CORRESPONDENCE

Colonist, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8642, 21 August 1896, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE

While desirous to give publicity to the discus sion of matters of public interest, xoe ari not necessarily to be identified with thi opinions of our correspondents. Carres pendents must write on one side of thi paper only. Rejected manuscript will nai be returned, o To the Editor of the Colonist. Sin, — I did not expect to be drawn into s lengthy correspondence when I first wrote about the young men riding up and down tbe Dovedale roads on Sunday evenings, but someone signing himself "Rider," has charged me with making misstatements, I am bound to reply. My object in writing was simply to warn those riders in order to avoid an accident. I will make a few comments on " Rider's " remarks as I read them. First he makes an apology for delay in answering my letter ; there was no necessity for that whatever. Next he imagines he is one of the riders I allude to. He may be, but if lam rightly informed, he is not ; and so places himself in a false position. At any rate he seems to know all about it. and a little more. He next says he understands I would have no objecuon to the said young men riding about the roads upon certain stipulated conditions. I did not make the conditions he talks of . tha law provided them before either '• Rider " or myself knew much about making conditions, which are, that one person is not allowed to ride over anooher. He also thinks from the kindness I have shown I must be going to die, or that something serious is going to happen, Sir, there is not the least doubt that not only me, but •' Rider" also is going to die ; I am well aware of that. Next thing worthy of notice is, " Rider" says it is also a very noticeable fact that " Resident " and a few more are in the habit of forming a line with the intention of stopping horsemen. Sir, that is entirely false. 1 have made enquiries and cannot learn that anyone has ever done so. I certainly never have. As for throwing the lighted matches in the air as stated by " Rider," I understand some boys did so on one occasion ; I will come to the stone throwing later on. " Rider " next says \ " Resident's " statement that the young men ride the roads in a body with the intention of clearing the same is positively contrary to fact, and also the riders he is acquainted with generally ride two abreast and at a moderate pace. I did not say that a few young men ride up and down the roads in a body, and I did not even hint at what their intentions were, but as " Rider " has suggested that it was to clear the roads I will look upon it that such was their object, and as our roads in many places will only admit of their riding two or three abreast, I will accept that part of his statement as correct, adding that they follow each other pretty closely and ride j much faster than I should call a moderate I pace when meeting or passing people walking along the road. Next, "Rider" refers to on incident which he says came under his notice a week ago when he was out| with a party riding and suddenly at a narrow part of the road they noticed some of the above mentioned residents or their sons by the roadside and a few yards further on they were surprised to see a dog rush out of the scrub and a voice hissing the bru c on to our hordes aod upon looking round we saw some more very highly reepcotsble residents behind the bushes and tbey were there with the evident intension of mak ing our hordes shy, eto, Now, air, as regards the dog teing hissed on to tbeir horses, fcom what I can learn, that is no) ocrrcot. 'lwo of my boys with two otber boya were on tha road (-.he doa b ing with them;, near my p'aoe about tbe time this incid.nt occurred, and I was JLst wa'kirg out to th.) road «t ths time tbey were passing. I heard the dog barking and called him in, and sinoe reading "Rider's" letter I have, questioned the boys as to whether thty hisssd him on or not, and they bjth deny haviog done so aod I tbink had they tone bo I .shou'd have heard them. Bot all I heard was what I took to be several hordes ealloping past and a whip slashing and the dog barking. The doc wcu'd naturally run after them and bark hearing co muoh noise, and the pace they were going. I coold not nuke out for a tima what it all meant. It was vary nearly dark at tha time tbis happened so that " Rider " would not be able to sco much behind the bu9hea if there had been anything there. I waa told later on in the evening that a little farther down the road they were met by several persons walking np the road together to attend a service. They had to olear out of their way as best they oould, one of them having a na-row escape of being run over. After lid ng down the road for some distanoe they turned roond and rode back and overtook the same parties further up-tke road and in passing out at some of them with a whip. It was then I believe that two or three atones were thrown. Can you wonder at it, Eir. Such was the state of affairs wben 1 wrote my first letter to you on the subjeot. Again " Rider " says he baa heard that these people are going to draw a rope or wire aoross the road to throw horses over ss they oome along. '- Rider " oan rest assured that euoh a thing will not ba done, that ia bo 1 , the means that will be used, and " Rider " mußt know that the Dovedale people would not lower themselves to any saoh miserable action. In conclusion, I think, sir, " Rider " has confirmed my statements as he knew perfeotly well neither he nor the pany he is trying to defend would be molested in any way as they rode up or down the roads if tbey were to ride in a proper manner. Yours &0.,

Resident.