"OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT" REPLIES TO THE CHAIRMAN. Morrinsville, Friday.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 355, 30 March 1889, Page 2

"OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT" REPLIES TO THE CHAIRMAN. Morrinsville, Friday.

Although strongly adverse to continuingthe controversy re school treat, I cannot allow Mr Geo. Smith's letter in Wednesday's Tb Aroiia asd Oeiinemuri News to pass unchallenged. My repl} r , hmveve-, shall be as brief as possible. Fiistly, Mr Smith says the treat was put off owing to the interference of some parties who were not authorised to conduct the affair. I ask what body of sensible men would put off, an annual fixture on snob a plea? His remarks I think prove what I said in my first letter — nothing but jealousy. M~iSmith wonders where I got my informationfrom. Let me assure him I got it from men of undoubted truth and integrity ; men whose shoes he is not worthy to unlace As to my rushing into print with assertions I cannot verify : About a dozen householders here, including several of the present Committee, are willing to come forward atany time, and vouch for the accuracy of my statements. Mr Smith goes on to say he sends his reply at the request of the School Committee. Can this be the man who gives me advice about rushing intoprint, etc , and yet he sits down and wiites what he knows to be a deliberate falsehood? He does not reply at the requesi of the Committee, at least three of the members were entirely ignorant that a reply had been sent, and they have never been consulted in the matter. A nice thing for a Chairman to say! I am pleased to hear from Mr Smith there is to be a picnic, but it must be a new affair altogether, as, for a time anyhow, the original treat was given up ; and I am doubly pleased to see the ladies have accepted the hint I gave them in my previous letter and are interesting themselves in the matter. Finally Mr Smith says he agrees with the majority of the Committee in saying there is not a particle of, truth in my assertions. I have considerable dbubt that a majority ever did say this, but if the}' da I defy them to prove the truth of their statements. In conclusion, if Mr Smith should reply to this, t hope for the sake of the distiict he will do so in a manner befitting a School Committee Chairman , and not squirm about like a worm with salt on his tail.