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New Zealander, Volume 11, Issue 964, 11 July 1855, Page 3

On the first of May last, Mr. Superintendent Brown nominated, it appears, certain gentlemen “for the purpose of surveying (he Awaroa , and inspecting the portage between the Mauukau Harbour and the Waikato River.” After the lapse of upwards of two months, nearly the whole of which lime, we are informed, has been spent in the undertaking, we are favoured with the report. Rumour says that this duly was originally confided to five gentlemen, but that one of them fell himself so insulted, by the supercilious and dictatorial manner in which he was called upon by his Honor, that he declined to act, and that a correspondence took place between him and the Superintendent which was so impertinent and offensive that each returned (he other’s letters. We ha ye not heard that the matter went any further, but are glad to be able to assure our readers (hat, at all events, it slopped short of actual hostilities. Another of the gentlemen—the Provincial Road Surveyor—visited Waiuku, but returned almost immediately. He went, we hear, to please the Superintendent, and returned to please himself. The absence of his name from the report is strange; for he, at least, should be competent for such an undertaking, and he is the only one of the number employed whose services the Superintendent had a right to command. The report is signed by the other three— Messrs. Mason, Simpson, and O’Rafferly—and was published in the Provincial Gvoernmenl Gazetleot the 7th instant, it will also be found in the columns of Hie New Zealander of this day. Another remarkable omission will not escape notice, —where are his Honor’s instructions? We presume he did not depart from the usual course, hut that he duly pointed out what he required and expected to he done. Why, then, is this document kept back? It should have appeared with the report,—why has it not ? Is it because bis Honor does not feel confident that it will bear inspection ? It certainly is not (o bo wondered at that bis Honor should become a little shy of appearing in print; he has not much reason to congratulate himself on the figure he has made. Or are (he instructions kept back because they would show already,what the report indicates —that bis Honor proposed a wild and impracticable scheme, and that Hie thanks of the community are due to Hie gentlemen who have taken so much trouble to expose its folly ; and what is c#f equal advantage, to point out a plan of their own by which the desired ohjccl may he bo gained, and which, unlike Hie Superminidendenl’s, has the advantage of being practicable, and within (he means of accomplishment. It is not our intention to-day, to go into the merits of Hie question as to the importance of

opening an easy mode of communication between the .Manukau and the Waikato, or as to the best mode of effecting that very desirable object; we shall have something to say on these subjects hereafter. We propose now to call attention to the commentary the report furnishes, on some of bis Honor s magnificent “schemes.’’ It will be Iresh in the recollection of those who lake an interest in public affairs, that, during the last session of the Provincial Council, after the greatest care had been bestowed by that body in apportioning, as fairly as possible, amongst the most urgent public works, a sum more than equal to the estimated revenue for the year, his Honor made so startling a proposition to (he Council, that every thoughtful man stood amazed at it. In the month of April, the celebrated estimate for the “Additional Expenditure fou the Year 1855," was announced by a longwinded flourish, introducing some of the wildest schemes —when compared with the means of tiiose by whom they were to be carried out—that ever emanated from the brain of a sane man. Amongst other projects, equally absurd, some perhaps more so. his Honor proposed “ constructing a tram-way” across the Awaroa portage for 4UOO/. Every one who knew anything of the subject was astonished ; the advantage to he gained was so great, and the sum required comparatively so small. Who would have thought that a tram-way between the Waikato and Manukau, would cost only 4000/? But there it was in print, stamped with the authority of his Honor's name. It is usual to found propositions of this character on some calculations, which generally do, and always should, accompany them. No such documents accompanied the Superintendent's Message; and a very little reflection was snfllcient to create a suspicion, that the whole scheme was got ap for a purpose; Mr. Busby at once denounced it,“as an address to Bunkum,” and (hose who were present will not forget the very caustic remarks which he made on the occasion Now his Honor slands in this position,— cilherin anticipation of a dissolution, which he almost immediately after applied for , he concocted an electioneering address, —or he betrayed a most profound ignorance of his duly in making at hazard a proposition, which, if the Council had hastily adopted it, would not have failed to place the Province in a most unfortunate stale of embarrassment. That work , which the Superintendent endeavoured to induce the Council to sanction, under the delusion that it would cost 4,000/., his Honor has now been at the pains to adduce Hie evidence, could not be satisfactorily performed at all, and the nearest practicable approach toil would cost 185.000/., or upwards of forty-six limes the amount of his estimate. The refusal of (he Provincial Council to vote, on estimates of Hus character, without some lime for consideration was made a matter of great complaint by many,—some from sheer parlizanship, others from want of information. What is to be said now ? Let those who really wish to arrive at the truth, read the report to which we are directing attention, and if honestly bent on arriving at a just conclusion they can come to no other, than that (he caution of the Provincial Council has saved (he Province from embarking in an absurd and ruinous undertaking. What could be mure preposterous than that this Province should enter on a single public work (under the impression that it would cost only 4000/.), involving an expenditure equal (o about four years' revenue, and which, calculated from the data afforded by Hie pn s -nt year, would absorb Hie whole amount available for public works for the next eight years. What, with such an extensive work on hand, would become, in our present stale, of Hie other public works of the Province, —are they to be neglected? more than that even, they would have to be, for Hie lime, absolutely abandoned. Should we not then be justitied in designating his Honor's “additional estimate" proposal as wild and extravagant, even if the proof of it rested aloneon the undertaking w liich he proposed at (be Awaroa ? But what is to be said, when it is considered that this was but one of several works of unknown cost, to be carried on at the same time.

We will not enter on the consideration of them now, but there is one to which we hope his Honor will excuse us for inviting his attention, viz., the “introducing of water into theCily, Iron Pipes, Reservoirs, etc.” We will give him the benefit of the “ etc.” and shall be glad if he will inform us what would be the expense of (he three first items alone? How far the sum he proposed (oOOOf.) would go towards the completion ol such a work ? Where is the water to come from? Is that ascertained? Wo very much question whether his Honor has any very definite idea even on this preliminary. To set the matter at rest let us have another commission of “ survey” and “ instruction,” it w ill be neither as troublesome nor expensive as the Waiuku one, but we are very much deceived if it will not expose an almost equal amount of recklessness. No man in his senses will deny the great .advantage which would arise from all or any of such works; we should be but 100 happy to sec them completed. But the Province of Auckland must submit to the common lot—it must bo content to undertake works which arc within its power of accomplishment. Nothing is more easv than to follow his Honor’s example and “build castles in the air;” within the space of half a column, we could suggest twenty public works from the completion of which the greatest advantages would follow. But is this sutlicicul? Something more at all evcnls is expected and justly due from a ruler than indulgence in flights of imagination. We desire that what is suggested shall be within our means, as well as useful. What is to he dine with a Superintendent who seeks to indulge such wild fancies—with borrowed money too: and whoso incapacity for even the most ordinary ! unctions of Government every day unhappily becomes more glaring? Some propose a strange remedy,—give him, say they, a Provincial Council that will assist in carrying out his “scheme of policy.” This would *he a remedy with a vengeance; should il ever unfortunately happen, that the Province should be afflicted with a Superinlcnlendent and Council both as wildly scheming as the present Superintendent, it will not be long before our financial prosperity, c\cn already on the wane, will be converted into Provincial bankruptcy, and, like some of the American Slates, after being ruined by taxation in an endeavour to keep up our credit, an Auckland debenture will become a less marketable commodity than a Pcnsylvanian Bond.