MR DUVAL IN REPLY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3733, 18 September 1886, Page 3

MR DUVAL IN REPLY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMARU IIERALP. Sib, — " Cock-a-doodle-doo " was tho song of my old rooßtor to his hens on Tuesday morning, just us I had finished the perusal of Councillor Sutter'a speech at the meeting of the Borough Council, on Monday evening last. It struck me, that if that interesting bird had been present on that memorable night, he no doubt would have- greeted this Demosthenes effusion with a similar nnd most appropriate song. No one holds Captain Sutter m greater esteem than I do, at the sarao timo I cannot allow his remarks and utterances to pa6B unnoticed, when they contain the usual misrepresentations and reckless statements with which he fills his public utterances when attacking any one whom ho thinks is m the wrong. Surely his " monkey" must haro been up, and, therefore, warped his lieen intellect when ho interpreted my plain, forcible*, but yet polite note to tho council, m reply to a communication of theirs. Allow me to state, that my letter was m reply to a. second or third letter from the Town Clerk, drawing .my attention to a eortain resolution passed by tho Council. Knowing my duty, and knowing also that they wero oicecding their power, I told them so, and requested them not to trouble- mo any further, intimating at tho onmo time, that if they wished it I would mcot them m a court oE law. Yet this is called insolence and impudent language. What a Btrango notion Councillor Sutter has of tho meaning of words. Let him reflect and read over his own words at tho meeting, and let me ask which of us two was tho most insolent. I allude to his words giving mo the lie direct. It is true that tho statement whii-h ho made as to what I told him was Mr Joynt's legal opinion, is as opposed to truth as black is from whito m colour ; but, as I said before, this is nothing, as every one knowing tho captain is well aware, when ho speaks m public. What I told him was that I h»d Mr Joynt's word for tho fact that tho Supreme Court m Christchurch had on appeal from tho Resident Magistrate's Court on a similar case, upact tho Christchurch building regulations, of which the Timaru ones are almost a copy. I have written to Christchurch, and expect m a few duj'B to get a full detail of tho wholo case, or case*, which, with jour permission, I will publish m your columns, and which will, I trust, rather ehango tho high opinion Councillor Sutter has of the valuo of these precious building regulations, and which will perhaps guide tho Council m their deliberation at the special meeting which, on Cuptnin Sutter's mo.tion, is to bo called for on nest Monday. But badly as tho regulations roquiro revising, the best regulations m the world will b>! almost u-eless unless a competent person is appointed to sco them carried out. Let a professional man be appointed as inspector or referee, and not leave the matter m the hands of tho present staff , as I for one will never submit to be dictated to by them, not even if they were backed by a dozen councils composed of such important persons as Councillor Sutter. I am, &c, M. DE H. DrTAI,. Timaru, Sept. 15th, 1880.