The Anonymous Attacks on Mr Kanisay.

Otago Witness, Issue 2181, 19 December 1895, Page 38

The Anonymous Attacks on Mr Kanisay.

Sir,— ln the circular just issued to the school committees of Otago I deemed it my duty to mention that an interested organisation would use every endeavour to s cure my defeat at the forthcoming Education board election. Strange to say on the very day you were printing my circular a letter was written attacking me, and proving that my warning was not unwarranted. I rafer to the" letter ngned "A. 8.," which appeared in last Witness.

Now, Sir, in order to give your readers an idea of where these letters originate, I may mention that about s'x weeks ogo a lttter exactly tinn'lar appeired ia your paper over the ti^nature of "Piient," PalmerBton. In replyii-g to that letter I pointed out tbatit originated from one who was able to pull official ropes No long aftenyards Mr Michael Fraor. publicly acknowledged in the Shamrock Hotel in Dunediu that he was the author, his words being : ." I dabbed the letter in, and s.igned it ' Parent,' Paltnerston, to put J. J off the EC -nt." I do not accuse Mr Fraer of being tbe author of this Utter. All I siy is the language is Mr Fiaei'a, the chaigds are those he makes— and tho only or.es he can make,— and it is in keeping with the underhand tactics he adopted last election. I ani as yet hardly out, but Mr Fraer is evidently afraid of my return, and is early at. work. Sir, I do not mind meeting a maoly opponent, but I must admit it is not pleitsant to have to dress down a fellow who hits below tbe belt. But the public interest and my own demand that I fhuuld put my side of the cis* fairly and fully beforo the committees and then let Mr tfr«ier fire" away. With regard to Mr Fraer's referenc; to my voting with Mr MacGiegor, I liave only to say that if Mr MacGregm- had had his way the boird would have been a credit to Otago, and not in such a state of muddle aa now. As to Mr fraer. his vote was of course always for the secretarial or Fiaer pxrty— a party I feel proud to think I helped to break up. Mr Fr,\er " prefers Dr Stenbouse." Well, lam heartily gad to think I have nothing in common with Mr Fraer.

Ab to my ability, Mr Fraer's early activity is a complete answer to that charge. I have no desire to discuss personal fitness. And now for the final charge — viz., that I '" snubbed" the secret u-y. Mr Fraer baa often accused me of this, and if I now have to give a few facts the secretary must thank Mr Fraor for it. It is a notoiious -fact that for years the Otago Education Board was dominated by officialism. Year after year new members waie elc-te 1, and one after the other succumbed to the blandishments of the officials. When I was leturned Mr Fraer was, as usual, eaily at work, and a nice little pink, scented note. headed "Dear Mr Ramsay " reached my " rural home." An appointment was made, which I kept, and Mr Fraer commenced by asking mo to support him for the chair. For o> cc, !>ir, he had calculated without his host. Thiß " unpopular echo" whs not to be used by Mr Fraer, nor would he in any wny sly himself, and hence Mr Fraer's biter animosity. A-s to snubbing tbe secretary, I never did to, but on one- or two occasions his unwarranted conduct in joining in a discussion and even attempting to argue with me ctued me to remind him that he waa not a member of the board, and a«k him to keep bis place. If I bad snubbed the secretary it must be ron.cmbered that in doing co I was (.cling directly against niy own p-rnonal interest, because the secreUiy was all-poweiful, lud a big backine, and could wield au influence ia ways which I know of but do not wish at this juncture to discuss.

. Yes, Sir, I am rather proud to think that I have been three years on the board, and still retain my independence. I am also proud to think that I am not accused of snubbing tome unfortuuatts teacher who dared to think that common justice would be dealt out by thtj nine wise nieu of Ofsgo. Talk about snubbing ! Wh*t about the vote of censure on Miss Andrew, of Waiareka ?— a vote of ensure passed by the men who control the important Sute department of Education iv Otago. But in that case the x>eison snubbad was not an allpowerful- official, not a mm with a boat of backers to interfere, but a helpless girl, who stood up boldly aivl told h»;r superior officer he had failed to do his work. And tbis U the soit of conduct that is upheld and mpporled by the friends of officialism ; while, oa ibe other hand, we expect our teachers to bring up the children of fair Zealaadia to bdievo iv light ond truth. Believe me, Sir, I have never yet been a party to an injustice to the helpless, nor a party to an injustioi to au3'one. A-k anyone who knows me, and I defy you trrfind any respectable person who will agree with the remarks made by " A. B *' ; and now, Sir, in conclusion, peimit me to say that in this fight I have to stand agrtinfct a clique who will use every endeavour; to dfcfeac ma. I leave tuy case in the hands of tho subool committees of Otago. Last ye*r I polled oil but mx schools from Waikouaiti to Wanaka, the district in which I am personally kmwu. Eveiy school in my own locality supported me, and several committees, as an indixnint protect against the tactics adopted to d--fe.it me, plumped, amongst thrill being High street- a committee composed of prominent Duno'lin men. All I ask in thin figbt is the same fair play I am in the habit of demanding for others, and with that, aa Mr Fraer knows. 1 am quite capable of taking care of myself.— l am, <fee , Hyde. December 14. J. J. Ramsay.