CORRESPONDENCE CONDENSED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10731, 20 February 1897, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE CONDENSED.

Committeeman resuscitates a circular issued by Mr J. F. M. Fraser in 1894, when last a candidate for election to the Education Board, and contrasts* his action since with his profes. sion in the circular. The "mere secretary," of the circular, with Mr Fraser's a&isfcanee has now more pay and less work, though Mr Fraser professed his intention of effecting a reduction. Mr Fraser said he belonged to the " new blood," and that the secretary had "leased one of the members for life." Thafc member has been disposed of by the committees, and Mr Fraser has been "leased for life." Mr Fraser promised to give educational advantages to the country, and the St. Clair School is evidence of his sincerity. Mr Fraser termed Messrs,Clark, Borrie, and M'Kerrow the " official" party. Who has kept that party, in power ? Mr Fraser said he had no desire to displace Mr MacGregor. He got in under Mr MacGregor's wing, and has betrayed him and the "unofficial" party on every occasion sa^e when they might be made subservient to himself.

M. Finnerty (who is apparently the owner of the land on which are situated the Nicol's Creek Waterfalls) takes exception to our remarks whea commenting on the Hon. Mr Duify'B utterances ou the subjecfc of our natural beauties. Mr Finnerty asserts j that for years there has been a good road to the falls; and in reply to our remark that a private person has been allowed to get possession of the land on which they are situated, says the reason ia thafc "so long aa you [the "you" presumably being the public] have Deen allowed to go scot free you did cot care who the falls belonged to." Mr Finnerty further says that for years local residents have been allowed to destroy aud carry away ferns and ajl thafc goes fco make the place lovely, until it is almost denudsd, during all which time we have never complained of the road being bad or advocated the spending of a single penuy in their improvement.

Miss M. M'CAOTHr, of Naseby, considers herself aggrieved by some remarks, in a letter to the Education Board from Messrs Tnder and Cutten, some weeks since, in which complaint; was made of fche alleged action of Mr Malcolm, head master, in connection with the local option poll. The specific words complained of in the letter are: " Miss M'Carthy spends a great deal of her time making a canvass in favour of prohibition." The letter was published in ths Duoediu newspapers, and the whole matter was referred to editorially by us in a general and impersonal manner dealing with the regulation on the subject made by the board. Miss M'Carthy now asks us to publish the correspondence between herself and Mr Cutten, one of the firm from whom the letter to the board emanated. We have not space for this, but append a precis of ifc:—The letter in question was dated December 2, 1896, and on January 11 Miss - M'Carthy asks for a withdrawal of the statement. Mr B. C. Cutten replies on January 18 that the ietter was merely written on instructions, and advises Miss M'Carthy to let the matter drop, and if afc auy future time an explanation from him is likely fco be of any value he. will be happy to make it. Miss M'Carthy replies on February 1 thafc, while publicity has been given to the misstatement, no contradiction has yet. appeared; alao, thafc as Mr Cutten was ready to make an explanation, she would be glad if he were to do so ab once, seeing that he might nofc be afc hand when fche necessity arose. Mr Cutten replies on the same date, and repeats that his firm acted under instructions, and he offers no opinion as to the correctness or incorrectness of the statement upou which the board took no action. He submits that ifc is Miss M'Carfchy's business to contradict auy statements made in the letter to the board, and he repeats his assurance thafc the said statement? were not made of his own knowledge. On February 11 Miss M'Carthy expresses her dissatisfaction with the reply, and thinks it would have been no more than the act of a gentleman to accept her assurance thafc she did not act as stated. Miss M'Carthy concludes by intimating that unless a satisfactory apology be made she will publish the entire correspondence.

A Clutha Womax replies to "Humanity," and says thafc the embers of the prohibition fad do nofc require fanning into vitality. "Eumanity" mistakes the character of the true prohibitionists if he thinks the cause will fail while they have life and breath. It is not necessary to stage any new drama while every other day a pitiful drink tragedy is presented. The writer asks whether humanity lies in merely hiding a disease or in doing our best to restore the patient to health. There are so many weaker brethren and sisters to save that in attempting it the prohibitionist is a patriot aud lover of his country. And with respect to the sisters the writer asks whether there is any connection between the number of convictions of women for drunkenness and the contemptible position Dunedin took afc the last local option poll ?

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