EQUEL TO A PUBLIC MEETING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9673, 22 December 1909, Page 7

EQUEL TO A PUBLIC MEETING.

MEMBER REFUSES TO PRESENT PETITIONS. The following telegrams, which speak for themselves, have passed between Mi Michel, Mayor of Hokitika, and Mr T. Y. Seddon. M.P.: "H. L. Michel, ]&ayor, HokiHka, —As the convenor of the public meeting, and as one who signed the petition, I desire to tell you that 1 absolutely refuse to identify myself with two such insulting and illogical petitions. The intemperate language and slanderous statements 'used' at the meeting were not a ; credit to ariyqne concerned, and I regret that the people who should have taken a dignified and reasonable attitude and produced sound arguments should have pursued such a cjurse. You. may tell your fellow petitioners that I will not present the petitions.— i (Signed) Thomas Seddon." ' "Thomas Seddon, Wellington,—Your telegram to hand. You do not appreciate the position. I did convene a public meeting at the request of 126 people to consider action of Government in refusing to allow the waste waters of the Coast to be used for development of the mining industry. Neither the meeting nor 1 had anything whatever to do with the position you refer to. In reto the general question, let me remind you that the people have been in constant communication with Government for the last two years in referencs to water power for alluvial mining. In spite of many promises that their representations would receive favourable consideration, nothing has been done, and many are leaving the district because there is no possibility , of its resources being developed under present conditions. The goldminers, ' in fact, are receiving no considerai tion compared with the cualminers. No wonder the speakers at the public 1 meeting spoke stronely, but I feel that the people do not require lessons from you as to whet is right or dignified, while I certainly think it presumptuous for you to tell me my duty i as a public man. It seems that you have made such a letisn ol party you put that before your duty to Westland. I cannot do tliat. Your statement I signed the petition is "not correct. Please in future make sure of your acts before using my name. As to your request that I should tell the . people who signed the petition that you will not present it, pleased of this yourself. You are well paid for doing so, lam not.—H. L. Michel, Mayor."