KNIGHTS OF LABOUR.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 457, 26 March 1890, Page 4

KNIGHTS OF LABOUR.

VINDICATION OF MR LYGHT. Wellington, March 22. The “ Evening Press ” has the following* referring to the statements of the “ Christchurch Telegraph ” as to Mr Lyghb : “ We are informed, on excellent authority, that when the Knights of Labour of Auckland had become to some extent disorganised, they wrote to Mr Hayes, General Secretary of the Philadelphia Knights of Labour, asking his advice as to the best measures to be taken to pub themselves on a sound footing. Mr Hayes replied that Mr Lyght, trustee, a member of the order, and a duly qualified organiser, was then in Melbourne, and would no doubt give them his assistance. Thereupon they wrote to Mr Lyght, and the result was his visit to New Zealand. It will be seen from this that Mr Lyght is not delegated as an organiser to New Zealand, bub it is none the less true he was au bhorised to come here to assist in reorganising the Knights of Labour of Auckland, and as a general organiser it was perfectly within the scope of his duties in endeavouring to extend the order in other parts of the colony. We learn from one of the principal officers of the Association here that Mr Lyght handed him a post office order in favour of Secretary Hayes, of Philadelphia, for the charter fees necessary for opening the Wellington Assembly, and that he himself posted the order with a letter from Mr Lyght to Hayes giving an account of the enthusiastic reception he had met withand we ourselves have had produced to us the receipt of the post office official for the registered letter addressed to Mr Hayes, of Philadelphia, containing this letter and a post office order. All that Mr Lyght received during his stay in Wellington was the sum of £5, subscribed by the members of the Order, and out of this Mr Lyght himself paid £1 IQs for the use of a central hall on the night of the public meeting, and his own board and lodging-during the three weeks’ stay in this city. JVe fear the ‘ Telegraph,’ having once scoyed in ,bbe Sullivan-Clam, pett business, has fancied its mission is to become the chief sceptic of journalism, and in this case it has clearly gone astray, and done considerable injustice to a thoroughly genuine and-honourable man.”