SIR W. FOX EXPLAINS.

Evening Star, Issue 6726, 7 October 1885, Page 4

SIR W. FOX EXPLAINS.

Concerning the comments made some months since on the sale of Westoe, Sir William Fox writes to the Wellington 'Press' as follows:—"I have to thank you very sincerely for the generous manner in which you have defended me against the 'sneaks' and their miserable attempt to hold me up to public contempt on account of my Rangitikei property having been sold to a publican—or rather, to a publican and two other persons. I need not give any explanations to you, as you have evidently had the correct state of the facts given you by Bomeone who knew. Till I got my agent s letter a week ago (that is six weeks after the sale had been effected) I had not the remotest idea vi who the purchasers were. As it is, whether I like it or not I have no choice My agent exercised his discretion within the limits which I had imposed as to amount, and that was all that I knew about it Suppose he had sold it by auction and a publican had been the highest bidder—l suppose even in that case * the drunkards would have made songs upon me in the gates/ One thing I can assure them of, namely, that the purchase money will be used by me in carrying on the war against the liquor traffic, and, I hope, put to a better use than it was likely to be if kept in the hands of a publican."