MR DUTHIE AND AIR HISLOP.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6491, 10 April 1908, Page 5

MR DUTHIE AND AIR HISLOP.

(To the Editor "N.Z. Times.") ' Sir, it is, X must admit, a task to lay hold of Mr ilisiop, and still more <li—.cuit to hold him fuse. Alter his epeeches and letters, with their intended application to Air Aitken and myself, tius tickle fiend denies one half and seeks fresh proof for the balance, and ■tnis with un air of the most innocent »aug iioid, l fear to reply would weary your readers, while exhausting your epace and my patience; so, having accomplished what X sought, 1 leave the controversy in its present position for tho public to form their own conclusions. . X would only add that when accusing Air Xiislop, as Mayor, of inertness and lost opportunity over Heath's estate, 1 had no knowledge that Jus partners were the estate agents. However, that in no way justified him in failing to apply the same .Public Works Act with which the Council threatened me, and if report as to the amount paid for it by speculators be only approximately true, then there is blame somewhere, lie further denies responsibility for the misuse of partnership information. Surely, to avoid further intricacies of tho sort, ho should furnish the public with a code over these relations. So that all may be understood. Turning to more pleasing matter*. In speaking at the Taita dinner last night. I recalled the time when in England imprisonment followed the shooting of a hare, and hesitatinglysuggested that transportation was also a punishment for such an action. Your reporter makes me include ‘‘hanging" as a punishment, so please allow me to correct the latter.—l am, etc., JNO, DUTHIE. April 9th.