NO-LICENSE IN INVERCARGILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2350, 17 November 1908, Page 3

NO-LICENSE IN INVERCARGILL.

(Published by Arrangement.)

[To the Editor.]

Sir,—That you may be in a fair position to judge and to justify, or condemn the’ action of the Rev. Mr. Chatferton in quoting figures from quite unofficial sources after tliose figures had been rejected' by Mr. Piesse anti myself as unauthentic, I hereby submit for your careful perusal copies of telegrams cent by us Avith replies reeoived thereto. You Avill notice that in each instance the officials referred us to Customs and Harbor Board returns, i.e., the returns which Mr. Ohatterton and Mr. Lysnar had agreed to accept as reliable. The first telegram was sent on the 12th inst., to the secretary of the Harbor Board, Invercargill—it should have been addressed “Bluff”—and ran: “What quantity colonial beer imported' for years fueling 30th June 1904-5-6-7-8, each year separate; reply urgent; collect.—Piesse.” Tins telegram Avas evidently opened by tlie Toavii Clerk, inasmuch as there is no Harbor Board in Invercargill, and the reply received on the same afternoon was: “Local and imported beer for tAVO years before license 564,720 gallons ; since no-liccnse, 290,720 gallons. Government- returns slioav actual consumption in InvercargilTfor tAvo years under no-license 114,673 gallons.— Town Clerk.” As the Toavti Clerk could not officially know anything of ACTUAL sales, as Government returns' shoAvcd only RECORDED sales, the ay ire Avas put aside as Avortliless, and a readdressed telegram sent to proper address. Mr. Ciiatterton distinctly stated this information did not come to hand till after the aAvard had been signed. The information Avas as a matter of fact the very first outside information received by us, .as tlie original wire at Mr. Piesse’s office Avill conclusively pr.OA'e. The reply rccoived from readdressed telegram from Bluff was: “HaA*e no record; apply Uu sto ms Invercargill .7 —Secret ary.'' Another wire sent to secretary Harbor Board, Dunedin, elicited the following roplv: “Piesse, accountant. G isborne. —Regret have no information ccAnpilcd ; suggest try Customs and Railway Department. Secretary Harbor Board.” The object of the commission Avas to put before the electors properly authenticated figures and to allow them to make their own deductions. The issues Avere fair and cleancut. and I am at a loss to understand lioav Mr. Chattertoii can just-'fy his action in anticipating the result and endeavoring to throw discredit on his own signed award. 1 do not cure a jot what aspersions Mr. Chatterton mav endeavor to cast upon the reliabilitv of mv figures, but in this ease I laid as a eo-AVorkor the appointee of the No-license party, and a gentleman who is generally (and I am sure rightly) being credited as a first-class business- man, who had a clerical assistant in Mr. Witty. Turtlicrmore, those findings are OA'er the signature of tlie reverend gentleman himself, yet he breaks tlie treaty “Ere the ink wherewith ’tAvas Avrit could l dry. I am confident (despite these questionable tactics) the electors Avill J>e able to easily sift the grain from the clialF by laying aside all figures winch are merely conjectures on the part of partisans, and will accept no figures that are not certified to by the proper authorities. I Avisli it to be distinctly understood that the circular issued by the continuance party Avould not have been published except as a counterblast to the- previously issued leaflet of the No-license party over the signature of their president, Mr. Chatterton. Remember the old adage, “Fair play is bonny play.”—Yours faith- ’ JOHN SHERIDAN.