JABEZ BALFOUR INTER. VIEWED.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 97, 27 April 1894, Page 4

JABEZ BALFOUR INTER. VIEWED.

O . i. A gentleman writing from Buenos Ayrea on February 7 says that, after considerable trouble he managed an interview with Jabez Spencer Balfour was :— Supposing that the English courts found him " Not Guilty," what did he intend to do ? "I should most certainly come out to Salta again," ho answered, "whether I am set free here at once, or only after my trial in England, I have commenced business here, and lam most pleased with tho locality. I have made a provisional contract with the Klix brewery, which comes into force on the Ist of July, aud I am going to start a steam sawmill and a flourmill. I have not wished to keep money in the house, and 1 was on my way to pay the rent when when I was arrested," " Do you know what the charge against you is, Mr Balfour ?'' " I only know from a note which I have received from the British Consul. I wrote to him to abk tiie question, and in reply I got this note :— ' To J B. Balfour (he does not even know my name, you see). —In reply to your question, I beg to inform .you that you £are charged with having fraudulently obtained £20,000, from the House and Land Investment Trust (Limited).' V\ e shall soon see about this charge. Once let the whole truth be known, and there will be a universal revulsion of feeling in England in my favour." " But were you not connected with the Liberator Society ?" " Not in the slightest degree. I have not been a director of the Liberator Society for the last nine years, and I had no connection whatever with the concern at the time of its failure. Lord Oxenbridge was the president of the society from the time of its foundation, 28 years ago, when I was only 23. He was introduced by other directors of the society. I did not know him." " But your son—Mr James Balfour—had he no connection with the society ? " " He had ; but I only allowed him to become connected with it after I had made inquiry with regard to the balance-sheets. When that inquiry was completed I waived my objections to his taking the post." Questioned as to his opinion of the country, Mr Balfour said ; " 1 thoroughly udmire it, aud I am of opinion that only five years ot resolute government are wanted to completely heal all tho evil effects of the recent crisis-. lam ao oonvinoed if tho future destiny of tho country, that I am writing a book which I shall publish iu England, giving |par. tioulara of tho climate and soil of the place, and urging English emigrants to come out. Ido not, however," "he continued, "liko tho way in which Mr Consul Bridgett has been permitted to act in arresting mo. He Boomed "to bo under tho impression that he was iu a British dependoucy, aud not in an independent State. He has acted like a common policeman. They cannot ex. tradite mo without suspending tho Habeas Corpus Act, In fact, they will hare to alter tho.Oonstftution of England to do it. To extradite me, even as far as England is concerned, would ba to destroy the bulwaika of liberty, for if reciprocity is promised, the undertaking cannot be made good without tho destruction of tho Habeas Corpus Act." The correspondent who interviewed him states that Balfour appeared quite cheerful and confident. He is the hero of the day at Salto, and is considered to be a model of resignation and patienoo, Tho Governor states that ho spends much of his time reading the Bible. One of his first requests, after his arreßt, was that ho might be per. mitted to have his Bible, Bhakeßpere, and some of Thackeray's works with him in tho col). Ho denies that he lan away from England, or that there was any Becrcoy about his movements ; ho oarae to Salta for the benefit of his health. He receives many letters from England through a Mr Eugene Claveorie, of Balta. Two were in tho possession of that gen. tleraen when tho arrest took place, and ono contained bank notes to tho value of £110, This money haß been handed to Balfour, and in the absence of auy in. structious to the contrary his letters will in future go Btraight into his hand?. The arrest of Jubez Balfour, it seems, was effected through tho publication of a portrait of him in tho Penny Illustrated Paper, which was identified by an | Englishman who knew him at Salta as I Samuel Butler, and who happened to see ! it posted on a notice board at the British consulate at Buenos Ayres. This led to tho journey of the British consul to oalta, and to the immediate arreßt ol Baltour, who had assumed the name of Butler.