ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 585, 31 October 1866, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

♦ • WE DO NOT IDENTIFY OTTBSELVES IN ANY WAY "WITH THE OPINIONS EXPEESSED BY OTTB COEBESPONDENTS. ♦■ (TO THE EDITOE OF THE SOUTHLAND TIME 3.) Sir, — In reference to Mr "Wood's statement in the Theatre on Friday last, andreported in your last Monday's issue, that a claim was made upon the Government by the Inspector in Bankruptcy here for the sum of £550 as remuneration for his services, I deem it requisite, in order that the public may be put right in the matter, and in justice to myself, that I should say a word in explanation. . The claim stated to have been made was simply an estimate required by the Government to be forwarded by the various Inspectors of the probable expenditure in their several departments, and which estimates were forwarded soon after the appointments were made, some being presented and allowed at the conference of Inspectors held at "Wellington on 18th April last, at which I was unable to be present, and upon which estimates passed and allowed as a precedent my own estimate was based, I may just instance two. The Inspector in Dunedin was allowed £1000, and the Inspector in Nelson, with nothing like the retrospective work in view which I had, was allowed £500 per annum in items similar to my own ; and I would here state what it appeared Mr Wood was unaware of even up to the time I saw. him in my office on his return from Wellington, that in accordance with the retrospective character of the Act of 1865 every sequestrated and insolvent estate since the foundation of the Province to the present time coming under the operation of the Debtors' and Creditors' Acts is placed under my inspection and supervision, and you need not I am sure to be informed as to the number or concerning the peculiar features of some of them, and I might add, considering also the opposition I had reason to expect in carrying out the requirements and intentions of the Acts, and which I have since found I did not overrate. I think you must agree with me that my estimate at the time it was made when compared with others which were allowed was not excessive. I do not think it necessary to allude to the salary attached to the office which was fixed by the Government further than to state for the information of those who feel interested that it is £200 per annum, to cover all expenses. Tours &c, . . Frederick Nutter.