13, Montague Place
Russell Square
London WC

Augst 25th

Sir,

It was stated that the Archbishop of Canterbury had invited the maori king to a garden party and that such invitation was left at my house by a lady a friend of Miss Weale. Such statement is false. I wrote to the archbishop upon the subject and have just received a reply from his chaplain Mr Fowler who says ‘an invitation to the garden party at Lambeth Palace was not sent to the maori king.’

Probably you will agree with me that it was very wrong on the part of the lady to have stated what she knew was untrue.

I am yours etc
Amy Saintsbury

F.W. Chesson Esq

Aug 26 1884

Madam,

I do not quite understand your note. I know nothing about any lady who said that she left an invitation for the maories at your house from the archbishop of Canterbury.

I heard of a lady who left an invitation from Canon … but on inquiry I found that one of the chiefs had answered the letter.

A clergyman wrote to me to say that the king and chiefs had been invited to a garden party at Lambeth Palace, but that they had not come. I thought that perhaps among the numerous letters they have received, one from that quarter might have been overlooked. I inquired about it, and came to the conclusion either that the clergyman was mistaken or that the archbishop had not carried out his original intention.

You say, ‘probably you will agree with me that it was very wrong on the part of the lady to have stated what was untrue.’ I know of no lady who has stated what was untrue, and your letter on this point requires further explanation.

Yours faithfully
F.W. Chesson