POLITICAL HUNTING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2076, 24 July 1890, Page 2

POLITICAL HUNTING.

TO THE EDITOR,' Sie, —On my return from A short absence recently my attention was drawn to a local paragraph in your issue of the 15th inst. headed “ Political Hunting,’' referring to a lunch held after a meet of the hounds in this district, and a conversation which ‘■"''k place that occasion having w '*■». the approaching election, reference in this district The only hunt -J therefore lately was at my farm, - I do not pretend to doubt that was the meet referred to. During an after dinner smoke the conversation turned upon the coming elections, and so far you have been correctly informed, but you have made a grave mistake in supposing that any importance was attached to the matter. One speaker laughingly inquired “ If Twomey was coming out to get another licking?” and someone else, not myself as you were informed, replied “Oh, no! he’s had enough of it,” I should not have replied to yaur feeble attempt at self-assertion but that 1 wish to protest against what every right thinking person would consider an unwarrantable liberty in commenting upon a conversation which occurred in my private house, and between my invited guests. A public utterance you have a perfect right to criticise, but your position as proprietor, actual or otherwise, or a little newspaper does not give you that right in respect to private conversations, even where the speakers are not subscribers to the Leader, As to the crowds that daity wait upon Mr Twomey requesting him to stand for the election, all I can say is that I was not aware that so many people in this district were possessed of such a

been sense of humor, and would go to so much trouble to indulge it. Your reference to the aristocracy is • only what might be expected, considering the wide gulf which separates: you from that class, and only adds one more to the many evidences you have already given of your ignorance of the ordinary usages of decent society. I hope that what I have written may deter you from similar conduct in future, and in conclusion caa assure you that such conduct will not tend to raise you in the estimation of respectable electors.—l am, etc., Philip Waebing Milford, July 21,1890.

[Mr Wareing cannot be a reader of the best English papers or he would know that items of news such as that to which he refers appear in them daily. Who has read English papers without seeing paragraphs relating to festivities at Lord So and So’a or. Mr Somebody’s, especially if such festivities have any political significance? Men and women are specially retained by English papers to supply such news. We have, therefore, only followed the example of the best English papers, and that settles the question of propriety. It is our right always te supply our readers with the most interesting news we can find, and the item referred to created more interest than anything which has appeared in the paper for a long time. We have had several orders from Timaru for the paper, and amongst them Mr Wareing’s hunting friends. We cannot see what Mr Wareing has fc® complain of unless he feels slighted because his name was not mentioned. In explanation we may say the item of news was brought by one of Mr Wareing’s nearest and dearest friends one who was there and we naturally concluded that Mr Wareing did not Want his name mentioned. It is apparent now that he did, or else he would not have taken this course. Whenever the aristocracy dine at Mr Wareing’s again we shall be happy to mention it if he only makes the fact known to us, but his threats will not frighten us he may be sure. We have never shown any great fear of the biggest guns in the district,.and are not likely to be afraid of a—well, never mind. With regard to those humorous people to whom Mr Wareing refers there were 667 of them in the district three years ago, and their number has increased since. They were never in better humor than they are in at present, because they know that now outsiders cannot spoil their bit of fun. No stuffed Washdyke can defeat them now, and Mr Wareing will find it out. We have never had greater temptation thrown in our way than Mr Waroing’s reference to his superior social standing, but we feel that we could not reply to him in the way in which he deserves without loss of dignity and self-respect, and we hope he will appreciate being let off so lightly, We advise him when he next wants to write a letter to a newspaper not to seek the assistance of on© who has played a practical joke on him by laying him open to so much ridicule. His friend; has just laid the bait so that we might take it up, but we really must refuse to do so.— Ed.]

THE PRICE OF BREAD.

TO THE EDITOR.

Pjr,—l have just seen io your issue of I the 17th instant a letter signed ‘ Farmer’ ! on the above subject. He suggests the starting of Co-operative Flour Mills and Bakery. As a further step I would suggest that the latter be located at Geraldine, as being nearer the bush to gee a cheap supp'y of firewood, and also because there is here a baker’s oven standing idle, i the owner of which, no doubt, would let it at a low rental to encourage the new undertaking in its first stages, , I was told that meeting of persons interested in such a project would be held here during the last week, but it did not taka place. Surely it was not a mistake to suppose that everyone is interested in ‘the price of bread,’ and I hope the residents of Geraldine and neighborhood will make this evident. ‘Farmer’ puts the matter very clearly in comparipg the rise in the price of flour with that in the price of bread, and hat I should be wearisome I will oonc'ude by giving a personal experience on this point. Being in a baker’s shop some time ago, I heard a person say to him : Flour has come down/ why dops not bread T * Yes,’ he said, ‘ flour has come down £1 a ton j what reduction "»mld I make on a 41b loaf out of that Y a - haa gode up £1 per ton the Now fl ° ur the same way, but bakers don t argue • ~ thai if f faU?nflow o tpthe P e e St of (as ‘Farmer’ aa ys) one of a P® nn y ,n JK 41b loaf did pojt cyojrth while to take Oft a poo* »ad } ** to say that jt did, a rise to the amount ought jot to pepessitate the put? ting on of a penny,—l am? Geraldine, 320 d J uly, 189(3.