A CONTRADICTION.

Saturday Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 124, 24 November 1877, Page 9

A CONTRADICTION.

(To the (Editor of the Saturday Advertiser.J

t); Sib, —Mj attention having been called to ; a communication from your Christchurch correspondent, which appeared in your issue of November 3, I take an early opportunity of asking a small space for a reply. I am very averse to “ rushing into print,” but cannot allow wilful falsehood to go uncontradicted. The paragraph to which I allude is, the one referring to two. incidents of an unpleasant nature supposed to have occurred oh the Cricket Ground;/on the day of the Indian Famine Belief fete. That a,performer v? as,robbed..of/his.watch] Irregret having to admit,; but that any such outrage as .that,attributed to-a police sergeant took place .I am happily in a position to deny most emphatically,' having: been an /eyewitness of- what really did occur. ;!.> ■ > - "The particulars are, shortly, that we found a number of amusements upon the ground which formed no part of the programme arranged by the committee. One of these was a string band consisting of a woman a.nd two children. Having placed themselves in a part of the ground far removed from what we wished to be the centre of attraction—and, consequently, interfering somewhat with the attendance thereat—one of the stewards and myself: took the matter in hand, asking the assistance of Sergeant Hughes. Itinerant vendors of india-rubber balloons, cigars, &c., who were: not. contributing in any way to the funds of the committee, were ordered outside the grounds; and the musicians iu question were asked, by myself, from whom they obtained permission to be present. Finding they were under the impression that they had such permission, and that they were willing to move away nearer to Bichardson’s Show, no further notice was taken of them. The steward “ without a heart ” was Mr W. B. Mitchell —a more kindly gentleman does not exist—and he did not “ order the family to leave the ground,” neither did he go “ in search of a policeman.” As to whether I am possessed of a heart or no, is a question I will leave my friends to answer. Than the statement that Sergeant Hughes, “ the stalwart officer,” “ brutally kicked over the stand upon which some of the musicaiinstruments were placed, scattering them upon the ground,” a more Wicked Lie (please print this-in capitals), was never told. He never attempted to do anything of the sort, nor did he even order the players away. Other statements in 'your correspondent’s letter are equally false. The man who “ had evidently nearly rim his race,” is as healthy and robust as any man need be; the woman is very far from being “ old and feeble ;” and the children are well-nourished, healthy, and intelligent. I am glad to know, from personal observation, that the girl is not “ wan and sickly,” nor has she the slightest trace of that dreadful “hectic spot which betokens the fell disease—consumption ;” and that no sign of haggardness—as I trust there never may—presents itself in the boy’s face. His Worship the Mayor could not possibly have given a permit to either the band in question or any other persons, he not having any such authority, the only body holding such right being the Domain Board, of which the Mayor is not a member. The “English blood of the crowd” which “quickened its pulsation” existed only in the fertile imagination of your sensational correspondent, as also the “ hooting and yelling.” The “kicking” at which his “ heart would have rejoiced,” would be well administered to the writer of such wanton mendacity. My letter has run out longer than I intended, but I trust your English love of truth and justice will prompt you to grant me space for its insertion. —Yours truly,

Charles E. Bbiggs, Hon. Sec. Sports Committee. Christchurch, Nov. 13, 1877.