THE MIDLAND RAILWAY SEIZURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10376, 3 June 1895, Page 2

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY SEIZURE

(Peb Dotted Pkess Association.) Chhistciujech, Jane 2. A letter has been addressed by Mr Roberb Wilson, engineer-in-chief and general manager and',secretary, 'of'the.Midland Railway Company, to Mr Gully, Crown solicitor, Wellington, stating, in response to a request for forwarding any plans and specifications in his possession, that these were the result- of the appointment and work of persons selected specially for their professional skill in such matters, and therefore valuable property of the company; Ifc could not be expected that he (Mr Wilson) would part with them- without the authority of. his directors. Mr Wilson writes to his Excellency the Governor stating that the act of tafewjg possession and: assuming the management is one which the company protests against as being oppressive, improper, and unjust. The company have not been guilty of any "wilful breach" of contract as contemplated by section 123 of " TUe Boilwsys Construction and Land Act 1881," nor had any " wilful default or neglect" on the part of the company occurred within this meaning of clause 42 of the contract so as to justify the step referred to, which he, of course, recognised as taken on the advice of his Excellency's responsible Advisers. It would be out of place then to discuHS with his Excellency the serious question thus raised, but he might be permitted to point out that all disputes, differences, and questions touching the construction, meaning, or effect of the contract had previously been referred, in terms of the contract, to aVbitrafcion. Any delay that occurred in the proceedings of the Arbitration .Court had not been 'd«a to any wish or the conduct on the part of tha company. The company desire to respect the Arbitration Court thus set up, and will, as-soon as the opportunity offers, take the sense of the court on the serious step to which his Excellency has been advised. , In the meantime fche company, necessarily submit, but under protest, ito the control imposed upon the company by the executive, a step which cannot but redound to che discredit and damage of the colony.