ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 81, 9 December 1864, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

WE DO ITOT IDENTIFY OTTKSELVES IN AST WAI ■WITH. THE OPXNTOJN-3 lEXP-RESSttD BY OUR COERESPONDENTS. TO THE EDITOR 01? THE SOUTHLAND TIMES. Snt, — In the perusal of the diffei'ent official reports from the heads of the various departments published in the last Provincial Government Gazette. I was much struck that the statistical -returns, alluded to by the Deputy Chief Surveyor in Ms survey report, has not been published. Can you inform me if this was an oversight, or has the late Grovernment any desire to keep from the general public the useful and valuable information contained in a statistical return of this description, comprising as I see by the abstract at the end of the report, the area of the surveyed and un surveyed, the sold and unsold land, &c, in the diilerent hundreds iv the Province, with an approximate estimate of the saleable land, unpuvchased. The Deputy. Chief. Surveyor, from his experience and knowledge of the country, is well able to give a correct, .estimate of the same, doubtless the information contained in that return would be of some use to- the public. I am, &c, INFORMATION.

■» ■ ■ • TO THE EDITOB, 05 THE SOUTHLAND TIMES. g nj; — i v re ply to a protest laid before tho Superintendent against, the late accepted tender for the Jetty, Dr. Menzies forwards a reply -on the 2nd, stating that the Grovernment are unable to see that exception can be taken to. its decission. The merchants and other gentlemen of Invercargill signing the protest, did so on the grounds, that public advertisement called for tenders for lease of Jetty for one year, that the conditions seen at government office in every way indicated'- that it was to be a yearly letting, and not by. the ton. These gentlemen could cleai-ly see that a fair competition was prevented,' inasmuch as the Grovernment accepted a . tender quite at variance with the conditions laid down for the guidance of the public, and at a rate far below tenders for the year, in compliance with what was asked foz-, I and also inferior to what would have been offered -had tenders been . called for by the ton, or both ways. ' ' ' . - In the course of many years colonial experience, I have had frequent transactions at the different G-ovemment offices in the colonies, and have always found, that when public property was to be disposed of by tender, "no deviation; whatever would be allowed, from the conditions set forth by the Government. But it appears that everythin" is reversed in Southland;" (or at* least'has been' up to December.. Ist,.- 186.4 ;)>.■ when Dr. Menzies can only view matters in' a different light frpni every person" else. What™a^6riderful. phenomenon, that this gentleman who'has'de&ighated himself the Grovernment, cannot bee-errors that he himself commits,' 'and- ■' wheii.^they are respectfully brought under his notice by a nixmber of influential citizens, he. won't acknowledge, them, but like the tailor's wife cries out scissors;' to the last. Since the -old style of transacting business in Southland is about to be reversed, it is to be hoped that justice and equity will predominate over the hitherto prejudiced and obstinate pimciples, , so long a detriment to the welfare and prosperity of the province. I am, Sir, Tour obedient servant, JUSTICE.