ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 23, 8 June 1905, Page 17

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

MAIIARAHARA.— The question of St. Patrick's birthplace is one of those disputed points of history whiich seem as far of! from solution as e\er Scotland, Wales, and France have each its own advocates, and the materials of history at present a\ailable are quite insufficient to determine the discussion. SM, BL, ' Oamaru,' and ' Mystery.'— \ our news and \ iews are, as you intend them to bo, a further justification of the position taken up by those who, in this matter, are our natural leaders. l\e\ei theless, we must decline publication of jour communications \\> ha\c already twice pointed out that it was our intention to let this mysterious phase of the Prohibition mo\ement pass on its way without note or comment of any kind This course was, howe\er, rendcie'd impossible by the public and published statements of two principals connected with the crusade. One pait of these statements, besides 'being wholly untrue, reflected on our personal honor and "veracity, and thus constituted a public challenge to us, whioh, in justice to ourselves, we ccnild not ignore. The remainder contained misstatements in matters of fact and misrepresentations and misconceptions in matters of lnierencc afiectmg the hcads'of our Church in New Zealand. We ha\c already said, and now repeat, that our columns are still open to any statements or explanations that the principals aforesaid may desire to make. We also resene to ourselves the right of comment on any statements they may make, whether in or outside our columns, if circumstances should seem to us to render such a course necessary. Beyond this we are not prepared to go. We ha\e, of course, taken no notice, and intend to take no notice, of the two or three half-star\ed toy-terrier newspapers that yap and snap at us in odd corneis of New Zealand.