Answer to "Bushwhacker."

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 1, Issue 43, 24 June 1890, Page 2

Answer to "Bushwhacker."

[We do not in any way hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by our correspondents.]

TO THE EDITOB. Sib,---As none of the Havelock gentleman appear to consider it their duty to reply to the " expostulatory remarks" contained in "Bushwhacker's" (?) letter of the 10th inst., and those of my own sex who have the inclination (and there are many of them) are too diffident, I have decided to write a few lines in reply and explanation. " Bushwhacker's " rather sarcastic allusion to the enlightened intellect and courtesy which abounds in Havelock I shall pass over without comment ; but when he goes on to say that a lady, because she, from lack of inclination or from any other cause, declines one dance must sit out the rest of the evening, one can only infer that he knows more about bushwhacking than ball-room etiquette. I do not think "Bushwhacker" could have been present at many, if any, of the Havelock dances, otherwise he must have known that so long as any of the other sex conduct themselves in a proper manner, no petty distinctions of the kind he mentioned are made. Bushwhacker may not be aware that the following is a verbatim report of what actually occurred on a recent occasion, the gentleman (?) being a resident in the Pelorus Valley, and one who considered the formality of an introduction as ■ altogether unnecessary : " Come along Missus, let's have a dance " ; the invitation being politely but firmly refused upon the plea of disinclination, or for some other good reason, the persistent applicant went on: "Oh ! come along Missus, what's the good of settin' here all night." The second appeal being also refused. . As to certain gentlemen dancing exclusively with one or two girls—Well, aa the gentlemen have failed in their duty to us, I am not going to defend them, but Havelock is not singular in this respect. I must certainly take exception to " Bushwhacker's " dictum, that it is incumbent upon us to treat good and bad alike, and make no distinction whatever, and I fail to see why the exercise of one's own judgment in this direction should necessitate one's staying at home altogether. On more than one occasion of my own personal knowledge a refusal to dance has been given for the very good and sufficient reason that too many " refreshers " had been indulged in by the applicant. If before poßing as mentor to the Havelock ladies, "Bushwhacker " had impressed upon some of the dissatisfied ones the fact that sobriety and politeness are indispensable requisites in a ball-room, he would have taken a step in the right direction.

I am, &c, One of the Offenders