THE SOUTHERN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2469, 14 January 1871, Page 3

THE SOUTHERN TRUNK RAILWAY.

[We are not responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.] *

To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sri, —ln Mr Donald Reid’s speech, delivered at the Alasouic llall on Thursday evening last, as reported*in the Daily Timex of the 13th, is the following :—“He understood thqt the gentleman appointed by the General Government to purchase the land for this line had come to a standstill, because the proprietors of the land refused to negotiate until he showed that ho was in a position to pay the money, which they believed ho was not in a position to do.” Assuming the report to be a correct rendering of Mr Reid’s words, and knowing, as I did, that there was not one tvord of truth in the statement, I telegraphed the passage to the Hon. the Minister of Public Works; and I have this day received express instructions to give an authorised contradiction to the statement in tola, and to draw attention to the fact that by erroneous statements Mr Reid is doing his best to obstruct the opening of the Southern Railway and to damage the Province. Acting under th se instructions, I have then simply to give (always assuming that Air Reid made such statement) an unqualified denial of the truth thereof, so far as my authority or business, having been ever challenged in any way ; and, moreover, to assert that every reasonable facility, in almost every instance, has been given to me both by proprietors themselves and their agents and attorneys, coup ed with, in most instances, a reasonable demand for com pensation. As an item of news, I may add that, during the last four days, I have secured land sufficient for the line for more than five miles of its course. I am, Sir, Yours truly, Thomas Calcutt.