SEQUEL TO A PUBLIC MEETING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 695, 21 December 1909, Page 8

SEQUEL TO A PUBLIC MEETING.

' MEMBER REFUSES TO PRESENT'; •...: •..: - .'Petitions. : .; : "; v :'. ;•■;': The-.'following- telegrams '(-which 1 -speak 'for. themselves:)- have passed between Mr. Michel, Mayor of Hokitika, and , ■Mγ. UV Y'.ASeddon, Mil , ::-■■• : ' , •:■■■'■ ' - - : ■■-■■'■. <;•■-•-■•*. "H. L.'. -Miohel> Mayor, , Hokitjka,-rAs the convener tof • the public meeting; and as 'one who- higned tho'petition, I "desire to tell you that T' absolutely- refuse to identify itnysoH with two; such insulting'and illogical petitions. The intemperate ■ ■ language ; and slanderous statements' used at meeting were', not a credit to' anyone concerned,-and I regret'that'the peoplo* who- should ,have ,; taken-. a dignified" and reasonablo attitude ■ and produced sound - arguments; ' should havo pursued' such a course. You niay toll jour fellow petitioners that I will not present; the petitions.—(Signed) :' Thomas Seddon." ' ''"■■■; .• ■.'■•■ ■••'■■;'■ '• ;• . "Thomas Seddon, M.P., Wellington,—Your telegram to hand.': You do not appreciate tho position. ; 1 did conveno a public meeting at the request of 126 peoplo to consider, action of Government in refusing to allow tho waste wators of the' Coast to be used'for dovelopm6ht of the mining iudustrj-. Neither'the'meeting nor I had anything ■whateySi-"to'do vfith'the potitipn yon refer to. In regard to-the general iq'uestion, let me remind : -you that' the people have' been in constant communication With Government' for the last 'two years in reference to water power for alluvial 'mining. Ih spite of many promises that their repifesWntations_ would receive favourable consideration, nothing;has been' done, and many are leavirir the] district because there is no' possibility 'of its resources being dpveloped , under present 'conditions.' The.Rold-niiners,, in fact, are 'receiving :no consideration 'compared with ' the coal-miners. Xo wonder tho f speakers •at ; th» public meeting spoke strongly, but I feel, thai the people .do not, require 'lesson's from , you as to what is right'or dignified, while"! certainly think : it presumptuous for yon- to tell me my duty as a publib man. 'It eeoins that you have made such a fetish of party you put that Wore your duty to Westlarid. I cannot do'that.'Your'statement I. signed £he peHtion is not correct. Please in fntdro ■'■ make sure of :your facts before' using my name': • As ■■ -to yonr request that I should tell-the'people who signed the petition that you will not present it, please do this'yonrsolf. "You , :ore well-paid for doing so, lam not.—H. l; Micbol, Mayor "