Mr Chambers’ Mooting.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 3900, 20 May 1899, Page 3

Mr Chambers’ Mooting.

Bib.— 4 Black Maire ’ is hard to please. Ia hi. first letter be complains that yonr reporters have views of their own. When I disclaim having any views on the drainage scheme he stigmatise this as an extraordinary statement. Now, I see nothing at all extraordinary in this, for when two each prominent gentlemen ss tbe Hon W. O. Bmitb, M.L.0., and Mr J. T. Carr, 0 E., are diametrioally opposed in a drainage scheme for a little place like this, I fail to boo how the poor reporter, (who has not even time to 4 read, mark, learn and inwardly digest ’ tbe scholarly effusion, of 4 Black Maire ’) ia going to make enough time to study a question which these two eminent gentlemen have agreed to disagree on. 4 Black Maire ’ really gives me oredit for too inach astuteness, and too much interest in the question, wbsn be accnses me of selecting in my report, 4 just those points unfavourable to Mr Smith,' and the only place where he

attempts to prove it is in relation to Dr Godfrey's remarks. According to my notes, Dr Godfray said 4 He wished it understood that be waa perfectly disinterested in the matter, that probably both sides were in error, in these cases there were usually faults on both sides.' He then said, 1 He thought Mr Smith erred also in not consenting to tot on tbe Road Board in person, and on the Hospital Board.' This latter was a fresh sentence, and I take it, the impression that Dr Godfray intended to convey to hie hearers

was that he thought Mr Smith was in error in adversely criticising the drain As for leaving oot Dr Godfray'a having expressed a wish to see Mr Smith on these bodies I think sn ih an item would hardly be ‘ nows ’ for I believe most ratepayers of all shades of opinion are glad to see Mr Smith a member of local bodies. Yes ! Mr ' Black Maire,’ I will venture to claim that report of Mr Chambers' meeting, including tbe various omissions is my own unaided production. Alone I did it! Now for the cheers. Those cheers die hard! Let u« first look st 4 Black MaireV statements with regard to tboss cheats. In hia first letter he ssys 4 He denies the statement that the meeting broke np with cheers for Mr Chambers, bat there was a little noise near the door.’ In his seoond “ tbe mooting did not to any appreciable extent join in the cheers for Mr Chambers.’ Then it seems there were cheers, and yet 4 Black Maire ’ speaks simply of matters of fact. Caledonian ones? I thought in my last I had contradioted 4 Black MaireV statement, bat as it seems I did not make it plain enough, I now beg to state that there were three cheer* given for Mr Chambers in tho hall. I distinctly heard them called for and givon, and what is more, if 4 Black Maire ’ likes to call on me in person at any time I shall be very happy to tell him the name of the gentleman who called for them, as since 4 Black Maire ’ having denied tbe state meat in the report, I took the trouble to locate the man who called for and started tbe cheers. In conclusion I may say that this is my last contribution on this subject, so I leave yoor correspondent tbe old lady's privilege of 4 last word ’ It

seems that' Black Maire ’ wishes to make a personal attack on a known person, with the additional advantage of a nom de plume for himself, and althoogh this mode of warfare ie, I daresay, very congenial to him ; to me, it savours too much of tbe crape mask and the stiletto.—l am, etc, H. R. Hodding.