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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 172, 29 April 1864, Page 3

a recent issue the subject of the election of Superintendents was mooted by a correspondent signing himself “ Pro Bono Publico.” This question is of great importance, and is therefore worthy of mature consideration. Of course much may be said for and against any scheme for the election of the Chief Executive Officer of the Province. That the system introduced under the New Provinces Act works well is more than doubtful, certainly as far as the experience of this Province is concerned. That Mr. Fitzgerald’s Act is likely to do away with the evil, in the event of that act becoming law, is very questionable ; in fact, as far as ue can at present judge, it is, if possible, even worse than the arrangement, in that behalf, under which this Province now groans. It is very generally admitted that the election of Superintendents, as provided for by the New Provinces Act, is a failure, and, worse, that it has been the direct cause of the collapse of that Act, as far as any practical benefit cun be expected to be derived from it.

We will, therefore, briefly glance at the provisions of the Nominated Superintendents Act, to which our correspondent refers. It would seem, then, that this Act is intended to do away with the interference of the people in the election of Superintendents, either directly by general election, as in the case of Wellington, or indirectly by the choice of their representatives in the Provincial Council, as in the case of Hawke’s Bay. To the nomination arrangement we demur, for if we may judge from past experience, it is not very likely that the Governor, or more properly speaking the Colonial Secretary for the time being, will appoint a person to the Superintendency who will prove very acceptable to the masses. We have not yet seen any officer of recent date in this Province, owing his appointment directly to the Governor, who is in any way remarkable for his abilities, or in fact for anything. The country swarms with indolent men of unlimited pretensions, but of very limited education and illness, who, because of their connection with some persons of note somewhere or other, consider themselves entitled to bore the life out of the Ministry to give them “ something to do.” One is made a centu rian, another a magistrate, others again are called upon to “ do something” as Civil Com. missioners ; in short, turn which ever way you will, you will meet with a cluster of delapidated gentlemen whom the Government have found it needful to provide with “something to do,” making upon the whole a noble army of muffs. The enormous sums of money annually expended upon and by this kind of gentry are almost incredible. We greatly fear that the same rule would but too readily apply to the Superintendents. The chances are that the first fruits of the nomination of Superintendents by the Governor would be the advent of some “ used up” Dundreary, the effect of whose proceeding would no doubt shortly appear in a very striking manner. Had the Province reason to congratulate itself upon the success hitherto of the Governmental endeavors in filling up appointments, —could we look upon the long, lomr list of nominated officers of one sort or another, both civil and military, with satisfaction, some hope might be entertained that that, as in one case so in another, good men Would be sought for and found to fill requisite offices. But, unfortunately for our aspirations in that direction, our past experience in officialdom is not encouraging, and we

therefore give up in despair any',hope of the provisions of Mr. Fitzgerald’s Act remedying the evil, by supplying a real ready-made Superintendent of superior quality according, to order.

The question then is—What is to be done ? If the present arrangement is bad, —if the plan pursued as regards the election of Superintendent in Wellington is open to objection, and if Mr. Fitzgerald’s new idea does not seem to mend matters, —What is to be done ? The answer is plain, and the remedy simple. Do away with Superintendents altogether, That kind of salt hath lost its flavor wherewith it was salted, and it is fit for naught else but to be cast upon the dung heap. I hen let it be cast upon the dun» heap. °

The voice of the people is raised in subdued but nut less earnest tones against a longer continuation of this species of flunkeydom. The hearts of men wax faint within them when they contemplate the doings of our Superintendents, and they cry out that it is time for that article to be dispensed with.