TE AWAMUTU MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 354, 15 October 1898, Page 4

TE AWAMUTU MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—My attention has just been drawn to a letter re the above in your Saturday's issue, signed " Progress." and in which your correspondent pitches into the Secretary and otiier responsible officers for the bad arrangements and nonattendance at Mr Smith's lecture on Thursday, 6'.\\ October. I very much regret to say that " Progress " is perfectly correct in all he says about " the other responsible parties." Their conduct in not attending and seeing to arrangements was indeed perfectly disgracetul. I refer to the committee when I say this, and be it here remarked that from the very first when the committee accepted the responsibilities of their office only one of them lias attended more than one meeting of the society. In fact, the society has not met with the encouragement it deserved, and when its very otlieers took no interest in it this is no*-, to be wondered at. But whilst I admit that " Progress' " censure was well deserved as far as the committee are concerned, I cannot well let the reference to myself as secretary slide. Prom the very first [ took the office pro. tern, upon an emergency, and have had to do all the work of the society myself. I have not missed attending one meeting with the exception of this one, which brought forth'the letter in your columns, and for attacking me personally over this absence I must characterise " Progress " as nothing but a cowardly cur, for none know better than he does the circum stances necessitating my absence. I had been in bed seriously ill for nearly a fortnight, as Mr Pairman can testify. Last Wednesday was the second day 1 was up again, and knowing of this lecture on the Thursday I made my first walk outside for the purpose of asking Mr Peckham (one of the committee) to superintend the arrangements at the lecture. This he promised to do, and he tells me to-day he fully intended to be there, but his wife was takeu ill about 6 o'clock that evening and so prevented his attending. Mr Smith knew this, and fully concurred that as I was not fit to be out I had done the best possible. And Mr Smith tells me to-day he mentioned this at the meeting. Yet " Progress " includes me as having failed in my duty to attend, and in fact draws attention to myself more than the rest by naming the secretary. Let me ask him, Would he risk his life for the sake of others who are well able and were in duty bound to carry out the responsibilities of their office. Had " Progress " not known of my illness, his general indictment would have been reasouable, but when Mr Smith announced my condition and what I had done to fulfil my duty, his action in referring to the secretary as he did is beneath contempt. It is to be regretted that such callous indifference should be shown towards a society having for its object the moral and intellectual improvement of the young people, whilst the " twopenny hop " and the " penny gaff" and other frivolous amusements for empty-headed pleasure seekers are so largely patronised in Te Awamutu.—l am, etc., W. J. Colver, Secretary pro. tan., Te Awamutu Mutual Improvement Society. Te Awamutu, 12th October, 1898.