The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 18, 1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 116, 18 May 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 18, 1868.

Speaking- of financial reform, as advocated by the Reform League established some time ago in Auckland, the Herald says : —" The League Sub-Committee refers to offices which are now either entirely useless, or as nearly as possible sinecures, —offices created to buy up opposition to Ministers. It would appear that this mode of changing an enemy into a friend is pretty well understood in this colony? and especially by the present Ministry. And our 'Constitutional Government' gives plenty of opportunities for practising it. The League refers particularly to the snug, well paid, aud not heavily bur-denecUwith-work posts held by two exministers; Messrs. James FitzGerald and Domett. These two gentlemen are looked upon as little more than State 'pensioners, holding well-paid offices, and having next to nothing to do in return, except to be quiet and not disturb the Ministers of the day." As a pendant to the above, we may remark that a gross injustice is shortly, we are assured, to be done to tho oldest member of the Legislative Council,- Colonel Richmond, by ignoring his claims to the Speakership of that august body. Major Richardson, one of the present Ministers, and, if rumor speaks truly, a now dissentient and unwilling member of the Government team, has had the offer of the post from his rather restless and übiquitous colleagues, with a view, doubtless,'to disarm the opposition which he would nnquestionably offer after relenquishing his portefeuille. It is generally understood that he will do so before the beginning of the approaching Session. Several of our contemporaries have already stated, as an admitted fact, the Major's intended acceptance of the vacant Speakership ; acceptance, which, if truly recorded, may, well surprise every one, when the assurance to the contrary which he so emphatically gave some time during last Session is yet so fresh in our memories. Shortly after the resignation of the Hon. Mr. Bartley, one of the Wellington papers taxed the Government with the avowed intention of overlooking Colonel Richmond's claim to the vacant post. This at once drew from Major Richardson a somewhat indignant reply, in which he begged to assure the Editor that, while there was not the slightest foundation for such a statement, it was impossible that he, as a member of the Legislative Council of hardly three months' standing, should ever think of becoming Mr Bartley's successor in the Speakership. However, the gallant Major seems to have altered his views, and his political delicacy has evidently become less sensitive, a fact which certainly admits of less wonder, when we consider the close proximity to which he has for sometime past been exposed with a chief whose political principles and consistency were ever dependent upon the results to be obtained, and whose political motto always was 'The end justifies the means.' |