MR BUTLER IN REPLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1419, 17 November 1885, Page 2

MR BUTLER IN REPLY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —My attention has just been drawn to a letter in your issue of November 12 th, signed by George Stokes. The writer takes upon himself to make some discourteous and libellous assertions in reference to myself. Ihe writer is entirely unknown to me. It is just now a question as to whether I ought not to give him an opportunity of producing proof in support of his statements ; but in the meantime I will content myself with making a few remarks, and acknowledging your courtesy in giving a correct version of my position inconnection with the Kakahu Prospecting Company. Mr G. S. states in reference to me : “ Now, that man never worked in the face of a coal mine in his life,” To this statement I give a most emphatic and flat denial, But, for the interest of any of your readers who may wish for information on this point, I may add that I began work in a coal mine when about twelve years ol age. I probably should not have commenced so soon, but, having lost my father in an adjoining mine and being the eldest of a family of six, it became a matter of necessity, I continued to work at the same place for twelve or thirteen years, and never earned half-a-crown away from a coal mine until I earned it in Tiraaru. I could enlarge upon the exceptional and varied experience I had compared with many of my fellow-workmen, but that would be too egotistical and quite unnecessary. The letter as a whole is 100 full of inconsistencies to merit criticism —but one more inaccuracy I will point out. lu reference to one meeting Mr Stokes candidly admits, without any qualification, that that “ there were four practical men present,” and further on he says, “Now, Mr Editor, I want to know if there was a practical man there at all?” Now, as one of the men referred to stated at the meeting that he had been working in coal mines between forty and fifty years, and had only left some three years or so, it is very evident Mr Stokes is not a reliable authority. As, however, I have never written a line to any journal until now, I am unable to admit, or “ apologise for having put my nose in by troubling you with another letter,” like Mr George Stakes does.— I am, etc,, Geo, Butler. November 16th, 1885.