THE TE ARO EXTENSION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 957, 4 July 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE TE ARO EXTENSION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sis—Permit me to correct a misrepresentation—no doubt inadvertent—which occurs in your leader of this day’s date referring to the proposed Te Aro railway extension. You say—“ Mr Menteath told his constituents the other day that he found himself unable to vote last year for this small expenditure unless he agreed also to vote for the Otago Central, &c. . . What a hollow pretence of justice ! ” Permit me to say that I never had an opportunity of voting upon the question, as in answer to a question asked by me (recorded at p. 467 Hansard, vol, 65) the Premier replied, “ That this was a proper work to be gone on with whan other works of the Colony were gone on with but in view of the hostile attitude assumed by Parliament to proposals with reference to the Otago Central and othep works the Government declined to accede to my representations, and either submit a proposal for constructing the work or permitting the Manawatu Company to construct it.—l am, &c., A. A. S. Menteath.

Wellington, Ist July. [Substantially we are in agreement. We say Mr. Menteath “found himself unable to vote.” Mr Menteath says “he never got the opportunity to vote.” Whichever way you put it the pretence of justice is equally hollow. We thank Mr Menteath for his corroboration. —Ed. N.Z.T.]