CORRESPONDENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3735, 21 September 1886, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE GAOLER'S CASE. TO TUB EDITOR OF THE TIMAIUJ IIERALD. Sin,— l know that it. wa3 with no intention to wrong an old and faithful servant of tho public thnt you cave Ulo information tho other day that Mr Cotter, the gaoler, had been suspended for a breach of prison discipline and for telling a falsehood m relation thereto. Th : s information (was, however, scarcely correct, and you will perhaps allow mo to givo tho oiact state of the caso which happens to bo known to mo. That a breach of prison discipline was committed is not domed, and for Hint ho was suspended. What it was and tho measure of censuro attachable to him on account thereof, I will not, discuss at present, as tho case is still sub Jtttliiv by the superior authorities to whom it belongs to deal with it. That a falsehood was told m relation to it to tho visiting justice is denied, and on this point thero is simply word against word, or hardly that as I believe tho actual discrepancy m statement between the two parties is very slight, and m duo course will become known to the public, when they will be m a position to judge for themselves. Coptaiu Hunio did not consider this chargo proven, but simply took clown the statoment of tho two parties, nnd forwarded them both to headquarters, suspending for tho breach of discipline, which was admitted. This correction is due to the character of ono who has been m tho public service for 25 years, and never reported on dining all that timo for any fault or mistake, nnd who is known to so iiiiiny m the community ns an honourable ami truthful man. Whon tho proper authorities havo finally dealt with tho caeo, tho full fads may bo published and commented on. Until then, I am, &c, Jr/STicn. [Our information was supplied spontaneously from the highest o/licial sourco, and wo cair.'.ot doubt its strict accuracy. Wo wont neither on guesswork nor rumour. — Ed. 2.//]