MR. HISLOP CHALLENGED.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 November 1935, Page 4

MR. HISLOP CHALLENGED.

(The Editor).

• sir,—l would like to make an explanation to your readers concerning Mr T. C. A. Hislop’s meeting, held in ■ the Masterton Town Hall on Saturday night. I took French leave to ask Mr Hislop a fow questions relating to his and his fellow colleagues attitude towards me in the Wellington Council meetings over my prohibition from entering both the To Aro and Tliorndon Baths at Wellington. I beg to. state to your readers that my prohibition was a deliberate act of injustice. The custodian , at Thorndon. Baths was a personal friend of mine and although I received a notice from the Town Clerk that I was prohibited from entering both the baths in future, the custodian at Thorndon Baths was not notified by the council to that effect.

Through the hostile attitude of an individual in Wellington I finally decided to leave and go to Auckland, suffering from a nervous breakdown which I have never recovered from. I have regretted ever since that I was unable to battle my case in the Supreme Court at Wellington and clear my name and make those responsible pay dearly for what I have suffered. The individual referred to was jealous of my services, as a labour of love, in teaching the boys to swim. He tried all schemes to get me out of the way and finally decided to blast my personal and moral character to many who frequented the baths, and then also to the council who acted on his advice. Owing to a letter written by a friend of mine of legal standing asking the council to hold a certain meeting in abeyance, I did not appear as I had arranged to do, unknown to my friend. This was no reason why the council should have allowed this matter to appear in the Wellington Press concerning my prohibition from the Municipal Baths. Mr Hislop wanted to justify himself at Saturday night’s meeting by asking me if I was willing to let him inform the audience why I was prohibited from entering the Municipal Baths.

Now, Sir, seeing that I had no personal witnesses with me, I was in a somewhat awkward position to reply to his remarks. I beg to state that I.regret now that I did not let him proceed with his remarks, which could only amount to further damaging of my moral character. The reason why I regret my non-reply is that I have since found numberless friends who are on my side, and who I really would have liked to know the truth.

The questions I asked Mr Hislop were extracts from a letter I wrote to him from Auckland on the 16th September last, which he merely formally acknowledged. I have a copy of the same letter which I am quite prepared to hand to the Press should the public be desirous of seeing same.

The persecution I had to face in Wellington did follow me up to Auckland and was urged upon Mr Malcolm E. Champion, Baths Supervisor, and others, who refused to believe ill of me and so I was encouraged to continue the teaching of swimming.

Mr Hislop expressed his regret oyer the attitude of the Wellington City Council to me in his office before I left Wellington some few years ago, and advised me to sue the council concerning their attitude towards me.

I challenge Mr Hislop to prove any misconduct concerning my personal and moral character even at the expense of losing the Masterton seat. I have many witnesses in Wellington and elsewhere who can vouch for my respectability and good services of long standing ns a teacher of swimming. I trust, Sir. that you will find a corner somewhere in your valuable space and I am ouite prepared to accept all responsibility for the publication of this letter. ' Thanking, you in anticipation, I am, etc., WM. LEWIS. French Street, Lansdowne.