CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2057, 21 May 1909, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Correspondence on public matters is welcomed at all times, but it must bo distinctly understood that this journal is in no way associated with, the opinions of its correspondents. All letters must be legibly written and inscribed on one side of the paper only, otherwise they will not be published. *An asterisk at the foot of a letter indicates that some portion has been excised.] REPORTS OF COUNCIL MEETINGS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Lest some of your readers may consider your reports on Borough Council matters are reliable, I must enter a protest, and again ask your readers not to accept your reports of proceedings. Von have published a lot of matter in your last issue which is supposed to have taken place at the Council, where in fact it did not, and you have reported me as* having made statements which I never uttered. As an illustration of tliis, 1 would refer you to your report, where you state —“Advocating the claims of Wailiirorh, the Mayor said that lie thought the vjtovernment were disposed to construct a line from the *jiiar r " to the Waihirere station provided that the borough would undertake to pay the interest on the cost of construction.” The statement regarding the interest is quite incorrect, for I never made it, and would not, as it is quite contrary to what I regard as right in railway construction. Further, now you publish a concocted report of what a particular Councillor is supposed to have stated in answer to the Mayor’s figures. As the Mayor quoted no such figures, nor in fact any figures at all, regarding Waihirere, comment Ls needless. I realise, Mr. Editor, that it is possible you may have been in an awkdard position by having set up in type, a portion of a Councillor's speech before it was spoken. As lem aware you actually did this in one case at last Council meeting, you must pardon nv* I if I assume you did it in another. Hmv- | over. I would suggest it is a dangerous 1 practice to follow. j In concluding. Mr. Editor, I would ! remind you; that while you may con- ' j skier you have'some right or privilege ! to report a certain particular Coun-c-u----j lor in a way he should have spoken or ; he intended to have spoken, hut dio. not, you have no -right or. privilege to j report me as having spoken '“ord» or i figures winch 1 never uttered. —i am. W. DOUGLAS LYSXAR. i [Air. Lysuar's impertinence in asking | our readers not to accept our reports : as reliable will not surprise these who : are famili lr with his methods. The ! statement* attributed to Cr. Clayton . as h iving been made at ire meeting ! are correct in every detail. The figures I in regard to the Straker waggon ami | tramway comparisons are reported in ' the "Times” not .r- having be. h spoken • Cr. Clayton, but as -having been ! ‘"bid on the tab I '-” hv him. This act j made them public 'property, and j cordinglv we published them consul?r- ---: ing the .subject, nuuter of vital interest lat tlic present juncture. There is no- ; thing e-xi; ' r hi: vy in cur having nnvj ted a portion of Councillor Collins in--1 tended speech before the Council ot. i In connection witli the abattoirs quesj tion, Councillor Collins had prepared a j mass of figures relating to the price of meat, and as lie kindly placed these I at our disposal we had them set prior Jto the meeting. Recognising tint- the | proceedings of a Council which sits unj til nearly three in the morning make ! an undue tax upon a newspaper staff. | such a course is entirely reasonable, | and. although His "Worship may not j know, is quite in accordance with jourj ualistie practice throughout the Domij nion. It may be added that we supplied copies of these figures to Coun- | cillors for their convenience at the meeting. Mr. Lysnar’s assumption that some other figures quoted by another Councillor were also printed before the meeting is incorrect, | had they been made available to us wo should gladly have made u>o of them. His Worship is quite incorrect in Ins reference to Waihirere. He* did make the statements regarding the cost of bringing stone from that quarry to Gisborne, and also in regard to the Government construction of a line from Waihirere. which he now denies. We believe him to be conscientious in his denial, but Mr. Lysnar is not the first public speaker who has disliked the appearance of lias speech when it appeared in print the next morning, hut he will probably be excused on the present occasion, when it is remembered that discussion on the I’atutahi scheme took place.after midnight, when Mayor and Council alike were physically and' mentally fatigued.—Ed. G.T.j THE TRADES COUNCIL. [To The Editotu] Sir, —It was quite interesting to find in the ‘‘Times’’ this morning an array of correspondents all bent towards demolishing sueli an insignificant being as “Anti Humbug.” This storm in a teacup gives itself away and admits its own guilt by the attitude adopted. The quotation and reason in my former letter are again sufficient to answer Mr Hall, and evidently the ‘‘whisker bomb” forged by himself was levelled at dir. Catton, and points with what jealous denunciation the officers of the Trades and Labor Council view each other. With tluo grace the sa;d bomb was returned To Mr. Hail, and Mr. Cat ten takes bold of an instrument that was originally made for bis own undoing. I do not dispute with Mr. Cat-ton that it is impossible to have brains in the Trades and Labor Coum-il but I must ask liim ii that possibly exists. The fatherly advice he endeavors to give could be bettor .served to liim'sclf and co-correspond-ents. Taking the letters in order. No. .1 and 2 scent to have adopted the style ei the English parson whose policy was: “Do as I say and not as I do,” although Mr. Cat ton has in part recognised Wfe object I had in view, that some consideration should be given of the candidates who submit themselves as Trades and Labor . Council representatives—see that they are altogether conscientious of the principles that that body formulates and are not moved by self aggrandisement. If this is done this correspondence will not have been in vain. No. 3 indulges in a threat, and when individuals adopt this tone it is a sure sign of guilt, and it is with fear and trepidation • I await the awful eastigan that is proposed to be my lot from M.G.N. junr. Surely after my non; do plume proving such a name to conjure with, it should be all sufficient without having again to decline to give away mv birthright.—l am, etc., “ANTI HUMBUG.” IDS. I have always had respect for Mr. Catton and regret.that such as b* 7 should have to re-ign from the Trades and D-ibor t 'ouiu-il “ \ H