MR PARK IN REPLY TO "FAIR PLAY."

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VI, Issue 1853, 1 December 1884, Page 2

MR PARK IN REPLY TO "FAIR PLAY."

(To the.Editor). ■ Sir,—As a letter which appeared in your issue of Friday last is. calculated to do a lot of mischief and to 'cast an aspersion upon many worthy, gentlemen to whom the Horticultural fociety is deeply indebted both for present and past help, I deem it my duty to explain what I know of the matter, so that the blame, if any, may rest upon the' proper shoulders. On Thursday I met Mr Easthope who informed me that one of the regal pelargoniums shown by Mark Wilton, and awarded first prize by his uncle Mr N. Wilton, the judge, had been brought from Wellington by the latter...on the I previous day. Mr Easthope asked me / whit 1 intended doing inthematter, and if I would protest against- Mr M. Wilton getting the prize. I: replied that I could not see my way to do anything, because, although I' am a Committeeman, lam also the,winner of the second prize in Regale, and-; if I .protested it might be supposed -that T. did so for the money and not for principle. Mr Easthope then informed me that I would hear of it through the press. The case however, came to ears of several members of the committee Oil Friday morning and it was decided, if the Committee approved at Monday's meeting, to write to Mr N. Wilton for an explanation. At present, however, it would be most unjust to assume that Mr Wilton acted otherwise than .honorably toward the Society, and the evident romancing turn of mind displayed by " Fair Play," who draws so largely upon his imagination for his facts, tends to make one receive his assertion with caution, He must have known that the committee as a committee had not met, and therefore his charge against it cannot be entertained, as anenguiiy could not take place before the meeting. " Fair Play," however, is no friend to the Society, and it is to be regretted that so many gentlemen, who have year •> after year given up much of their tiras and money to assist horticulture in this district should be libelled by one, who although willing enough to injure us will not assist to put right what he thinks is wrong. It must have been a sore disappointment to him to know that last Wednesday's Bhow was the most successful ever held inMasterton, and the competitors were three to one as compared with the last Spring Show, thus displaying increased interest and confidence in the Society, and I can_ assure "Fair Play" that the Committee will go od doing what they think is right, assisted by the evident hearty support of the public, notwithstanding the unmanly attack of your anonymous scribbler, I am, ike, G.M.PARK.