MR MENTEATH AND THE REDUCTION OF MINERS' RIGHTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5809, 25 January 1887, Page 3

MR MENTEATH AND THE REDUCTION OF MINERS' RIGHTS.

[to the editor.] Sir, — As your valuable paper has a large circulation in this district, I shall deem it a great favor if you will kindly publish the following letter which I received by Friday's mail. Permit me, however, to state that I have watched closely the action of the writer, Mr Menteath, M.H.R., during last session of Parliament, and as a consequence am in a position to say, the reports he write* about, which apparently gained currency since he addressed the electo s here last December, Is utterly unfounded. I have unbounded confidence in the integrity of Mr Menteath to carry out his election pledges, and until I have reason on his part to alter my viewß I *hall be most happy to render every assistance in my power, especially where justice demands it, as in the present instance. — Yonrs respectfully, John Livingstone.^! No Town, Janua y 22nd, 1887. " Wellington, 16th January, 1887. "Mr J. Livingston, No Town, Grey Valley. "My Dear Sir, —l have been informed by a resident in your district that a report has been circulated among the miners there, that during the last session of Parliament I voted against the reduction of the price of miners rights. . I should not have troubled myself to notice such an absurd misrepresentation, had it not been for the fact that my informant, whose knowledge of current opinion in your district is beyond question, assured me

that the report is actually believed in certain quarters. This being so, I have to request of you as a lover of truth and fair play, to give the report the moat absolute denial, I feel assured that your personal knowledge of my opinions, votes and conduct, in the House of Representatives, would enable you to do this without further assurances on the subject from me, I am astonished that such a report should gain currency in your district, where the interest taken in politics iB very keen, and Barnard is widely circulated. The report is a malicious and mean falsehood, circulated no doubt by some one who would not give me the chance of contradicting it at my meeting in No Town, where I asked for the freest criticism on my past conduct and yet heard no whisper of this charge. Where was the man who now charges me with voting against the reduction of the price of miners' rights when I spoke at No Town recently. The charge is a very grave one. If true, I have violated my election pledges and am unworthy of the confidence of the electors. Why then did those who believe it keep silence at my meeting, and permit a vote of confidence to be passed in me 1 Sorely they must have kept silence or remained absent in order to circulate without fear of a crushing refutation a calumny which they knew they could not support. I will not enter here upon the grounds which have led me to consistently support the reduction of the miners' right. I will only say that, at my election, I pledged myself to support the reduction, and an honest man must keep his election pledges or resign. Let those who doubt consult Hansard.

"With kind regards, believe me, '•Yours very truly, " A. A. S. Menteath."