ANOTHER CRITICISM ON MR VAILE, AND ANOTHER PROPOSAL

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2304, 16 April 1887, Page 2

ANOTHER CRITICISM ON MR VAILE, AND ANOTHER PROPOSAL

TO THE EDITOR. Sik, —I have waited for some time to see if any more competent and able Waikato elector would come forward and resent the outrage against our member perpetrated by that Billinsgate orator, Mr Samuel Vaile, for I consider it a gross insult to any rightminded elector for a wild theorist of his stamp to blackguard a member who has had our confidence, past and present, for the simple reason that he could not coincide with him re his railway scheme. Mr Vaile has forgotten that Mr Whyte, as our member, has the right to criticise his or any other scheme which may be put forward for the benefit of the country. I consider Mr Whyte deserves the approbation of every elector for the manly way he came forward ami declared he could not agree with Mr Vaile's scheme, although knowing at the same time his views were in direct opposition to the views held by the most of his constituents. Here was a grand chance for our member to make political capital, coincide with Mr Yaile, and enjoy a transient glory, or peform, as he did, the better part to tell us plainly that he could not agree with us 011 that 'question. I have always had my doubts of the disinterestedness of Mr Yaile. His last letter removes all doubts, and he now comes forward as the representative of the land ring that has made our railways what they are at present. They just got railways to be run through their properties, and when that was played out they form them themselves and get a benignant Government to take them over. That is played out, and now they want passengers to be carried for nothing to see and inspect those properties, and so be enabled to sell in a good market. It is the old pill with a new coating. The fact is, the railways have been sadly managed, and Waikato electors are willing to accept any scheme that would be likely—if only in theory—to alter the present system. Mr Vaile's scheme has been before the public for the last seven or eight years ; it lias grown into us, no opportunity being lost in cheaply advertising it, whenever a chance appears, in the papers. I believe Mr Vaile's scheme will not remedy the present evil ;it will only aggravate it. lam prepared to meet the Railway League, or any other league, in private or public, and give them my ''little experience of railway management during the ten years I served on them—if in private, each member of said league to pay 10s entrance to hear me, myself paying the same in public, entrance fee for working men, 3d ; general pnblic, Is ; each member of league, ss; self, 10s; editors or reporters, £2 2s (I know Tub Waikato Times won't miss that trifle, as it can dispense with fifty or a hundred thousand pounds with a stroke of the pen); all moneys collected to form a fund to carry on a war of extermination against the present management, and to form c<ur own scheme. —I am, sir, yours faithfully, J. E. Butler. Hamilton, April 15th.