THE LATE LOCAL OPTION POLL. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10760, 26 March 1897, Page 3

THE LATE LOCAL OPTION POLL. TO THE EDITOR.

Eir,—Mr Hastings says ha did not speik from "hearsay and surmise" when he told thu Premier that " both papers were given to all electors from commencement in each booth " in Dunedin. But hia letter shows that he did exactly that. He^nays he euieicd every polling booth and conversed with 26 scrutineers in the privacy of tha booths. What business had he to enter every booth ? Well, he did this, and got—what? Hearsay evidence, aad that only !

Let me point out to this gentleman what he has dono. On the strength of n. mere negative hearsay evidence h« has ventured in his official capacity by telegram published broadcast to impugn the veracity of Mr laifct. He was not called upon to do or say anything, and yet he chose to do this. In reply, I stated facts so plainly that none could misunderstand.

Mr Hastings now inoiuuatas an unworthy doubt about the accuracy of rcy " information," gives no hint of a withdrawal, and say?, oven supposing "for tht sake of argument," that Mr Adams bas been in receipt of correct inform*tion he caunut sea how the result of the vote wonid have been affected. But the question in not whether the rocuit of tho poll was affected or not, but »hstber certain irregularities occurred ; and, incidentally, whether Mr Hastings made a true statement to the Premier in hii eagerness to sfirvc the Liberty League. I did not speak of "information" in my letter to you but gave facts. To obtain my knowledge or them I did not interview the scrutineers while performing their duties in the privacy of the palling booths but came in direct contact with the voters and the reluming officer. Filially, I took active measures to put n slop to the irregularities.

Will Sir Hastings apologise for his rash telegram ? —I am. &c ,

Dunedin, March 22.

Alex. S. Adams.

— The compltto milenge of railwaya in India, uncording to recent return*, is 19,72t, and tbero aiv 3000 miles under construction.