CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 257, 5 November 1897, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

REV. P. W. ISITT'S LETTER,

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Mr Isitt's letter is very extraordinary. I did not say in my letter to the newspapers that the correspondence was "refused" insertion in the "Prohibitionist," but that it had "received neither acknowledgment nor insertion." I posted the correspondence to the " Prohibitionist" on September 30th, and have the receipt for its registration so dated. Not until after the issue of the " Prohibitionist " dated October 16th, which neither acknowledged nor inserted the correspondence, did I send it to the public press. According to Mr Isitt's own showing if 1 had not done so it would have been at least six weeks before it would have received insertion, and at least two months from the date of the " Prohibitionist" containing the " Wellington Notes " which occasioned its being sent. As to Mr Isitt's challenge, it is ridicul .us, as he must know, to suppose that to gratify himself and me the persons who were present on '■ the King Country trip would incur the expense and trouble of going to Auckland trom Wellington and elsewhere, or come here from there, to give evidence, Avithout Avhich the inquiry would be useless I suggest to him that if he has proof that the visitation of the natives referred to was accompanied by or resulted in "debauchery," as in terms of the "Prohibitionist " quoted, he should give that proof in the public press, as I have quoted testimony to the contrary. The "Prohibi tiomst, through its " Wellington Notes " is responsible for having made a controversy colonial which was originally only local to Vl ellington. It is in no respect primarily a personal question but wholly one of delivering the Prohibition cause from respons_bihty for unfounded charges which cannot but recoil upon it, and have already greatly injured it.-I am, etc., -K-.n.* • _»-... E]DWARD Walker. Kilbirnie, Wellington.