CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8097, 28 September 1904, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE TELEPHONE INCIDENT.

(To the Editor.) Sir,— Once more that would-be self-ap-pointed champion of women in distress, the unknown "Indignant," from goodness knows where, has succeeded in to-days Eaper in making a conspicuous fool of imself. He says he never would have interfered if he had known who the mes senger was, and there he is evidentlj speaking the truth. In his first letter he talked bravely of horse-whipping and ducking, but when taken to task what an abject climb down— he has only pity now to give away. Referring to my last letter he writes: "He says ho gives mo the he direct. I care nothing for that, 1 only blush, etc." Of course; what else could be expected of a craven with a hide like a rhinoceros? Cowards can always skite until cornered, and then they generally take it lying down. "Indignant" starts his letter by childishly giggling at a name of which I am not ashamed, forgetting at the same time that he is not sufficiently manly to disclose his own. I gave him my name in good faith, thinking; that if ho wished to champion his cause further he could deal with me personally, and expected that if he had a particle of honor about him he would do the same, but no. "Indignant" evidently considers that the pen is mightier than the sword (it certainly is safer), and has descended t« Kurrilous personalities from behind his incognito, which is about as low as a man can fall when he has no control over himself and not a leg to stand on. Not being a man of letters like "Indignant, I do not know who "Old Gorgon Graham" was, but the mere idea of 'Indignant" attempting to write the truth would be sufficient to stampede anything. He next says: "Now the public have to judge for themselves, as matters have been placed before them.*' Except for the bare account of the Auroa correspondent, there have been no facts placed liefore the public, only statements by "Indignant" concerning my conduct, mix ed up with wraps and odds and ends of quotations, etc., which help to pad out his effusions and give them quite a literary appearance. "Indignant" refers to my question as to his right to interfere, hut fails to answer it. Until "Indignant" discloses his identity I decline to oiscubs what happened, but it is probable when a man is riding for the life of a dying child, with his horse knocked up, that he should abuse and swear at that which he considers his last hope. Then, again, if it was, as "Indignant" states, what were the postmistress, her husband, and the man->wh'o were both sleeping on the premises — doing at the time to allow it? And, lastly, why should they allow a week to go by without taking action, leaving poor, fatuous, unknown "Indignant" to make himself the laughing stock of the district? "Indignant, who isprobably living in the bush somewhere at the back of beyond, has evidently in his wanderings chanced uDon a molehill, and is now trying to fashion a mountain out of it to rival Taranaki.— l am, etc., VICTOR GIRAUD.

September 26.