THE MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 160, 31 March 1908, Page 6

THE MAYORALTY.

. ■ Yesterday, in/"order tq clear up at once .arid for all. time the disputed points in the controversy on the City's sinking fund investments, which has taken so , prominent a- place:. in the Mayoral contest,- we published: a series of questions which- had been submitted to •;us .as requiring elucidation. We offered Mr. "Hislop space to reply to these, 'at the same time pointing out that one '.of the questions was superfluous, but as Mr. Hislop might prefer to answer every possible' point involved, ,we. permitted it to remain in the list. We publish elsewhere letters from Mr. Hislop, and liis .legal partner, Mr./ Brandon, in which those gentlemen freely express . their opinions: on the questions submitted. It would be idle to ignore the fact that one of the questions, that; relating to the possibility of an arrangement between the partners,. is • offensive if treated with seriousness. It would be equally idle to ignore the fact that 1 a public man cannot afford to leave riny loophole for criticism in a matter, of the nature under, review. 'Despite our comment and our explanation of the reason for permitting! the inclusion, -of the question referred to, Mr. Hislop appears .to imagine' that we approved the question. We can appreciate his feelings in the matter, and we are riot surprised at his indignation. To .be perfectly plain, we believe that the suspicion is quite as groundless as Mr. Brandon declares it to be, and that such an arrangement , as suggested by tliis particular question would be wholly repugnant to, the firm.' But a public man . cannot afford to indulge in the luxury of silent contempt, and since Mr. Hislop has declined to discuss the subject,.'it will be a matter for general satisfaction that his partner has given the suggestion so prompt a contradiction.- ;