THE WANGAPEKA LAND SALE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 253, 27 October 1869, Page 3

THE WANGAPEKA LAND SALE.

To the Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail. Sir. — I wish it had been possible for the electors at large to have heard the searching questions which were put last night at Wakefield to the members of the Waste Lands Board respecting the land purchases at Wangapeka, and the" explicit replies returned to those questions. In common with a large number of the electors I was, previous to the full explanations furnished last night, under the impression that the Superintendent and the Commissioner of Crown Lands, one or both of them, had laid themselves open to blame in this matter, an opinion which I am now satisfied was groundless. It was clearly shown at the meeting that Culleford could not obtain the security he sought and was entitled to obtain, in any other way than by the purchase of the land ; that it was the. express duty of Mr. Daniell to explain the law to this effect to him or any other applicant; that had he dismissed him without showing how he could obtain security for developing his discovery, he would justly have incurred deep blame; that the actual purchase of the land by Culleford was the very thing which proved his idea of its value, and thus stamped his application with importance; that as soon as this was apparent, the Superintendent and Land Commissioner called a meeting of the Board for the very next day; that the non-transmission of the notice to Mr. Barnicoat was due to the weather, a cause for which officials have not hitherto been held accountable ; that any meeting of the Board to which the Speaker of the Council had not been duly summoned woula have been illegal and its decisions mere waste paper ; and lastly, which is very important, tbat there was no reason whatever to suppose that Culleford would blab of the matter in town, for he had expressly eaid he wished the thing kept quiet. Of course, had the town members of the Board known what even body knows now, but which nobody could know then, they would have sent for Mr. Barnicoat on Wednesday evening. But Ido not tldnk any candid person will be found to say that Mn Curtis or Mr. Daniell did anything improper, or omitted to do anything that was proper, according to their information at the time, which of course is the only ': criterion of conduct. I have taken no active part for any of, the candidates for the Superintendency, and wou'd not have troubled you with this note but for the fact that I remember expressing somewhat strongly on various occasions ah opinion that Mr. Curtis had been to blame. It is but right that I should say wi'h even more publicity that I find, when in possession of all the facts, that I was mistaken, and I need scarcely add that Ido it spontaneously, and I should be ready to render the same justice to Mr. Akersten or Mr. Gibbs were it their case to have had an official act interpreted in a mistaken manner. I am, &c., F. W. Irvine. Nelson, October 27.