CORRESPONDENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 232, 4 November 1873, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

Wo do not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed by? our correapondbnta.]

To the Editor of the Waixato Times. Sib, — Your paper of the 30th contain! » letter from Mr Potter, in which he reproduce! all the so-called legal point* and allegations made use of by Mr Seddon, J.P., chairman I of the Kirikiriroa Highway Board, during the hearing in the Resident Magistrate'! Court of my claims to* have the rating* of my property adjusted. lamat a loss to see the object 'he has in view. Doe* he with your readers to constitute them* selves a tribunal on the subject, and' re-try the matter at issue ? Some such course seems to be hazily indicated in the concluding portion of his letter; but he appears rather in a hurry in calling for a verdict until the other side is heard. Mr Seddon is happy in having a reporter whose memory is so retentive, and who can narrate what was said as correctly a* if he was reporting his own words. But Mr Potter's memory is defective on one point. Part of his defence related to the alleged imperfections of my notice to bring the Board before the Court ; but this stickler for legal forms, rushes before this new tribunal whioh he would create — mukes a laboured, one-sided statement, and clamarously calls for immediate judgment, forgetting to give me the slightest' hint of his intentions, and so keeping my statement from appearing simultaneously with his own. Would not the"■merest tyro in the profession" pronounce that tbiaomission on bis part was fatal, and that it should put him out of Court ? as, however, your readers, so far as If »m aware, have not shown any desire to have the merits of* this case diseased before them, I shall not imitate Mr Potter'sinfliction, and shall refrain from telling them how on my sido I demonstrated that the legal objection was a mere' quibble, savouring of hedge lawyer practice, that their alleged: facts regarding the amended roll were an afterthought and a* clumsy one ; and that their valuation was fanciful and unreliable. Into hi* coarse und libellous attack, on the purity and and ability of the Bench, I shall not follow him, I could* not there do him the justice he deserves. But there was* abundant evidence- during the progress of the ease- tbnfr tho Bench could read Mr Potter* proceedings correctly, that they could interpret the little game of the Board without any error of judgment,, and that tliev could define with nictr discrimination the precise merits of the extraordinary evidence produced by the Board! to bolster op their txcestiva valuation.. P.S. — At the close of the case Mr Seddon openly stated that he would tend a cheque for bho oosts, now however hedeclines to pay, and lam compelled to issue a-distress warrant to recover the amount. — I am, <ie. r Matthbw D. Y. Htrarr. East Hamilton, Oct. 31, 1873*.