MR. EDWARD SHAW.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1255, 6 April 1883, Page 2

MR. EDWARD SHAW.

(To the Editor, Inangahua Times.) Sir, — Will you kindly give me space in the Times to lay before the electors the way Mr. Edward Shaw, one of the candidates for the Inangahua seat, treated me during the period he was Warden for this district, The follow- , ing facts will show whether this gentleman is to be relied on or not. After the Hostettor Water-race was completed, all the available ground in the district was taken up, amongst other ground three leases overlapping my head-race on Try-Again Terrace. I lodged three objections in the usual way. Before deciding, Mr. Shaw came on the ground, and seeing that this property was so much in the way, ho told the miners present that if they drew up a memorial, and got it signed, he would strongly recommend the Government to purchase my rights. • A. miner present suggested that I should get water from tho Government race. M r. Shaw appeared to bo pleased with the , suggestion, and told me I would got two heads of water from the Government race if J would give "P to Government my titles to two head races and a dam. I told him I would see my mates, and let him know. After seeing my mates, I asked him in Gil-

mor's Hotel, Ahaura, what title would ( I get to this water. He told me I ' would get a Crown Grant, and I ac- 1 cp.pted on these conditions. He also ; told me that he would recommend i these leases, but that I would get a i hearing for my objections, if it was not settled before the leases came back from Nelson. The leases came back, and the parties had to go to Ahaura to sign them. Being in Ahaing,, I was astonished to hear the names of these parties called from the back door of the Court House. I asked Mr. Shaw why the front door was not opened, and give me a hearing for my objections. All I could get from this great digger's friend was for me to see hiai when the Coui*t was over. Now, Sir, I think you will agree with me that, after waiting for years to hear from this gentleman, and never getting a scratch of a pen from him on the subject, and knowing, as I did, that my property was ruined, it was high time for me to move in another direction. I therefore waited on the Minister of Mines, with a deputation, at Gilmer's Hotel, Gveymouth. He promised the deputation a hearing with the same result. I also went to a hearing. That is the last I heard of it. There is a number of respectable miners in this district that can vouch for the correctness of these statements. Now, Sir, I would ask who is Mr. Edward Shaw, or what claim has he on the miners' support. If he was a Whiteford, a Broad, or a Dutton, there might be some reason in it, instead of a young gentleman that was pitchforked into a position that he knew as much about as his grandmother knew about snipe-shooting. Why, Sir, this great man that wants us to put M.H.R. after his name, when he first came amongst us would not know a hydraulic pipe from an Armstrong gun. He got his Warden's education amongst us, and now he asks us to send him to Wellington to get politically educated. I trust not. I also trust that the electors will toll him that we have a ■better man in the field ; that we can have no confidence in a gentleman that broke his word with an individual miner, as he is likely to break his pledges to the electors. — I am, &c, Arthur Ellis. Nelson, O^ek,- " ; 31st Mirch, 1883. i