To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 147, 6 November 1863, Page 3

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Dear Sir, — I perceive in the issue of the Herald dated 31st ultimo, a letter signed “An Elector of the Country Districts,” wishing to know whether I “ resigned the' rQsy billet of ,£360 a year, which I had SO' long held.”

The Editor of that distinguished journal, to whom this question is put, kindly replies thereto. But here again, as usual, that otherwise trustworthy individual, the Editor, makes a great mistake, which, as it is a matter of some little importance to myself, you will allow me, through the n medium of your coiumns, to correct.

The facts of the case are these: I had long determined to leave the Public Service for many reasons, therefore, upon the accession of Mr. M’Lean to the vacant Superintendency, I stated to that gentleman my intention of carrying my determination into effect as soon as the twelve months should pass. Mr. M’Lean, in a very friendly and gentlemanly manner, was good enough to agree to this arrangement, finding that it was my fixed determination to leave the public service. It was therefore lucidly arranged that on the Ist of October last I should retire, which I accordingly did. The sum of half a year’s pay, at the rate of .£335 per annum put upon the estimates, was put there in accordance with this arrangement, and to either the expenditure or receipt of which sum, taking all things connected with it into consideration, no reasonable objection can be made.

So .mich for that part of the business, but the Herald wishes it to be understood further that that half-years salary was a quiet “ notice to quit.” Here you can detect at once one of the most absurd and, at the same time, spiteful reasons assigned for my leaving the Public Service that can well be conceived. I am happy to say, in the interests of Mr. M’Lean, notwithstanding the difference of opinion existing between us upon public matters, that he is the last man in the Province who had any such desire, and more particularly as it is a notorious fact, admitted by even my most bitter opponents, and which it is no breach of becoming humility on my part to mention, that up to the date of my resignation, no fault whatever had teen found with me by any one of the gentlemen with whom I served, nor by the public generally, and that but fur my own wish to retire, I should be in the public service to this day.

I shall not now hesitate to say, in vindication of myself against this extremely malicious attack thus hurled at me, that just at the last moment, when it was found that the Electors of this district had pretty unanimously determined to send me in as against Captain Carter, and that, therefore one seat in the interest of the present Provincial Government would certainly become a blank, overtures of a puerile nature have been made to me, upon the subject of the Chief Surveyorship then vacant. This announcement, very possibly, rather startles you. But it is not the less true for all that. It tells its owu tale, and is at once a sufficient index to the working of what is called the “ Public Service.” From this you will gather that I am not an “ ex-official” from any other than my own choice, and that I do not hold the slightest ill-will towards the present Government upon that score. I am, &c., 0. L. W. Bousfield.