Mr R. R. Meredith's Claim for Refund of Law Costs.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3855, 11 July 1891, Page 2

Mr R. R. Meredith's Claim for Refund of Law Costs.

(To the Editor) Sir,—l note by your report of tbe discussion on the above subject by the County Council yesterday, that the Chairman is credited with stating

' that sinoe the Committee had given heir report, other evidence liad been forthcoming whioh might have included an opposite decision. It now appeared that Mr Meredith had been informed by the Surveyor-General that it was impossible to legalisa the road." I gather from the foregoing, and the subsequent discussion, that "the other evidence" which has since been "forthcoming" is the correspondence between myself and the i Surveyor-General. Now, when the Chairman made this statement, he i also knew perfectly well that the correspondence referred to was before the Committee when it finally adopted its report. He also knew than Mr Richard Meredith was not chairman of the Whareama Road Board at the time, and further that the correspondence (i.e. this, other eyidence) was never laid before the Board. Nevertheless, when Mr Cockburn-Hood and otber Councillors referred to Mr Riobard Meredith as Chairman of the Board as though he were one of the parties to the correspondence, the Chairman of the County Council did not set them right. Neither the Whareama Road Board, nor its individual members knew anything of the correspondenca with the Surveyor General, but the Minister for Lands, the Hon. Mr Richardson, did, and in his other official capacity, as Postmaster General, after taking the adyice of the law officers of the Crown gave the instructions upon which the, Board acted in having the obstructions removed, and which resulted in the litigation out of which Mi R. Meredith's claim has arisen. " This other evidence which might have induced an opposite decision," was produced in the Supreme Court, ; but Judge Richmond upheld the legality of the road by right of usage. [ Mr W. Beetham was present in Court i when the correspondence, this other evidence, was read, aDd I was crossi examined upon it within his hearing, ! Unfortunately for Mr W. Beetham's i statement yesterday in the Chair oi ', the County Council, it has beei j refuted by anticipation, from a quai . ter in which he will find it difficult t . plead ignorance. Your readers wil , be curious to see how Mr Beethan f will endeavor to wriggle off the horn 1 of his dilemma. Recent revelation a are not without serious cause fo « alarm, in the administration of locs 3 self-government in North Wairaraps f —I am. etc., s Edwin Meredith.