Wellington Independent "NOTHING EXTENUATE; NOR SET DOWN AUGHT IN NALICK." SATURDAY, 27th OCTOBER. THE " ADVERTISER" ON THE PATENT REBELS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2433, 27 October 1866, Page 4

Wellington Independent " NOTHING EXTENUATE; NOR SET DOWN AUGHT IN NALICK." SATURDAY, 27th OCTOBER. THE " ADVERTISER" ON THE PATENT REBELS.

An article appeared in yesterday's Advertiser about the Patent Slip dispute, containing so many mis-statements of facts, that it would be a failure of duty if we allowed it to pass unheeded. The writer is apparently very angry with his Honor the (Superintendent because he would not allow Messrs. Kennard's letter to be published, and he is still more angry with the Independent because it obtained sufficient information to lajr before the public an exact statement of how the dispute now stands. Of course, it is a matter of little moment whether our contemporary is ignorant or wellinformed on. any particular subject, yet it is necessary to state,'in justice to l)r. Featherston, that lie did not withhold information, but simply declined to allow a letter to be published which referred to a negotiation still pending, and which had not at the time even been laid before the Executive. Official men have, of course, a perfect right to decide what shall, or shall not, be published concerning affairs under their management, and the Advertiser has no more ground of complaint against Dr. Featherston for withholding Messrs. Kennards' letter, than it would have against Sir Greorge Grey for declining to publish a despatch from the Colonial Office, [ which his ministry had not seen. Apart from this question of etiquette, Dr. Featherston did not withhold information from the Advertiser ; he could not, indeed, do that ; because he was not personally asked for it. Moreover, the Advertiser should remember that it has acquired the reputation of being the most dishonest journal in New Zealand, and public men are very chary of placing any confidence in a newspaper, which, in nine cases out of-teu, would twist and distort any plain statement made to it. AYe leave the public to judge whether Dr. Featherston " felt certain of the Independent's support." There is no public man or party in New Zealand could feel certain of anything of the sort, if. we did not think their course of action was right. It is perfectly well-known that on many questions involving principles, we differ with Dr. Feathevston, and it is equally well-known that we have not hesitated to express our dissent to his views. In this Patent Slip dispute, we have recognised no interest but that of the public in our comments, and we have stated the case as between the contractors and the G-overnment with absolute impartiality. The Advertiser says, " that some of the statements in Messrs. Kennard's letter have been most glaringly garbled to suit a purpose." but while professing to speak with knowledge it fails to give one iota of proof which would warrant a charge so gross. "We call upon the Editor of the Advertiser to prove this charge of garbling, or failing that, to retract if. No honest public writer would accuse another of "garbling" without substantiating the accusation. There is not a single assertion in our last article which is not absolutely true, nor one which the Advertiser even attempts to contradict. On the other hand, thejfe Advertiser, either through ignorance, or malice, or both together, has misled the public from first to last about this Patent Slip dispute. It has never stated all the facts, or given even an outline of the printed correspondence which contains the history of the negotiations. Instead of this, its editor has abused Dr. Featherston, and one of itsproprietors entered- on a public agitation which culminated in his complete discomfiture in the Odd Fellows' Hall, by Mr. Greorge Hunter, who tore to tatters the web of sophistries with which he had enveloped the case, and satisfied the public by a truthful statement of the real facts. No good can be accomplished by a resort to such expedients, and we hope tho editor of our contemporary by ceasing to adopt them, will show that in hiß case evil communications have not altogether corrupted good manners. Our contemporary asks : — What is to be done ? Well, as we said before, nothing can be done till the contractors give Mr. Greorge a power of attorney, or Mr. Howard Kemiard comes to Wellington It is all nonsense to talk of negotiating any longer by letter, and under existing circumstances, Mr. Greorge can do nothing. It is clearly a case for personal negotiation, and the contractors while expressing regret that Mr. Howard Kennard has ' hitherto been detained by the disturbed state of commercial affairs in England, at the same time say that it is probable he may soon be enabled to visit Wellington. In another letter received by the present mail, the writer says that Mr. Howard Kennard would probably leave London for Wellington via Panama, in October. Should that gentleman come, we share tho hope expressed by Kennard Brothers " that he would be enabled to adjust all existing points of difference," and secure the commencement and completion of a work, important alike to tho Colony and 1 the Province. It is only in that way that anything can bo done, because the suggestion of the Advertiser " that the Government should instruct Mr. George to proceed with the work at once, and leave the question of responsibility or cost to arbitration afterwards," is too 1 absurd for serious consideration, and even if it wero otherwise, the contractors

&t$ tidt pepml to agree to ii They i want the Government, not only to pay the coat of constructing artificial foundations, without any reference to arbitration, but require a guarantee besides against any loss that may be sustained in the future from the possible' sinking of those foundations, which it would be their business so to construct as to avoid all such risk. Would any man of business give such a guarantee as the latter, or incur the indefinite liability which it involves ? As Mr. Stewart, the Provincial Engineer writes : — " For the Provincial Government to guarantee the stability of any artificial foundation put in, whoever may be at the cost of executing it, and be liable for any failure in the superstructure, consequent on the giving way of the foundations, would, I think, be very inadvisable, as it would amount to the 'case of two different partios being responsible for portions of work, one of which depended in parfe for its efficiency upon the other." Yet this is what the Advertise?' wants the Government to do! "We very much! regret the delay which has taken place, | but it is better to wait a little longer, j than make matters worse. So far as Wellington is concerned, her claim to the terminus Was abandoned by Major Kichardson eighteen months ago, when the memorandum between him and Captain Vine Hall was signed, which formed the basis of the present contract. Sydney was then chosen as the terminus, and on that understanding Dr. Eeatherston afterwards secured the aid of that colony. Besides the Gfovernment have formally agreed to the demand of ISTew South Wales that Sydney should be the terminus, and Mr. Crosbie Ward has gone to got the contract signed on that footing. We cannot secure the terminus at present, and such being the case, time and opportunity are afforded to have the slip erected on terms which, while fair and liberal to the contractors, shall nok. be injurious to the province.