MUD SLINGING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 84, 30 November 1931, Page 7

MUD SLINGING

E. EARLE

YAILE.

Sir, — I am surprised that my friend Mr. Richards should adopt the tone which he does in the letter appearing in your issue of Saturday. Let me first say that I had no part whatever in eompiling the sketeh of my career which appeared in your columns. I was away at the time and lcnew nothing of ■ it. Mr. Richards seeks to belittle my services in the Assessment Court by saying I was paid for it. Mr. Richards must know that all assessors are paid. For his information I may mention that the fee, I received was just one third of what I was aceustomed to get when in business in Auckland, but it was the fee offered by the Borough Council and I accepted it. Mr. Richards' statement that Mr. Clinkard "prepared and marshalled the evidenee" is absolutely incorreet. Mr. Clinkard had nothing to do with it nor did he appear once in court. Mr. Clinkard may have considerable expert knowledge of the values of land but he did not display it. Throughout my campaign I have consistently avoided any but compli- ■ mentary referenees to my opponents, and I believe this attitude has been , respected by all eandidates with the : single exception of the sitting mem- ; ber. At Matamata Mr. Clinkard dragged my private affairs before the . public, saying I had tried to sell . "Broadlands" to the Government at . £3 10s per acre, and that the greater part of my land was valueless. And at Mamaku he said mv sheen werp>

like rats. It is a degradation to public life that a Member of Parliament will descend to such impertinent and maliciously untrue statements. Mr. Clinkard has no right to abuse his official position to fossick through departmental files, less right to publish information he thus obtains and still less to make false statements. I have never attempted to sell "Broadlands" to the Government at £3 10s per acre. And as to the value of the land, Mr. Clinkard speaks only from the depths of his ignorance. He does not know "Broadlands" and is absolutely incompetent to express an opinion if he did. Let him respect the maxim "The cobber to his last," and talk of his own trade. His statement about my sheep gratuitously false. Anyone may cotfie to 'Broadlands' and see the condition of my stock. It is for electors to say whether one who goes out of his way to make these uncalled for and untrue statements about an opponent is a creditable person to represent them in Parliament. — I am,

etc.