AN EXPLANATION

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 915, 2 November 1881, Page 2

AN EXPLANATION

(To the Editor Wairarapa Daily.)

: Sir,—l am surprised at a paper, which professes such honesty as yours does, lowering itself to bucli fallacious statements as appeared in your Bub-ioader of yesterday, i specially when they were published with your own knowledge of their untruthfulness. The three musicians who were playing were doing so without any programme, and were not engaged by any party, but by myself; nor did I know they would be there until after the supper commenced. The whole of the programme of the evening was arranged by the Committee (who were not Mr Ronall's supporters), and was not known by any person outside of it; so it would be impossible for Mr Eenall'B supporters to get up such a ruse. The objectionable tune waß suggested by Mr Pearson (one of the players) as suitable for the expiring Parliament, and as for tho hisses, they came principally from Mr Eenall's supporters. The Committee will bear me out in my statements, and I am sure that there is no person in Masterton, who knows Mr Beetham (no matter how they differ in politics), but respects him as a man and a gentleman; or would they be a party to offer him an insult. There is no doubt but your insinuations were cast at me (as the String Band is supposed to under my control), but all present at the supper will exonerate me from such conduct. I think the party feeling you are trying to raise over the election will be heaped on your own head. Yours, &c, J. H. CORBETT. [Our insinuations were riot cast against Mr Corbett, and his intemperate letter is written under an entire misapprehension, He himself is the only person who has connected his name with the affair.-ED.WJ).]