TRAMWAYS BILL.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14811, 31 October 1913, Page 4

TRAMWAYS BILL.

—4t- • TO THE.EDITOR OF "THE rBESB." Sir,—ln yotir issue of October 28th you publish a letter written by Mr Flesher, chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board, and which also appeared in the "New Zealand Times" last Saturday.; May I ask you to print •my reply, which was published in the same paper on tho 27th inst. ? By so doing you will oblige,—Yours, etc., T. H. I>AVEY. Mr Davey opens his letter with some strong references to Mr Flesher, and proeeedfi:—. Only last week, at a conference of members of Parliament / representing Christehuich and contiguous electorates, and members of the Christchurch Tramway Board, held in tho House, 1 asked Mr Flesher if he really believed I made tho statement attributed to mc, or whether he considered ho was justified in using such an argument in order to bolster irV his miserable opposition to the Bill. Though obviously unnecessary, I told Mr Flesher that I never made the statement quoted by him. and referred him to my uncorrected "Hansard" proof. I also very plainly told him just what I thought of a man who could play such a part, henco his misleading letter to ycu. What shall be said of a man who r.erEetuates an unworthy attack, when c knew, without' my denial, that I had never used the words attributed to mo? And when I tackled him, in the presence of others, he never attempted to justify or defend his conduct, except to mutter that tho report had not buon contradicted. T also informed him that any statement "I made in the House regarding the number of accidents resulting from the use of the footboard in Christchurch had been supplied by the executive of the Christehurph Tramway Employees' Union, and offered to show him the secretary's wire. Why should Mr Flesher ouoto the Board's accident record for threo years -when he was replying to my statement covering tho period since the inception of the Christchurch electrical system, and which was supplied by the workers themselves? Mr Flesher's attitude regarding the Tramway Bill will be long remembered by 'all fair-minded men, and will not be forirotten by yours truly, T. 11. Davey.