashamed of the letters. Indeed, it the Council chooses, as a further iu dicatiou of its wrath, to publish them, say iu leaflet form, I shall, except, of course, ou the score of economy, have no objection. _ I go even further, and allege that if the Couuicl continues to take the_ really sound and moral advice contained iu those letters the result will be such that it is quite possible the ratepayers mav wish to present me w-ith a silver teapot, or something of that kind. I could hope, too, iu most instances, that my letter—one of the offending ones—to the Town Clerk would act as a salutary warning against future attempts to befool and give mo unnecessary trouble. I cannot conscientiously refrain from remarking that I think it was a little fussy ou the part of the Council to take exception to what it called “the tone” of such letters. I really see nothing to complain of ou that score. But it may ho the Council, being new and innocent, as it were, feels its importance somewhat acutely, and that its oar having become attuned to the startling form of expression often indulged iu by my friend, Or. Lyon, any other.may seem a discord. Finally, I should like to suggest to Or. McEldowuey, for whom, personally, I have much respect, that if he cond but stick to one idea for 48 hours his influence iu the Council would bo much enhanced.—l am, etc., F. C. WILSON. Martou, November 35, 1907.