MR. CUMMING IN EXPLANATION

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1255, 15 July 1880, Page 3

MR. CUMMING IN EXPLANATION

TO IHE EDITOR. Sir, — In a letter of Mr Potter's in your last issue, I am blamed mildly by that gentleman for expressing my private opinion, instead of supplying facts, in moving a resolution at a meeting of burgesses. If you are not supposed to express your own opinions, whose, may I ask, are you supposed to give utterance to ? Public opinion is formed chiefly by the interchange of private opinions and ideas — not in any way, as Mr P. would infer, other than facts. With regard to the poll advertised for Friday, whatever the result may be, it cannot in any way aftect the purchase of part^of lot 60. Whether Councillors who consented to the purchase are liable or not is another matter (requiring- a legal opinion). If the Council wished a more decided expression of opinion with regard to their action in this matter, the only issue on which a poll could now be taken would be " condemning or otherwise the action of the Council in purchasing without calling a meeting of the burgesses." How a majoritg of the Council — in" f the face of a mild reproof, administered at a public meeting, for wasteful and unnecessary expenditure — could sanction the publication of the Mayor's address to the burgesses, with nothing in it, and the advertisement setting forth that a poll will be taken on the question of the purchase of Mr Seddon's land, after the matter has been irrevocably settled, the absurdity of a poll under the circumstances must be apparent to eveiyone. How a body of men supposed to be sane could sanction this worse-than-useless expenditure in advertising, unless it be a part of the mutual scratchback policy, is a puzzle. Those are only a few of my j)>'ivatc opinions. — I am, &c, War. Cumming. Hamilton, July 14, 1880.