MR DARGAVILLE AND THE "HERALD."

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3547, 19 December 1881, Page 3

MR DARGAVILLE AND THE "HERALD."

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Kindly insert, tho accompanying letter, which wasrejeoted by the "Herald" on the pretence that it is "impertinent," I admit that the language used ia a trifle strong, but I ask you and the public to judge whether or not the circumstances warrant it. Had the brace of editors who supply the brains {save tho mark I) for the " Herald " been able to disprove a single statement in the letter, they would have been only too ready to have published it. The conduct of the " Herald," all through these elections, has brought the paper to a lower place than it ever before held in public estimation, which is saying a good deal. I warn Messrs Wilsons and Horton that unless they unharness the pair of weeds they at present drive, and put them to grass, public opinion in Anckland will soon find a better vehicle.—l am, etc., J. M. Dargaville. Auckland, 19th December, 1881.

[Per favour of the STAR.—To the Editor of the New Zealand " Herald."] Sir, —Your paper has persistently misrepresented my views and actions since I became a candidate for City West. Por instance : In a leader written immediately after my first meeting a fow week ago, you stated that I had become a Protectionist only on the eve of the election. When I subsequently proved to you, from your own reports of the Chamber of Commerce meetings for years past, and from letters of mine to the "Herald" over three years ago, that you wronged me, you were not generous enough cither to retract the false statement or to apologise for k. In the same leader you ray that 1 would abolish the property tax, but suggested nothing to replace it. Ia vain I showed yon, from the STAR report of my speech, that I distinctly proposed to reenact the laud tax as a substitute. You neither" retracted nor apologised tor that mis-statement.

After tho election was over, and even | though I had lepeatedly said at my public meetings, and was so reported in your own paper, that I would not support the present Ministry, you untruthfully describe me as a Ministerialist. In to-day's (17th) issue of the "Herald" there are two more false statements from your pen under the heading) "Snap Shots." One is that I concealed from the electors the fact of my being connected with the East Coast Land Company—the truth being that I very f ally explained the whole matter at my meeting in St, James's Eall,and am reported in the Star to have done so. The other false statement in to-day's " Herald " is that my friend, whom (to use your own choice language) I " helped to put in for a place up country "is also interested in the company. This last statement is, like the others, an unmitigated falsehood. Mr Mitchelson is in no way, directly or indirectly, connected with tbo company, nor docs he or any one belonging to him own a single share in it. Sir, how long is your present mean and cowardly method of disparaging an opponent to be followed? If you will only keep to the truth I shall be prepared for your hostility now or at any time. Your present course of conduct towards me is more degrading to the " Herald " than injurious tome.—Yours, &c, J. M. DAROAVIL-B. Anckland, 17th December, 1881.