CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume XXXVI, Issue 5067, 3 December 1881, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

MB STOUT. THE MINISTBY, AND THE QOTBENOS'S BETUBN. TO THB EDITOR OF THB PBBBS. Sir, —In my speech at the Avon nomination to-day I referred to a letter from Mr Stout, which was published in one of the morning papers; hat I spoke only ia general terms respecting the latter part of that document. Mr Stout, by means of a series of questions, implies that the Ministry, or a member of it, bad. prior to the issue of the late proclamation to the West Coast Natives, received information that Sir Arthur Gordon's return was then imminent; and that, because of that information, tha issue of the proclamation was honied. I shall be obliged if yon will allow mc to state, absolutely, that neither the Ministry, as a whole, or any member of it, had np to the time when the "Gazette" containing the proclamation was published, received information that the Governor's speedy return might be expected ; that, in fact, no intelligence as to the Governor's movements, actual or intended, had been received by the Government, or by any Minister from the time his Excellency left Auckland for Fiji until he retnrned to Wellington. Tours, Ac. Wμ Eollbston. Christchnrcb, December 2nd. 1881.