CORRESPNDENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1701, 6 May 1886, Page 2

CORRESPNDENCE.

AN EXPLANATION. (TO THR EDITOR OF THE STANDARD.) Si X) — Permit me, through your columns, to correct a slight error or two, contained m Mr Ferguson's letter, which appeared m you issue of last night. Mr Ferguson state.* " that two charges were laid against him by Messrs Woodroofe and Walton." Now, Sir, as it takes a food man, at . the present time, and under existing circumstances, to defend himself, I shall only Bpeak on my own behalf. In the first place, I did not charge Mr Ferguson and others with having examined the ballot papers after the meeting of householders. In your report of the Committee meeting on Monday evoning, it reads as follows : — "Mr Walton remarked that he was sorry to hear that some persona had remained behind after the close of the householders' meeting to count the ballot papers, which the scrutineers had by Rome means left behind them. He stated that Messrs Ferguson, Wright, and Watson had been observed m the school-house long after the meeting had closed. It must have been then 11 o'clock." Mr Ferguson cannot possibly term the foregoing a charge. But, when two dejply- : nterested caadidateg remained behind on an occasion of the kind, a pleasant half-hour could be devoted m studying character from the hand writing. In the second place, I did not charge Mr Ferguson with having actually gone to Roman Catholics to secure their attendance at the meeting. In this instance I am not correctly reported. I distinctly stated, 11 That I knew for a fact that Mr Wright had actually endeavoured to secure the attendance of Roman Catholics at the meeting of householders." Members of the committee will bear me out m this statement. For my own oart, if my election depended upon the Presbyterian vote, I would never stand up to be knocked down. I am quite satisfied that a Catholic vote could be depended upon. Without, I trust, digressing, allow me to state, that on all occasions, meetings for the elections of school committees m Palnierston North have been packed ; as Mr Wqodroofe very correctly stated, by Presbyterians, and not by bushmen and sioagsmen, as stated by Mr Ferguson. I hope I have not tresspassed too much on your valuable space, but were the privilege granted, nothing would afford me greater pleasure than to monopolize all your columns for one issue, on the question of Education Boards and . School. Committees. I trust my explanation will be deemed sufficient by Mr Ferguson that I have made no charge against him. And I can assure him that I am m no way responsible for the meeting being packed with bushmen and swaggers ; at the same time, nothing could have afforded me greater pleasure than to see them present, at an intellectual treat of that kind.— l am, &c. T. R. Walton. Fitzherbert Road, May sth. 1886.