HOW NELSON IS TREATED.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 118, 18 May 1878, Page 2

HOW NELSON IS TREATED.

Everyone who has been in the habit of perusing the Nelson papers for the last two years must have noticed that everything connected with the Fort extension of the railway has been characterised by shuffling, dodgery, and humbugging on the part of Ministers. It was not, however, until the present moment that these attributes, conspicuous as they have always been, reached their climax. When a stir has been made in the matter before, a surveyor has been sent down to amuse himself with driving in pegs or building up little piiea of stones, or the excuse has been sent that the engineer-in-chief was absent from Wellington, and so

nothing could be done. This lasted for a long time, until, at last, the Minister for Public Works, being uuable to offer any further reason for delay, called for tenders, and it was then believed that tha work wa3 really to be commenced. But those who thought thus had but little idea of the resources of the department in the matter of excuse finding-. Their eyes will, however, be opened by the following letter from the Under Secretary, received this morning by Mr Scott, one of the tenderers: — Sib,— l am directed by the Hon the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your tender for the Nelson Port line of railway, and to return to you the deposit cheque as per margin. In consequence of the threatening attitude European affairs have recently taken, the Government is unprepared to assume larger liabilities than are absolutely necessary, and the Minister hrts therefore decided to postpone the acceptance of any tender foist his work. So soon, however, as satisfactory intelligence is received from London relative to financial matters, the lowest tender will be accepted at the tenderer's option. — I have, &c, (sigited) J. Knowle*, Under-Secretary for Public Works. When it is remembered that the " attitude of European affairs " is, according to the latest telegrams, far more pacific than it wa3 at the time the tenders were called for, this wretched subterfuge will be appreciated at its real value. To play such tricks with the public and with the tenderers who have to go to all the trouble and labor of making their calculations is utterly unjustifiable.