THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 98, 26 May 1900, Page 2

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —When I noticed a epeciallymarked paragraph (in a copy of the Inglewood Record which some one sent me), giving publicity to an utterly unfounded rumour that I'am to be called to the Legislative Council, I remarked, "Some malicious scoundrel will make an excuse of this to publish some slanderous attack." In one sense, lam therefore not surprised at the letter of your anonymous correspondent in today's issue. After upwards of twenty years' residence here, and representing New Plymouth in Parliament for six years, and never shrinking from taking an active part in public matters in which I thought I could be of service, it is very pleasant to me to know that I have the good-will of all but a very few persons here, and still more that I have the enmity of a few persons here whose haired is the best testimonial to one's good character that a man can' wish for. If my anonymous assailant were to publish his name, I have no doubt he would be recognised as one of the latter class—his vulgar, spiteful, and malicious effusion stamps him. Fortunately, we have but few here capable of writing such a letter, and it is not difficult; to guess who is the author. I am, however, surprised at your giving publicity to the letter by placing it in your columns. For many years past—almost since I retired from public life—l have taken no part in politics, except to exert myself on two occasions on personal grounds in the exercise of the privilege of election of a member. I have been for years dissociated from Party conflicts; indeed I quitted the political arena avowedly because I could not, with any pleasure, take part in this continuous struggling between the Ins and Outs which is essential to the Party System. I am not an aspirant for any distinction of a public nature, and your inserting the letter in question —a spiteful letter, and false attaak ou a man who is not in a public position and does not wish to be—is inexcusable, except, perhaps, as the result of thoughtlessness. I hope that you will exercise more care in future how you I permit your columns to be made the vehicle for such attacks.—l am, etc., Oliver Samuel.

Gill-street, 25th May, 1900. [Mr. Samuel is quite in error in assuming that bis unfriendly critic it a local resident.—Ed. News.]