THE CARSON CABLE

Southland Times, Issue 17628, 17 April 1914, Page 2

THE CARSON CABLE

To the Editor. Sir, —In exercising my right of reply to "Protestant - ’ re the above incident I will preface my remarks by stating that I also am a Protestant, born in England, and like many more of my countrymen support Home Rule through conviction. The exception 1 take to the manner in which the cable was sent is that it was sent in a factious spirit, purporting to come from the general public, and that if it iiad been attempted in a public meeting the same result would not have ensued. But never for one moment did the idea of rowdy opposition occur to me. I hold the opinion that Home Rulers far outnumber anliHome Rulers, all of whom have a right to their convictions. I am one of those who uphold the right of free speech and respect for other people's opinions and deplore the manner in which public men are scandalised by their opponents and sometimes by each other, which is unfortunately tlie result of our party system, which in season and out of season your valuable journal so ably condemns. And now I am going to tell my brother Protestant that in his over zeal he set a very had example in this respect in the sweeping assertions and charges lie laid at Mr Asquith's door and that of his parliamentary party. Suffice it to say it is a gratultious insult to over 400 British constituencies who have twice in close succession returned the Asquith Government with the avowed intention of granting Home Rule, with a majority even outside Ireland itself. It is idle for us to debate that part of the subject now. The public, are well siezed of the facta after thirty years' argument. It becomes now a niatter of giving effect to it in the smoothest possible manner, and I must say the Government seem to be handling it with kid gloves even if they are provoked to hit hard later on. One word regarding the delegates whom “Protestant" sarcastically called cadgers. They came for assistance and sympathy in their struggle for freedom to be gained in a constitutional way and they did it in the most straight-forward and public manner. Hw they fared is history. There was no talk of lire arms and revolt against the laws. Thanking you in anticipation for tlie space afforded.—l am. etc., I) KM OCR AT. April lii.