THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS' ASSOCIATION AND MR D. D. MACDONALD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10620, 16 March 1896, Page 3

THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS' ASSOCIATION AND MR D. D. MACDONALD.

TO THE EDITOR. SIR,—As you have published curtail) false attrl malicious statements made by Jlf MecflOiiiUd when addressing the court at Baldutba id thß Case (Stewart v. M'Keozie and other*, I trust that you will afford tho opportunity of » reply thereto.

Mr Haedonald is reported to hare Said that the association urged Mr M'Kenzie to appeal to the Appeßl Ouuct against Mt Justicfe Wiliiams's deoision re the granting oE Wholesale Hcstiseß in the Clatha district* and also that tile ns?ociatioa would bear a jortion of the eXpstise of doing so. Now, so far from this being the fact* it was Mr M'Kenfeie and others resident in the Clutha district who urged the nssooi&lion to. lake up the case, and s»id that they would subscribe to the expanses; but the association, for very good reasons, refused to do co, add the association has never during the whole transaction consented or thought of consenting to pay any part; of the expenses. In fact the aseocintion as ad association has taken hardly any part in the whole affair.

Failing to get the association to net, H'Ketzie and cthsrs importuned Mr 6rosuslis.de to bieoine a surety with two others fnr the costs of tile appeal—that is io say* if M'Keuzie loijb the appeal, Me Green6ls.de and the two Others w«ro to pay the costs of the other eide. a condition imposed by the court before allowing the appeal. Mr Greeiulade only consented to become such a surety provided tbat the wholesale dealers or others subscribed nuffi.iiertt to plotect him in case of lon. Mr M'Konzie Liiii-r-elf got up the required subscription, and Mr Greenslade became sarcty. The case was taken bo the Appeal Court and wont aud therefore, as there were no cosha to pay to the other side, Mr Gfeenslatte and his co-floreties and the subscribers became released.

Th'ia is t'ae whole affair. The aesoclfttioh never undertook anjtbibg, and Mr Greehslade him tulutled his paraonal undertakibg. Now, what is it that Mr M'Kenzie asks the association to do ? In condnctiug the appeal he incurred costs with his own solicitor to the amount of £98 IBs 10:1 (the costs of applying for bis wholesale license b=ing included in this amount), and the other side had to pay £77 2s, leaving a balance due to his solicitor of £21 IB* lOd. ( Mr M'Ksnzle how coolly catla upon tbe osßOciation to pay this balance. I'he claim is simply amazing in its impudence when we ebri r Bitier thßt neither Mr M'K*nzio nor any of those enabled. to get. wholesale licenses by the success of tbe appeal nor any of those in the Clutha district who promised support have paid one single penny towards the expenses.

Mr Macdonald has chosen to dr&w on his imagination for his facts, and on tboto imagining facts has Been ut to abuse the associatidn. He concluded his addre's by th-eaten-ings proceedings against Mr Greonßlttde and the secretary of this association, but he forgot to state to the court how he had already endeavoured to sqneeze the £21 16s 10d oub of the association by.methods particularly dark ftdd peculiarly his own. He forgot to state that he had already issued summonses agaiDbt some members of the association, which were to come oil for heariD(» On the day ho made bis abusive address; but which, when he heard that the association Were determined to resist hi? slaitn, and more particularly his method? of making it, he hastened to withdraw) and did withdraw. Having thus secured the absence of this association's solicitor from court, Mr Macdonald bravely abuses the ntßcciatiOnj ill order, I suppose, to put himeelf right in tbe eyes of his misguided client, M'Kenz;e. Mr Macdonald again bring proceedings ! He knows better.—'l ftm, &c, , John Welts, Hon. Secretary O.L.V.A. Onnedin, March 14. t