FAVOURTISM IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXIII, Issue 274, 5 December 1899, Page 2

FAVOURTISM IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

THAT SOfll(ii CERTpGi|E.S v THE MAIL^HiiyiGIL THE EXPOSED JtißS.

Mr Graham advertises in his organ today repeating his " acceptance " of " the original challenge of the ' Evening Mail/ published on Wednesday, November 29." He still refers to Judge Robinson as the arbitrator, omitting to mention ' that he like us, has received a letter from Mr Robinson declining to act. „.-._ The " Mail's " original challenge as published on Wednesday was aa follows— " Now, we hereby give to Mr Graham the following straight out challenge: If- he can produce a certificate showing that the boy has passed the Fourth Standard, as he states, or if (in the event of the certificate being lost), he can produce any documentary evidence from the Education Office to the effect that the boy had passed the Fourth Standard, we undertake to honourably withdraw the whole, of the charges we have made in this connection, and furthermore we promise to give to the Hospital and Ch*aritable Aid Board the sum of ten pounds sterling." The challenge was also formulated and advertised in the --001011181/' with the time extended from day to day till last evening. Legally, and by sporting law, as Mr Graham had not accepted the original challenge, our formulated challenge is the one he must accept, but let that' go. Let him, if he can, produce a certificate shmcing -i.e., proving— that the boy has passed the Fourth Standard.

The niece of paper he will produce tonight will be the invalid document obtained from Miss Sunley by misrepresentation, and which she has repudiated in the appended letter, which we republish: — To the EniTon of tee " Evening Mail."

Sir— The testimonial or so-called certificate which I gave to the lad David Gordon Burns I signed without verifying the fact that he had passed the Fourth Standard in the school records, but merely on the strength of the boy's and Miss Graham's assertion that he had done so.

GEORGIANA F. SUNLEY, Head Mistress, Hampden-street School. Nelson, December 1, 1899.