MR. CURTIS AND THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 40, 18 February 1867, Page 2

MR. CURTIS AND THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

To the Editor op the ' Evening Mail.'

Sie — An old uucle of mine, who kept a ship chandler's shop, got so well acquainted by his transactions, with marines and the snipping at large, that he could tell, by only looking at the dimensions. of a vessel and calculating the number of her portholes, how old the captain was and how many pair of socks his wife could knit in a day. .

Mr. Curtis must Lave known my poor old uncle, and inherited his genius and sound logic, or he could not have explained his views so clearly, strikingly, and crushingly as he did on Thursday night. His explanation of beiug a competent judge of the value of land on the West Coast, because he sold some sections in commission before, is uncle all over, and surely will induce capitalists to give as much credit to his statements as my noble relative enjoyed when he spun his yarns.

I was delighted to hear Mr. Curtis asking for £5000 as preliminary expenses for the railway, a smaller sum is really not worth bothering with. He admits, that even £1000 will prove, that a railway cannot be built at present, and therefore wants more money ; just the way, uncle would argue ! Some time ago, Mr. Curtis ' wanted to borrow £50,000 to get the coal from Mount Eochfort. The two late Superintendents spent only about £6000 with the result to show, that we could not get the coal from there, but decorated the Provincial Hall with beautiful watercolours, representing the West Coast coal measures. If Mr. Curtis could have spent his sum, surely we would have had these pictures executed in oil. But we are always so cursed stingy, when money is wanted for the general benefit. I hope the electors will take all this into consideration, and elect a man as Superintendent, who has the talent of my uncle. He left me a good round sum in promissory notes, when he retired, and I am sure Mr. Curtis will do all he c?n to leave a legacy to our children. Eeally if it could be done, the best thing after all would be to let the new Superintendency by tender. I remain, &c, Uncle's Nephew. Nelson, February 16, 1867.