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Matheson & C., relating to the circumstances that have arisen out of the exclusion of Mr. J. C. Hayllar from Government House for misconduct some years ago, and Mr. Johnson's attempt last year to vindicate that gentleman's character.
2. In Mr. Johnson's letter of the 9th of January, 1882, to W. G. Stafford Northcote, which he (Mr. Johnson) now lays before Your Lordship, a reference is made to his attempts in April, 1881, to remove the social stigma involved in his friend's exclusion from Government House by inviting Mr. Hayllar to meet the Government House party at Messrs. Jardine Matheson's.
I was unable to go, but a lady of my family, who had been insulted and annoyed by the gentleman in question, was still further annoyed by the fact that Mr. Johnson ordered a photograph to be taken of the assembled guests. The message sent to Mr. Johnson by the lady (without any communication with me) is not quite accurately given by Mr. Johnson. The message was that the incident at Messrs. Jardine, Matheson's had caused annoyance and distress of mind to the lady, and would also annoy her husband. This led to Mr. Johnson's threatening the photographer with an action if he did not destroy the negative.
3.