The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 393, 1 August 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1877.

It affords us exceeding satisfaction to give publicity to Mr- Leahy's letter in response to an article which appeared m our issue of the 25th ult. It is couched in language virtually retracting the objectionable and injurious statements made by that gentleman at the public meeting in reference to the Interior Railway, lately held in Dunedin. This is all that could be reasonably expected. Mr. Leaky had not, prior to his mounting the platform and inveighing against our harbour, inspected our Breakwater and other works. It was only natural, therefore, that, being personally so largely interested in the progress of Dunedin, and being surrounded by those who were enthusiastically talking platitudes, guided by their stomachs more than by their brains—it was only natural, we say. that he should have been led, in an unthinking moment, into making rash assertions that he would willingly, after maturer consideration, in an atmosphere more conducive to honesty, fairness, and truth than that which prevailed at the meeting to which we have referred, have retracted. Some of our readers may tnink that the letter we now publish is scarcely calculated to undo the injury that might be expected to accrue from Mr. Leahy's uncontradicted remarks at the railway meeting. But we must not be too exacting. An analysis of his statement and the L-ttcr will show that, whilst the former was sevei-e and melodramatic, the latter is evidently the outcome of an inspection of our harbour, and of a sense of the injury which we

have circumstances, we could not reasonably expect more from Mr. Leauv, taking into consideration Ins hnsiness ramifications and other circumstances. ] £xlkait prom sir; to the editop. of t^ 1 * leahy's speech at evexixp v'" PUBL.-C MELTING. iSIR,- _ ' e tf) •« It; occurs to me W for the that it is to the in- co manner in t-rest of the people j. h re ferred ot the interior . ■ • i i J1 L uo to me m your leadhave con.m.iniC"_ it j on q . direct with 1- w ijrhi _ 23th iustant i have cipal Clt 'y in the no hesitation in exCoUlli " J , so that 1 hair pressing nvy opinion § ra ' ..•, if they export that the Oamaru I '\ —as they are sure Harbour Works re to do—may he tent fL-ct credit upon all down to the principal concerned, bat with port of export. If eveiy desire to do the produce they justice to Oam-ru. have grown lias to 1 cannot consciengo -down to Oamaru, tiously say that, in what difficulties may my opinion, large havt; to be me" with vessels can in all there ? A heavy weathers, lie with iior.hcrly or south- safety off Oamaru. erly wind springs up, Doubtless the roadaad the signal is stea I could he made hoisted, 'Out to sea, into a safe ha'hour And by the construction thru you will lind of a considerable the Oamaru people length of breaksaying to Hil; Govern- water, but that ntent, ' You have al- would involve the lowed this railway large expenditure into be made, and ex- dicated in my speech oended such a large at the railway meetsum of money upon ing.—\ours, &c, it, you must now 11 li. Leary. make our port a safe Buneclin, , port, otherwise your July 30, 1577. ' expenditure will be unproductive because people will not ship there.' That seems to me conclusive in favour of the liue I am proposing."