THE MUTUAL AGENCY COMPANY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8359, 6 December 1888, Page 4

THE MUTUAL AGENCY COMPANY.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —With reference to Mr Driver's letter, we have simply to say that at the late meeting of the company we ha i a very unpleasant duty to perform. One of us, scting as chairman, endeavoured, so far as was possible, to avoid personalities and deal lightly with Mr Driver's connection with the company—the other, constrained to do so by Mr Driver's indiscreet references to his own affairs, had to explain what really had taken place with regard to him, and thus what might have been avoided was brought about solely by Mr Driver's reckless disregard of the delicacy of his position. As it was out disagreeable duty to have to correspond with Mr Driver on the subject of these advances in such a strain as must, no doubt, have caused him as much pain as it did ourselves, we will not now refer to it more than is necessary to say that this correspondence effectually demonstrates how misleading, how disingenuous, is the second paragraph of his to-day's letter, wken he seeks to establish the conclusion implied by the remark,"that every transaction with my firm was shown in these statements, &c, &c," without any reference to what took place between these meetings, and which gave rise to the correspondence referred to.

It ;s quite true, as Mr Driver says, that the company eventaaliy got a settlement with him. without the loss of a penny, and bnt for his very unnecessary reference to the matter there would have been no occasion for us to vindicate our position by showing that he had no right to shield himself by attempting to appropriate our sanction for proceedings which necessitated the adoption of vigorous measures, and which led to the very happy result we equally agree ia congratulating ourselves upoo.—Yours, &c, A. Lee Smith. December 5. Alex. C. Begg.