THE OTHER SIDE OE THE QUESTION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 162, 16 March 1871, Page 5

THE OTHER SIDE OE THE QUESTION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — The correspondence in your issue of March 2nd, relative to the conduct of a Switzers minister, has caused some little stir in this district, and a public meeting has been held for the ostensible purpose (according to the notices) of taking into consideration the statements made in such correspondence. But, sir, the true reason was, firstly — That the promoters of the meeting had picked upon a gentleman (about to contest the election for the Provincial Council) as the writer thereof, and hence they appear to have thought that political capital could be made out of it. Secondly — The chief promoter evidently believed that the writer (and likewise the writer of an answer to a letter that appeared in your paper some time back, and was subscribed by " Ajax ") was one and the same person, aud that he (" Ajax") had a tine op1 portunity of casting reflections ' on -your correspondent's character (veritas odium pant.) Now, Mr. Editor, I do not mii tend to defend your correspondent for { writing the letter in question. Ido think it had been far better left out s of the paper, as it was scarcely a subject suitable for the columns of a newspapeiv But, sir, when I see a report of tlie I public meeting intended to be published, which report, if not contradicted, would | appca* as an expression of opinion of the public of Switzers, ftis but right, in justice to your correspondent, to lay before the public a few plain facts in connection with the same. Tn the first place, the meeting was evidently hurried for some reason or other. The minister was not in the district, and therefore could not contradict the assertions made ; but he was expected at Switzers the following day, or the day after. Why, I ask, not wait until he had arrived, and hear what he had to say ? Xo ; that did not su.t their purpose (which was evidently to suppress the truth.) In the second place, a req\usitiun was submitted to the meeting for signature, containing certain threats to yourself, which no doubt you will treat with the contempt they deserve. No doubt, Mr. Editor, you Avill analyze the signatures, and can then calculate the pecuniary loss the withdrawal of their support will entail if you do not comply with their request. Now, sir, such requisition I will prove to you to be utterly false, and calculated to reflect most disgracefully upon your correspondent, whoever hs may be. They say they made enquiry, and found the assertions untrue. But yet, the primnm mobile of this affair, in moving the adoption of the requisition, confessed that a certain person, whom the minister had advised to keep away from the sick people, had used the exact words (about the savages in Australia,) that your correspondent m;ikss U3e of. Still, the requisition state 3 that the letter is utterly false. Mr. Editor, if, before giving up the name of the writer, you were to make further enquiry into the matter, I do feel certain that j before doing so you would be more likely to uphold your correspondent's truthfulness and good faith. If, from reliable information 1 have received, I did not believe that the requisition was false, and the correspondence true, then I would most certainly say, give up the name of the writer. Still, even that in every case would not do. I wonder how "Ajax" would feel if, after his letter appeared, a requisition had been got up, and the name of the writer demanded. Yet, in that case there would have been good grounds for doing so, for " Ajax's " letter was most conclusively proven to be a combination of falsehoods. Mr. Editor, I do think that the terms made use of by your correspondent, in referring to the Switzers minister, are very harsh, and out of place ; and 1 do sympathise with the minister in question, for I firmly believe that in advising people he was doing so for their own good, as well as for the good of their families ; and Avhat I have heard respecting him since the time the sickness has been about, certainly redounds to his credit. Ido not object to what he has done, but T do object to the truthfulness of the requisition. These are my reasons. The minister did certainly visit the lonely woman referred to, and carried to her, on his horse, some , presents made by a lady in the district — he also offered any pecuniary assistance they required. Still, sir, I maintain that any person is justified in forming an opinion, whether he considers that as affording all the assistance in his power or otherwise ; I say, wliile extolling the minister for such action, do not revile a correspondent for giving an opinion. As for the minister advising parties to keep away from the infected place, I know that to be quite correct. Two persons (besides the one who answered the minister, as your correspondent states, and also acknowledged by the getter up of the requisition) have told me they were advised by the minister to keep away from the infected house. I am prepared to give their names if required I do wonder that the minister, iv giving suoh | advice, did not add to his precepts tha value of his example, instead of first visiting the sick people, and then visiting the houses of other families, for surely if one person is liable to carry the contagion about, so is another one also likely to do the same.

Mr. Editor, in conclusion, I hope it will not be thought that in writing this that I am prejudiced against the minister referred to, but I think the circumstances so remarkable that I feel justified in asking for a small space in your paper, in order that the public may be made acquainted with both sides of the question. — I am, &c,

J. T. GwTNNE, Switzers, Marcli llth, 1871.

The new Wesleyau Church at Balclutha was opened on Sunday, sth March, when the Eov. Mr. Keall, of Lawrence, preached to a large congregation both morning and evening. Recent revelations relating to ;he frequent impurities in milk in London, and the increasing interest taken iv all matters connected with the dairy and dairy produce, hare led to the establishment of a " Milk Journal."

Gold has been forind near Mount Bryan, Adelaide. One man washed four ounces of gold from, the creek in three days.