MR CARGILL AND CAVERSHAM COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 7308, 5 September 1887, Page 4

MR CARGILL AND CAVERSHAM COUNCIL.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sir,— Your readers must sur.-ly be sick of the controversy between tho Caversham Council and myself. I am compelled to return to it by tho re-publication in your issue of this evening of tho correspondence as furnished by Mr Bragg, which appeared as furnished by me in your issue of 261h uit., but with the curious and important difference that tho two letters upon which tho whole queotion depends, viz., mine of July 7.1834, rosnonding to that from tho Council of 5 iilem, and setting forth tho precise terms of my agreement, and tho letter in reply from the town clerk oi date 18 Idem, acknowledging tho same, and conveying the thanks of the Council for the manner in which I had mot them. These two letters are dropped out—omitted! The letters of May 17, 1884, which 1 did not think worth referring to, throw a little more light upon the rocky knoll. It is true, as stated in my letter of that” date, that tho Counoii at first proposed to purchase that at the same price as land opposite I had previously placed v-lue upon it as a beautiful site, when levelled down, for a coffee or refreshmenthouse in connec ion with the baths, but on its being pointed out by the Council that its use for any such purpose would be highly objectionable as overlooking and destroying tho privacy of the baths, I acknowledged the cogency of the argument, and agreed that it should ho reserved to the public so that it might never be built upon, and there it stands. Tho Council might have had it dedicated or convoyed at once, but they did nothing far twelve months clear, and when at tho end of that period the Council woke up it found that Government had laid hands on it and the adjoining land for tho battery. What had I to do with that?—l am, etc., E, B. Caudill. Dunedin, September 1. [We omitted the letters mentioned by Mr Cirgill because they had already been published as an appendix to one of his own letters.—Eu. E.S ] TO THU EDITOR. Sir,— ln If st evening’s issue a local appeared, evidently inspired, which stated “that tho Mayor this morning directed tho borough solicitorto lodge caveat it necessary, in the matter of tho bench road.” What the advantage is of lodging a caveat now may be left for the solicitor to advise. As the whole mitter has been brought up as an “electioneering dodge”—evidineed by tho (act that the Caversham”Council never appointed a deputation to wait on the Premier, or anyone else, in the mitter -it may not bo rut of place to inform the Caversham electors that in 1885 their then member (Mr William Barron) caused memoranda of the Council’s claim to bo attached to all papers In tho Government departments, and that tho Council have full correspondence as to these memoranda In (he possession of tho town clerk. Tho rights of tho Council and of the Borough were never in any way jeopardised. Any action or inaction on tho part of Mr Oa'gill had and could have no effect on tho position cf mutters after tho time the land w.cs taken by proclamation, for the Government had full nolice cf tho claim cf the Borough. The mud in which the Mayor of Caversham and the “ popular " candidate have enveloped themselves is, though very unsavory, tho product and creation of their own ill-advised haste and spleen. " These bo they who desire to rule us.”—l am, etc., St. Clair. Cavorsham, September 3. TO TUB EDITOR. Sir,— The triangular duel now being carried on in your columns over the St. Clair toad-lino may be alike interesting and amusing to your readers, but I doubt if any benefit to the ratepayers of this district is likely to arise therefrom. Tho prevailing opinion is that it would have been much better for Mr Cargill to have entered an action for libel against Messrs Rutherford and Bravg, than to have entered into correspondence with them, expecting to got fair treatment from men who, with others, had acted from tho first in an unscrupulous manner. Faith, I fancy I see our Mayor sued in his private name, William Bragg. I'll guarantee it would take jiis bounce out of him. As to Mr Rutherford—well, ho knows no fear, and I believe is never happy excepting when he has his war paint on. There are men in tho district who oan remember Mr W. Bragg boasting at tho time how nicely they—the Council—had done Mr Ca-gill, and some who were councillors in those days could testify as to the difference of opinion that existed between the members of tho Counoil as to the meaning of words or expressions used by Mr Cargill, and how the contention ended by the Council leaving to the members of the ward, i.c. South Ward, to taka their own way, and get whatever seemed good for them.—l am, etc., Elector. Caversham, September 2.