BRIBERY AND NO MISTAKE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1297, 3 June 1880, Page 2

BRIBERY AND NO MISTAKE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE OAMARU MAIL.

Sir, —" No Prevarication," whose letter appears in this day's Times, accuses mo of telling only half the truth, and yet Mr. John Reid's apologist is guilty of precisely the same fault. For instance ho attempts to explain the matter by saying: " A member of the Maheno Public Hall Committee asked Mr. Reid whether, seeing he was in favor of abolishing the honorarium, he would be willing to give a portion of it to help to defray the debt on their public hall. Mr. Reid said ho would be very happy to give a donation towards such a worthy object." Now, Sir, this is only part of the truth, Mr. Reid's apologist has forgotten to mention that Mr. Reid's promise of a subscription was only conditional on his being elected. This makes a very wide difference. Had Mr. Reid at once drawn a cheque for a subscription in aid of the hall, few would have found fault with him, though they might have questioned the propriety of so doing just as an election was being held ; but the case is rendered quite different by the stipulation that the subscription would only be given in case of election. If this does not look like bidding for votes then lam sadly mistaken. If you vote for me, I will give you a handsome donation. This is the manner in which I understarid the matter. However Mr. Reid may rest assured that he will not have to pay the subscription, and the Maheno Public Hall Committee must look elsewhere for funds to pay off the debt on their building for, Mr. Reid will not be eleoted.—l am &c., No Bribery. June 2, 1880. TO THE EDITOR OP THE OAMARU BFAIE. Sir, —Your correspondent " Enquirer" asks for information which I presume it is not in your power as editor to give.— That being the case, I thought it would not be out of plaoe to offer a few suggestions to this Irishman, who feels agrieved at seeing those odious distinctions made between persons of different nationalities in this new country. I would then say, if he be anxious for special information on the subjects of his letter, let him write to the chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of New Zealand in Wellington, stating his grievances, and complaining that. from the National Bank, Oamaru, there has issued an advertisement slighting his poor nationality, and requiring him to investigate the matter and lay the subject before the next annual meeting of the shareholders of the National Bank. This matter seems to concern the shareholders of the Bank for if the Bank business suffers through inviduous class distinctions of a certainty the dividend becomes less for the shareholders ; moreover if the Teport get abroad that the officials or those belonging to them who work for the Bank slight and insult a large portion of the community, the result will be that the National Bank throughout the Colony may lose a large amount of business owing to the bitter and insulting treatment given by the bank officials to those who may be dealing with them in the bank's establishments. Trusting he will take these suggestions in good part. I am, &c., A Lover of Harmony,