The Temperance v. Eight Hours Demonstration.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 4192, 23 November 1883, Page 3

The Temperance v. Eight Hours Demonstration.

(To tho Editor.)

Sik,—l have no wish to prolong ad infinititin this wranglo about tho 2Uth January, but should feel obliged if you would allow a few words in reply to thnt peculiar epistle of your correspondent, " W. J. Macdermott." "W. J. M." is careful to givo you only part of tho conversation which occurred botweon us on tho morning after they had Bottled upon Regatta Day for their Demonstration. *1 expressed my surprise at tho selection, on account of the Eight Hours Demonstration having that day, wbqn lie at once said it had been entirely forgotten. Ho then said '■ You have not selected that day for tho coming Demonstrationf" I said "Of courso it had not been finally settled, because tho Committee had not met, but tho decision of tho last Coinmittpe was that no day suited us and Q«r employes so well, and it was then decided that RW Demonstration would in futuro bo hold on that day," which is borne out in Mr Middleton's letter in your yesterday's impression. Tho statement tb'afc tho delegates "attended the meeting" and found only thrco persons present Is an absoluto falsehood, as I met tho deputation on tho first landing at the Working Men's Club, and told, with no other person being presont, that there would bo no meeting, We wore standing at the reading-room door, and tho delegatos may have thought it was the committee-room and tho readers committeemen j but the fact is we did have a meeting, at which six trades were represented. "W.J.M.'s" solicitation for the watermen is amusing, as the peculiar circumstane'es surrounding their calling renders it impossible for them to give tho least consideration to the Eight Hours movement. I would merely reiterato to " W.J.M." that one would suppose the 29th was tho only holiday. I certainly was in error in stating that the ground had been secured, but the interview had with Mr Mumford by Mr Heslop led him to believe that it was secured, as Mr Heslop offered part or all of the money, when Mr Mumford said it was not necessary, as ho would not let anyone else have it without previously consulting him. I shall not trouble you farther, Mr Editor, about tho matter, as I am quite willing to leave the decision of who has the greatest right to the day to that public who afforded the Eight Hours Demonstration such generous support last year, and for whose. 0 amusement wo so successfully catered,—l am, etc,, ."" Okas. B, Kino.