ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 526, 27 August 1863, Page 6

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

THE ALLEGED CASE OF INHUMANITY TO THE FROST-BITTEN. {To the Editor ofthe Daily Tikes.) Six,—ln your issue of to-day I noticed a letter from Mr Miles, the driver of Cobb's coach, who refu»ecl to carry the sufferers by the late snow storm. lam therein charged with having made a'• slanderous Recusation" a°a;n>t him, and am described a^ a " foul calumniator." I should be content to leave this statement to the discernment of the public, had he not attempted to support it by a narrative of his own as far from the truth, as he dared venture io write. I deem it my duty to myself and those present at the public meeting, whereat Mr Miles's conduct was so deservedly and unanimously censured, to request your insertion of the " plain unvarnished tale" if what really t:ok place. an! my party had been but a short time at the tent where ihe two sufferers were lying Avhen COW 3 coach arrived. Sergeant M'Clusky, in a very civil and uiet manner,-requested Mr Miles to take the two sick men along, Avbicb be refused to do. Finding the Sergeant unsuccessful, I myself tiied to get the two men in, by offering two cf the passengers five pound.-; each for their seats. One inside passenger then vo'ur.tecrcd to give up his seat, if I would find. Lim a h-.ise, but Mr Mi'es" interfered, saying " He'd be. if he would allow i, and that he was not going to have a sick man in his coach." I then told him if he would carry one (the worst one) I" would s nd four able men oa horsatack to assist the coach when necessary, and told bim it was a matter of life' or death, he replied that he did not care a -, and said it was nothing .to them whether they lived or di* . There were about a dozen persons present, besides Sergeant M'Clusky and myself, and they, one and all, expressed tbeir disgust at the heartless language, (is well ns the inhuman conduct, of Mr Miles. Whether he acted rightly or otherwise in refusing to admit the sufferers into the coach, no one will deny that nick language from the mouth of a "public servant" as he styles himself, is in the highest degree , censurable. The contemptible spirit evinced in seeking to drag ihe proprietors forward to screen him by their good name from fhe just consequences' of his conduct, Avill no doubt, be fully appreciated by your readers. It needed no sophistry on his part to satisfy the public that Cole, Hoyt and Co., were entirely free from any possible blame in the matter, and from my knowledge of the firm, I am sure that no one will .regfet more than themselves, the inhumanity of one of theu* emplojfo. . , ' ' In conclusion, I may. say that in. this letter ••'I nothing extenuate nor aught set down in malice," and challenge any one present on the occasion to contradict my statement. ' , . lam &c;, ~ CHAEIES KOAVIiET. unedin, 26th August.