PEARSON v. LYSNAR

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10742, 13 November 1928, Page 6

PEARSON v. LYSNAR

(To the Editor.)

•Sir, —On page 10 of your Saturday issue, you devote a paragraph to reporting a slight difference between Mr.’ W. D. Lysnar and myself. Seeing . that half stories are liable to create wrong impressions, kindly allow rne to supply the missing portion the truth of which can be vouched for by your representative, and those Lysnar supporters who audibly approved’ niy expressed motive. The incident opened xvith Mr. Lysnar quoting his stock phrase, “Now for the extreme Labor platform,” at the' Same time lie picked up a small booklet, xvhich, according to Mr. Lysnar, purported to be the present Labor party platform. The moment Mr. Lysnar displayed that booklet, and before he had uttered one word as to the contents, I knew that he was at fault. 1, in a friendly manlier, asked Mr. Lysnar to permit me a momentai'y. glance at the booklet, my object being to confirm my conviction or dispel them by sunnlvimr an 0.K., a proceeding I would certainly have folloxved on a genuine matter.'" Mr. Lysnar refused me the favor, but asked the chairman, Mr. Blair, to conlirm the designating matter on the cover. My suspicions were' cbnfifmed and, to make my position clear I told the meeting my motive. That motive was approved by. a number of gentlemen, xvho are delinitelv non-Labor in their xdews. J., told -Mb*- Lysnar my desire was to protect him from a direct charge of deliberate misrepresentations, but, as -you knoxv, he chose to try and bluff/ his . way out as usual. Hoxv miserably lie failed the audience at Kaiti at least knoxv. Had Mr. -Lysnar read the whole contents of that booklet, he would have realised the truth of my statements. That particular booklet contains no .less than four planks of a past Labor platform —planks which have been adopted by the Reform Government, and are now law. " I think this fact disposes of Mr. Lysnar’s • jibe, about Labor’s need to revise its platform each year. I regret very much that I had not a copy of the genuine Labor platform at the moment. Hoxvever, after the meeting had closed, I privately • offered to secure for Mr. Lysnar a copy. His answer, in his oxvn words was, “This is the one,-I want, this will do me.” Bluff may be a good dog, but truth has the sharpest fangs, and bites deep xvlien it gets hold.—l am, yours etc.. SAM J. PEARSON.