ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 227, 12 March 1866, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

WE DO NOT IDENTIFY OtTESELVEB JS AKT WAY' , ' WITH V THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY OUB < COBRESFONDENTSV- „■■ v ♦— .' i THE EAILWAT. ' TO THH EBITOB OF THE SOUTHLAND TOOES. ' Sic, — In these days it must be admitted a / weakness to. wonder at anything ;, still, I c&nnot - help wondering whether there, can beany truth • in the statements made with regard to Mr. Irvine <• and his attack on the Railway Engineer, and in ? justice to Mr. Irvine, who has, at the sacrifice of every ordinary feeling, devoted co much of his' :■ valuable time to the public interests, I wil giro those statements in general circulation which ap« . pear to require fuller explanation. It is stated that Mr. Irvine having himself written the testimonial which he published in proof to the public of his ability, and having received in his necessity the gift, of £10, subsequently declared himself under no obligation to the man who signed the testimonial so prepared with a view to the Chief Surveyorship, and wio r. • • gave him the £10. , , . i ■ It is stated that he offered to do the 1 duties of Resident Engineer himself before he attacked the present Engineer. It is stated that there is no truth whatever i in his statement with regard to the specified dopes " i 1 of 2to 1 instead of 1$ to 1. about which he ha» written by the column, and that as this is part of the work he claims to have had charge of, he may reasonably be supposed to be aware of the fact. 1 It is stated that he never examined the specift- '_ 1 cations before he abused them for want of classes they actualy contained, which clauses if Superintending Engineer for the Contractor he was bound to know they did contain. It is stated that be never served a period of pupilage on Public WorJis under any eminent 1 Engineer in the usual manner, and that having" little other experience, it is presumption in him. - to represent himself as any authority. It is stated that he was so little on the works : he professes to have had charge of, for the par' pose it is stated of carrying them, o t according to, "■ contract — that ie is no martrel he did not see the 1 Engiueer on the works. it is stated that p.e writes columns in ignorance of the facts, for instance — how the instructions to stop the works were given to the : contractor. It is stated in excuse for his not knowing what 1 the slopes were to be, and wliafc the specifications ~ • cont lined — that he was not as he pub ishes him- ( self (duperintening Eugiueer for the Contractor), ■ ani that Mr. Shearer and Mr. Heinean indignantly deny serving under him, and that these r gentlemen having the conduct of the works, : joth '' know what the slbpea were to be, and what the " 1 specifications provide for. ■ ■ ■ ' It is stated that the services of these gentlemen were retained by the contractor when Mr. Irvine's ' services were dispensed with. . , r .. ... . It is finally stated that Mr. - Irvine's published * threat of the 16th inst., to tar and leather the itailway Engineer is not likely to be followed by , his assistance in the performance of any such playful operation. ■ [ Will Mr. Irvine avail himself of the opportunity : v ( I have thought it desirable to give him, and by ( explaining away these statements, relieve the public miud from doubts with regard toliisreal , lutentiona 1 remain, sir, your obedient servant, IJSQUU4ER. , Invercargill, 19th March). 1866.