“AN INSPECTOR CALLS”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26851, 16 August 1948, Page 6

“AN INSPECTOR CALLS”

Sir, —As a member of the Dunedin Repertory Society of many years’ standing I am writing this letter in protest against the muzzy Leftist propaganda put over by the society in J. B. Priestley’s play, "An Inspector Calls,” as In the previous play by this author. " They Came to a City.” “An Inspector Calls ” reaches about the literary standard of Victorian melodrama: it is all about the Wicked rich people, so wicked that in the end they become simply ludicrous. Let me suggest to the society that by way of a change we have a play dealing with the wicked union bosses—or is this line of propaganda a bit too advanced for Mr Priestley?—l am, etc.. Party Une.

LINK WITH NORTH OTAGO Sir.—l see from the Daily Times that a daughter of the late St. John Buckley is now in Oamaru collecting material for a volume on pioneering by the McLean, Buckley, and Miller families. I would like to point out that it was John McLean, not St. John Buckley, who built Redcastle (now St Kevin’s College). No relationship existed between the McLeans and Millers until St. John Buckley married Miss Miller (now Lady Young). The McLeans did not own 500,000 acres of land. The McLeans took up the Morven Hills run (about 25.000 acres), all of it being Crown land. It is still Crown land, but is now subdivided into small runs. Alan McLean afterwards .purchased Waikakahi, a fine property of under 65,000 acres, where he resided until the Government purchased the property for closer settlement. John McLean purchased the Waitaki Plains Station (22,000 acres), on the west side of the rivet from Steward settlement. It was purchased by the Government from Buckley who inherited from John McLean, his’ uncle. The Redcastle property, about 1000 acres, was where John McLean resided until his' death.—l am, etc Early Settler.