THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 69, 3 August 1865, Page 9

THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

(To the Editor of the Bruce Herald.') ■ Sir — Whichever of the candidates for the post of Superintendent of this Province maybe elected, it is' to be hoped that he will be a man who will be indefatigable in performing the duties of that important office^ and who will act with impartiality and justice ag far, as regards all districts of the Provinc e and every section of the community. ; '■ < .< The office of Superintendent should be byno means a sinecure, but it depends on the man himself in a great measure how far it is bite or not. L ; One would suppose that It was one of the first duties of a Superintendent, ; by a careful collection of information. and} by

occasionally- yisiting_^nd^.insj>ecting the di£ferent districts and localities 6i the Province; j to make himself thoroughly ; acquainted with - all the requirements and capabilitiea of every portion of the Province. : The Superintendent of course cannot- b» considered accountable for every act of '.the> . Government which is done under his regime, as his acts must, in a considerable degree, be influenced by his advisers forthe time being, but there & no dbiibt that he possesses a very, considerable amount of power, especially as he has the choice of what persons he will invite to act as his advisers, and there can be no ( doubt that the future welfare of the Province depends; very much upon what sort of "a man is elected sis Superintendent* If •-.-. he be a man of large; and broad views, with ah intellect, and capable of understanding and grappling with the. difficulties which' at present surround us ; if he be a man with a<■ high sense of honor arid justice, and one who would scorn to act from mean and interested, 'motives ; a man with a' far-seeing judgment 'ahd.a lively sense of right and wrong, the> ; Province, under the 'auspices of such a man', : has a fair chance of great prosperity. But if he prove to be a man of mean and narrow views, whose mind is not imbued with the feeling of justice, and of the necessity of fulfilling with impartiality, indef atigability, aiid perseverance-, the high duties entrusted to his performance by his fellow colonists: in that case the Province is pretty , certain to-, suffer proportionably. There are several matters -which should attract the immediate* attention of the Superintendent. The first and most important worif to be undertaken' is to endeavour ta bring the finances of the Province into a better state, so as tcy : avoid the danger and .disgrace of national insolvency. This should be done by.' organising a severe, but at the same time judicious, system of. retrenchment, and, the carefully "abstaining from any public work which ike present resources, of the Province do not authorise the undertaking of '■;• giving the preference to works of the absolute necessity of which- there can be no doubt. Also, by attention to the. matter of Provincial loans,; and a removal of the ob>stacles 1 which at present -prevent the sale of Provincial debentures; : In considering thia matter of finance it may also be of iriiportance to consider how far, and to what extent, the proportion this Pro vince r at present pays, . towards the expenses: of the General Government is fair- and reasonable. Undertakings, of the utmost importance i to ; the Province are. "the opening up of the country by main roads, and railways, and the • formation, of , ports, along the coast. All these- things must, depend however upon the state for the time, being of the public . finances, for it is folly to bbgin to build if ; we are . not able to. finish: ■'■■''■ j.- '■■'' Much hoping that the Province may haVa • the great good fortune to find the right man. T in the right place, '■•. :--u; ' ■ ■•-. ■■'■,'-■ r :'l:am, <&£,,;■ •-. .. ...■•.'.;■ .*■:.. , ; .'. OBSERVER.