MR WALTER IN REPLY. TO THK EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4537, 1 September 1876, Page 3

MR WALTER IN REPLY. TO THK EDITOR.

Sir—l am really grieved to think that I have been the innocent means of doing Mr Robert Gillies an injustice, or that he should so misconstrue the statement I made, for nothing was more foreign to my mind after the explanation vouchsafed to me by that gentleman. It is also a. pity that my language, as reported by the Daily Times, had not been fully quoted by Mr G. But hera it is:—"lt was rumoured that the article emanated from Mr Kobert Gillies, but he acquitted that gentleman of having written it, because he ' did not believe' that Mr Gillies would so deliberately pervert the truth as was done by the article in question." Now, I ask, is my language not explicit enough ? I had previously mentioned to several members of the Council that Mr Gilliea had denied to me the authorship of the article of the 18th inst. I also interrupted Councillor Isaac while speaking, and told him that Mr Gillies was not the writer. At the same time, had I understood that I had the " authority" of Mr Gillies to make a public denial on his behalf, I should : have done so. I have never had cause to regret meeting that gentleman on private or public

business, and therefore will leave him to reflect on his hastily-written letter, even though we may disagree as to the term "gentleman " Aa to the Editor's foot-note, like the subleader in this day's issue, they are spiteful and bordering on vindictiveness, and the latter not dealing in an argumentative manner with the subject matter of the article or my defence aa the late Mayor of the city.—l am, &c, Henry J. Walter. I August 31.