MR E. M. SMITH AS AN ENGINEER.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 229, 13 November 1896, Page 2

MR E. M. SMITH AS AN ENGINEER.

(to THE EDITOR.)

Sib, — I am not much in the letter writing line to newspapers, but after hearing Mr Smith’s account of himself and his abilities and hearing some of his supporters talking about what a smart man he is, one or two things about him seem very funny to me. He told us how ho put the set on the clever men in England, who, before he went Home, thought they kuew a tiling or two, and in talking about the ironsand told us he was an engineer, and could hold his pwn against the best of them. Now, one thing that seems funny to me, is, if he is an engineer and such a smart business man as everybody says he is, does’nt it seem strange that he could not turn his knowledge to better account than depending for a living when he is out o£ Parliament on lighting the street lamps for the town. lam a working man myself, and do not think any the worse of Mr Smith for earning an honest living anyhow he can, only, that it does seem funny to find any man picking such’a job if he was fit for anything better. ‘As well as it not being a very nice job in wet and cold weather there is very little pay for it, and if he is an engineer as he says, you would think he could get a good billet anywhere as an expert in ironwork and draw big wages for it which would be better than the only billet he has got if he should be left out of Parliament again. What I heard when he was putting up for a member first he said if he got into Parliament he would soon float an iron company for New Plymouth, but after being in for six years he is further off doing it than ever; There does not seem to be much chance of him doing it as long as he is a member, because the billet of being a member is quite good enough for him, but if he was not a member he might try then and get a company started so as to get himself into something better.—l am, &c., Looker on.