MR DUNCAN AND THE LIVINGSTONE RAILWAY. TO THE EDITOR.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6137, 25 August 1886, Page 3

MR DUNCAN AND THE LIVINGSTONE RAILWAY. TO THE EDITOR.

Sic, — Kiudly allow me a small space in your valuable paper so that I may answer some of the sta'emen's made by Mr Reid in his letter of Saturday last.

In the first place, I never "aid that Mr Reid had anything to do with advocating any particular route for the Livingstone line. My remarks in the House were in answer to a very bitter speech made by Mr Rollestou, the member for Geraldine, in which he denounced the action of the Minister of Public Works for letting a contract on this line, although Mr Richardson had previously stated ia (be House that be intended to let the contract:, and no one objected. Mr Rolleeton's speech may be found in Hansard, No. 21, Bnd there it will be seen that he denounced the Minister for doing a great wrong, as the Livingstons line was not the least objectionable one in the Loan Bill. In answering that speech I bad no intention of making any remarks in reference to Mr Reid, except to fix my denunciations of the Hall Government. I was endeavoring to show that the Government, of which Mr Rolleston was a member, had really committed the blunder for which he was blaming others, and that the present Minister was only trying to complete the line to a pajiDg point. I think it will be admitted that, as the Hall Government were guilty of putting this line in the wrong pLce and of spending nearly L 30,000 upon it, Mr Bollestoa was as inconsistent as he was behind time in finding fault with the small expenditure proposed to make hiß Government's outlay of some service.

Now for Mr Reid's denial. Mr Reid has not denied what I said about the price of his land, and what I said can be borne out by investigation I freely admit that I was in error in stating that Sir John Hall was Mr Reid's guest when he was on a visit of inspection in connection with the Livingstone line. Mr Reid's disavowal convinces me. But whether he was or was not Mr Reid's guest is a matter which for my purpose is of very small importance. Such an evidence of friendship was not needed in order to prove my case against the Hall Government, and indeed I only mentioned the matter incidentally. My inaccuracy is only another proof of the unreliability of rumour on which we are all too ready to depend. But it was freely stated at Ngapara at the time that Sir John Hall promised openly to the Ngapara people, that if they would vote for Mr Reid the line would be gone on with at once. This act of Sir John's wes only one of a number of acs of bribery perpetrated by the Hall Government, for it was no secret that Mr Reid intended to support that Government, and on this Sir John reckoned when he made his improper proposal. If any body is chargeable with contemptible conduct, it is surely not the person who makes known such a wrong but the perpetrators of it.

Mr Reid charges me with boastfulness about uuy election ; but was it not something of which to boast to beat a man of Mr Reid's intelligence and social standing, with all the Government influence and all the moneyed powers against me 1 I must say I felt when I was choeen by the electors of Waitaki lo represent them that I had something of which to feel proud, and that feeling has clung to me and urged me on to do my duty to the best of my ability.

Now, as to Mr Reid's assertion that bad it not been for a serious blunder on the part of those who were entrusted with the preparation of the electoral roll, he would have been returned by a considerable majority, I have but little to cay. 1 always had An idea that Mr Reid lost his election for want of votes, but I had no suspicion that a registrar was responsible for the registering of votes that are sent in too late. Mr Reid reminds me of the school boy who would have passed the examination or won a game of marbles if I 100 lost a large number of votes, because settlers put off registration till the last moment, and thus failed to get their names on the roll. Had it not been for this circumstance my majority would have been much larger, but this ia idie t ilk, and no genuine satisfaction comes of dealing in ifs and buts.

Here I have only to add that it is singularly unjust: and ungenerous of Mr Reid to blame persons for his misfortune who are innocent yet cannot utter a word in eelf defence. However, I have no quarrel with Mr Reid, and it is evident that all the corruption was on the side of Sir John Hall, who after having been in the district and ascertaining Mr Reid's mind, would insist, contrary to that gentleman's desire, in putting the railway through his estate and paying him LlO per acre for the land taken for the purpose.

I never charged Mr Reid with attempting to get the line through bia land, and never even thought of such a thing, and it was quite unnecessary that he should defend himself against an imaginary accuser and an imaginary accusation. My speech was really a very innocent affair, and was not intended to hurt anybody except Mr Rolleston and hia late colleagues, wbo deserved much more than they got.

Thomas Duncan.

The first lady surgeon qualified in Great Britain has just beeu invested wi'h the lettrrs testimonial vt the Irish College of Surgeons under the new powers graded to it by its charter of 1885. The iady is Mrs Maty Emily Dawson, wife of a gentleman who is practising as an engineer in London. She obtained her education at the London School of Medicine for Females, and produced all the evidences for study required by the London College of Surgeons, besides her diploma of L.K.Q. 0.P.1., which ahe had already obtained. In America medical women are numbered not by tens but by hundred*, and their practice both among private patieuts and in hospitals is of the most exteneive kind. In 1881 no IeBS than 470 women were known to have taken medical degrees (exclusive of graduates of ee'ecic and homoeopathic schools), and in reply to circulars of enquiry rather more than 300 full answers were received, and some information obtained about 130 more. Of these 430 women 390 are found to be engaged in active practice. These women are scattered over twenty-sir states of the Union, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts having the largest number.

[For continuation of ITewe, ccc $ag» 4.)