A Correction

Southland Times, Issue 13501, 18 July 1896, Page 4

A Correction

TO THE EDITOR. SIR,— Referring to the Hon. J. G. Ward’s letter in your Saturday’s issue I notice that he sets down L 16.000 (the odd figures do not matter) as lost by Mr Cumng.ham Smith during the term of his (Mr Smith s) management of the Southland Frozen . Meat and Produce Export Coy., and obviously wishes the inference to be drawn that seeing that the company managed by Mr Smith lost so much in one year, therefore the loss of LlOO,OOO by the J. G. Ward Association during its business career, may be properly set down as an ordinary business’ casualty. He forgets to take into account the want of proportion between the two sums, considered relatively to. the amount lost and the time over which the loss ranged in each of the cases. Further, he does not state that Mr Smith acted on the instructions of a board of directors, who were forced by his (Mr Ward’s) action, in conjunction with a firm with vvhich he had a close connection, into raising the price of sheep. I have no personal feeling in this matter ; and am truly sorry for the position in which Mr Ward is placed, while wholly disapproving of his political career. I welcomed his entrance into political I'fe, and much regret that what might have been a lengthy, prosperous and eminently useful course of public service, should have been so terribly and so early marred. I am, &c., Elector of Awarua and Shareholder in the S. E. M. Coy. 14th July.