DR. PURCHAS' ATTACK ON THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5999, 8 February 1881, Page 6

DR. PURCHAS' ATTACK ON THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—That the long, lachrymose, self condemning letter in yesterday's Herald" bearing the signature of Dr. Purchas, should hare emanated from a gentleman of his ase and experience is somewhat astonishing.' Endently he is not himself. He has grown afraid, poor man, of his own temerity, and is now overcome by his fears. He is bold enough to attack whilst he can wage his war under cover of unsigned memoranda; but when called upon to show himself, to' come out in the open and support his charses behold: our brave doctor begs leave to = retreat. Having iu a sort of private, covert way attacked the reputation of a public institution aud its masters, he is now disagreeably surprised (as he himself in effect tells us) at being asked to prove his accusation. Somehow or other this does not suit Drl Purchas. He hangs back, he shuffles, he asks, " Who is to be the examiner?" "How about -witnesses?" &c. Great heavens! if this man really has anything to testify" aud is ready to speak the truth, what does it matter to him "who is to be the examiner?" Seeing also from his own statement that he has been promoting this affair for the last seven months, why is lie not now ready with his evidence ? Is it possible a minister of religion, or even an ordinary Christian gentleman, should make serious accusations against others which he is unable to prove ? Why, even very common people, without any pretensions to being better than their neighbours, act upon a higner morality than this. Then Dr. Purchas complains it is not fair " That he should be called upon to bear the trouble aud expense (expense, indeed !) of producing evidence," &c. Why) who else should ? Is not Dr. Purchas the man who made the charges? Who else, then, ought to prove them? Dr. Purchas also, strange to say, appeals to the public to help him. Now, why on earth should the public help to bolster up Ms ease ? Did he consult the public when he made his charges ? Why, then, should the public now help him to support them ? No ; the public doubtless will show they have a finer sense of fair play than Dr. Purchas seems to possess ; and besides, they are hardly such fools as to allow our-wily doctor to use them as his eatspaws. Neithei dons this puerile crying to the public look well in the accuser; it is positively indecent. Grave charges have been made by Dr. Purchas. Now, in the name of all that's fair, let him prove them, and let the accused if found guilty, suffer. But on the other hand if Dr. Purchas have no proof to offer (as from his conduct seems to be-the ease) then let him the accuser confess his charges to be false and baseless, and let him also learn that he is not at liberty to trifle with the reputations of others -with impunity.— Yours, etc. Fair Play.