CORRESPONDENCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4359, 12 January 1909, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

{W.v are not responsible for tbe opinion expressed by our correspondents.)

[To the Editor.] Sill, —In the issue off “ The Te Aroha Mail” of 6th inst, I was very much , surprised to sec the way the Editor of that, what shall I call it 'i Well, I suppose, newspaper, belittled the Te Aroha Fire Brigade Sports. Everyone who .has been asked for an opinion say the sports , were very good, and j carried out in a sportsmanlike and se Jiafactory manner, and all agree that gr«M praise is due to the joint secretaries, and members of the Committee for the able way they _ and carried to a' succgssiul issue - (both from anh enjoyable and r financial point of view)'-the whole business. The Band performed its part so ■ ' well thxt even the EOtorof "The Te Aroha Mail,” could noShnd fault. What is to b’come of Te Aloha if tbe local , press make little of iti l run down the r efforts of residents to get up sports and J make the holiday time attractive for the many visitors who frequent the town, particularly on New Year’s Day. We all know The Mail” is a great Government supporter, and actually struggled up to / three issues during electiontime. That evidently is all over now; but, surely this running down of local sports is not a Government dodge to lower prices of 1 properties, and eventually buy m Te Aroha and place it under the rule of “ The Uncrowned King of the Tourist Dem-tment.” The Editor of “The Mail ” knows very well the hard work attached to getting up sports, and the _ amount of private time which both Secretary and members of the Committee have to give to the work; and knowing this, one would expect him to give 'a better report of the matter. In tho issue of the 9th inst. this same Editor says in his column, “ They*' 'v Say ■ r *,

“That §ome of the Fire Sports’ members are very wrath ovAr,j tbe Secretary’s action.” “ Ttyat he is alleged to have reported something which was not, truthful.”

Now, re tbe first; paragraph I defy * this Editor to state,iu bis paper the name or names of any of the Fire Brigade Sports’ members who are wrath with either of the joint secretaries. The -second paragraph is a cowardly attack, and I again defy the Editor to state onblicly in his newspaper the something which the Secretary is supposed to have reported untruthfully I am sure all residents who take an interest in local sports, and have the welfare of Te Aroha at heart, will look out for to-morrow’s issue of “ The. Te Aroha Mail ” an 1 see what the E litor has to say in reply to this letter. vl am, etc.,

, K, F. W. Lyons-Montgomery.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,-I see by your advertising columns that the County Clerk is now acting as returning officer. I knew of his pointment some time back, but I did nob know till this morning that Mr Abbey, Returning Officer for so many years past, has never yet been relieved of h’s duties but anothor just siinplyjthrust.inliis place. What has gone wrong ? Has Mr Abbey neglected his duty, shown ignorance, want of civility, or what has be done that he should thus be cast aside like at old tool, without , even the eo mnenest kind of civility. Are our worthy Ccuccillors soid-aisely ignorant that tjiey don’t know any TKfter?^x7-aV‘imr'know but Heave the above questions for them to think over. For' myself I am at a loss to uud l rstand such treatment to - a go d, able, and reliable officer as Mr Abbey has proved himself to be in all official work that has fallen to his share I cannot find language forcible enough to convey my disgust for such incivility, and that too coming from a body of gentlemen who call them c elve* Councillors. -I am, etc.,

H. O. Cooper,