MR REID’S COMMITTEE AND THE SOUTHERN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2472, 18 January 1871, Page 3

MR REID’S COMMITTEE AND THE SOUTHERN TRUNK RAILWAY.

To the Editor of the Evening Star.

Sir, — As you saw fit to oblige the General Government of New Zealand by inserting in your paper a letter attributing to Mr Reid the unpatriotic intention to do “ his best to damage the Province,” 1 presume that, in justice to Mr Reid, you will not object to insert the following correspondence. The refusal to supply the information asked for, conclusively proves that the sole object of this malignant attack on Mr Reid, was to influence the Supcxintendeutal election in Mr Macandrew's favor. This unwarrantable and; unconstitutional interference of of the Government in the conduct of an election will no doubt meet with the just indignation of the electors. It is scarcly necessary to add. that Mr Ib'.id utterly repudiates the base designs, so recklessly and maliciously attributed to him, and that this extraordinary conduct of a Minister of the Crown will be enquired into at the proper time and in the proper jtlttco. I am, Yours., &c., * Bash. .Sir.vwßK.irr. [Although tho impertinence of the false assumption that wo obliged the “General Government ” by inserting Mr Calcutt’s letter would have justified us in refusing insertion to this, we give Mr Reid the benefit derivable from it.—Rd, E, /S’.] (Copy.) Hold’s Committee Rooms, Dunedin, “ 14th January, 1871. “ Sir, —My attention has been drawn to a letter published in the Ecenimj Star of this day, purporting to he from you, wherein you state ibftt you have received ‘expreus instructions ’ from the Honorable tjie Minister of Public Works to, intention to the fact thiyt, by erroneous statements, Mr Reid is doing his best to 'obstruct the opening of the Southern Railway and to the Province.’

“A'serious charge such as this, cornin'/ from a Minister of the Crown, cannot lid allowed to pass iu aliened; therefore, as Chairman of Mr Reid’s Committee, I am directed to request you to supply me with a copy of the ‘ express instructions ’ referred to. You also state, as for yourself, that you have (lining the last four days ‘ secured laud sufficient for the line, for more than live miles of its course’; and you give an unqualified denial of the truth of Mr Keid’s statements. 1 have therefore further to request that you will furnish me with a list of the names of the proprietors with whom you have entered into contracts securing the lands in question. “'Unless 1 receive a satisfactory am^ye*

before 2.30 p.m. on Monday, I shall consider myself at liberty to assume that these charges are made with a deliberate intent to inti icncG the Superintendents election, and shall then submit the ma ter to the further consideration of the Committee. “ I have the honor to be, “ Your most obedient servant, “ Basil Siicvwiught. “ Thomas Calcutt, Esq.” (Copy.) “Dunedin, 17 th January, 1871. • “Sir—l do myself the honor to acknowledge receipt of alctfer from you as chairman of Mr Reid’s committee. and dated the 14th instant, asking, on behalf of the committee, for certain information. “ In answer thereto, acting as 1 am simply as a Government servant, I trust 1 may not lie deemed wanting in courtesy in saying that I must decline to afford the information asked for, or to recognise in any way the right of a self-constituted body of gentlemen calling themselves a committee, whom 1 know not, and I have no business whatever to make the request contained in your letter. “ I have the honor to be, “ Sir, “Your ohedieitt servant, “Thomas Calcutt. “ Basil Sievwright, Esq., Dunedin. ”