FRESH CHARGES AGINST MR. MACANDREW.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 4, Issue 190, 11 May 1861, Page 1

FRESH CHARGES AGINST MR. MACANDREW.

We -refraiiied last vSeek, in the hope that some : satisfiictdry explanation -would be afforded, from - noticing a communication from the Home Agents, - to the^effeot that a bill-for £1012, in favor of a 'Mr.^Bayneryhad been -. honoured by them, -under • instructions : from']sr.->Macandrew, Chen Superin.'ienddnfc'^ inquiry -was made -by -bis Honor the: Acting Superintendent, but no 'infor-. ■■-- Diation oould be- obtained, = Mr^ Eajner. is> xin-

known to any one here, — no trace of the letter of instructions under which the bill was accepted by the agents is to be found in the Superintendent*; office, — and Mr. Maoandrew refuses any explanation. It was at first supposed that this sum had been drawn for the purpose of paying for the Clutha railway plant, but there appears nothing to connect the two transactions, and Mr; Mac-1 andrew has therefore drawn :Upwnrds of £2000"*' from the provincial funds, and, so far as at present appears, solely for his own private purposes. We are not aware of the course which the Provincial Government will feel it. to be its duty to adopt under the circumstances ; but, meanwhile, the Clutha railway plant has arrived, and the lessee, thinking he has suffered sufficient inconvenience by -the delay, has been urgent for its delivery in terms of his contract. This Messrs. Patterson have declined to do, except upon payment by the Provincial Government. The latter has thus found itself in a dilemma — between paying for the plant a second time, without any appropriation for that purpose from the Provincial Council, or laying itself open to an action for damages oil the part of the lessee, by neglecting to deliver the plant to him. We understand that, the material is not according to order, and the Government have, under the circumstances, agreed to purchase, it at a reduced price, reserving the power to sue Messrs. Paterson for the £1000 for which they gave Mr. Macandrew a receipt, on the understanding that he would remit the money to the Home Agent, which, at least up to the end of October last, he had not done, nor is there the slightest reason to believe it has been remitted at all. — Otago Colonist.