JUSTICE TO SOUTHLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 3819, 21 May 1875, Page 3

JUSTICE TO SOUTHLAND.

To the Editor. Sir. In your issue of yesterday I observed thisstatement:—“ One section of the House, the Southland members. To satisfy these members is of course out of the question, but merely to stay their stomachs for a season, to use a somewhat homely phrase, will be no en«y matter. ” This.is followed by similar remarks, but no attempt is made to prove the accuracy of the statements. I think it useless to meet assertion by counter-assertion, but hope by the use of legitimate arguments to convince you that you are, at least, somewhat mistaken. During the past financial year the revenue received from Southland wasLlG6,C(i2, 17s 7d; in addition a considerable sum has been obtained from capitation grant, railway, and other sources, although I cannot state the exact amount. The total expenditure proposed for new works, on tbe estimate of the Reid Executive, in the whole of the Southland district, amounts to L 20.230, even making a liberal allowance for payment of interest, departmental expenses, railways in course of construction &c. I hope you will agree with me that we were justmed in asking a larger amount than that proposed for roads, b'idges, &c. After careful consideration by Southland members as to the wants of their respective electoral districts, a request was made to the Government for various works, that, in the whole, would not exceed a sum of LIO,OOO, in addition to that which has been placed on the printed Estimates, X think any unprejudiced

person who carefully cons! 1 n the matter must admit that, umbo- the circumstances, onr quest was > -oo ■ hole, and ought to have been at lea--" par' ini! v acce ed to. hen wo oh rained onr c q.D- of (he Estimates, it appeared as if provision h«d not, been made for even one item asked for, and hat no alter •- tion had been made in consequence of onr visit, thus no other comse w ;i s open to us than opposition to ajGo vemment. that dogmatically ref u-ed to grantuseven a small modicum of justice. Wifilst considering it more particularly my duly to look after the interests of the district which I represent, and wi r h the wants of which lam best acquainted, I have always taken an interest in the affairs of H-e whole Province, and have endeavored to conceive or support measures calculated to be of benefit to it, and I think that any attempt to awaken a feeling of jealousy between members from Southland and other parts of Otago should be deprecated.—l am, &c., A Southland Member, Dunedin, May 21,