THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1873.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2816, 6 February 1873, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1873.

It has been remarked to us that the Auckland people take much less personal interest in public affairs than they did ten or a dozen years ago. Unquestionably this is the case. The pursuit of gain seems to have dulled the keen edge of public spirit for which Auckland was once famous in the colony, let ifc not be supposed, however, that we mean to praise the Old Identity at the expense of new arrivals. Such is not our intention. We can see no perceptible difference in either set. Both Old and Young Identities are rowing in the same boat, animated by a kindred spirit, and straining to reach the same goal. The consequence is, that very often things unexpectedly come about which surprise them exceedingly. Thev are roused into giving a momentary expression of disapproval, and having thus satisfied their citizen-consciences, relapse again into apathy. One cause for this may be the fact that the Colonial Parliament meets in a remote settlement, and that Auckland is cut off from all direct contact with it. We know next to nothing of what is going on there during session ; —of what " logs" are rolled, or how, or by whom, they are being rolled. Nor have we the faintest idea of how the Governmentmanagesaffairs during the recess. Wellington is truly a Minis, terial Paradise. In any of the larger settlements, Ministers would be exposed to criticism. They would be amenable to public opinion, and find themselves all the better for it. in Wellington there is only an official opinion ; and it is simply the re , . e f of this official opinion tll' -w ir c °lony obtains through newspapers. The Imistonal and Opposition organs Tlfo if 7 , alike 4 n this respect. The Wellington Press is bound stand up for officialism and

red tape. Their constituents are nourished by the one and swathed "with the other. When, therefore, we read Opposition tirades in the Post, and studied replies in the Independent, we know that in reality there is uo difference of opinion, but that controversy is maintained to blind the country. The Post, from preference, usually performs the part of Katharina in the play, the Independent, that of Petruchio; and they may truly say, 'Tis b.irgain'd 'twixfc us two, being alone, That she shall still be curst in company. Of course, there are occasions when the feud is real; but on such occasions the cause is personal. It does not go to the root of any public question, but turns upon whether Mr. A or Mr. B happens to be on friendly terms, or the opposite, with the writer. We are thus enabled to trace cause and effect with considerable precision. In Auckland, we have nothing in common with such a state of things; we never have had any thingin common with it. So long as Auckland remained the Seat of Government, and the conduct of public men came prominently before this community, there was a healthy, outspoken expression of public feeling. The Opposition was not a sham. Ifc was invariably founded on principle; it meddled not with men except in so far as they were identified with principles. And, at the present day, as our fellow-citizens cannot understand, nor keep pace with political combinations at "Wellington, they dismiss the subject of politics from their minds, and apply themselves with greater diligence to their own private affairs. This is only natural We can hardly blame them for it; but at the same time, it is a great mistake. It is a political blunder, which has already entailed heavy penalties on this community.

If there had been art active public opinion in Auckland, does any one mean to suppose for a moment that this community would be more heavily taxed than any other province in the colony, as it is now ? The want of public opinion saddled it with extra taxation, imposed in a variety of ways, some open and avowed, others indirect in their operation, but not the less real on that account. If a healthy public opinion existed, is it within the range of probability that any Government would have kept Auckland " out iu the " cold," in the distribution of the Immigration and Public Works Loan, to the extent that has been done ? While immigrants are pouring into Wellington, ITawke's Bay, and tbe Middle Island, Auckland stands contentedly by, without adding a unit to its population, speculating what portion of the loan expenditure will bo allotted to this province by the Assembly, almost certain to be hostile to it, and with "the balance of power" in Southern hands. Of one thing our fellow-settlers may make certain : the lauds of the Middle Island will ultimately bear no portion of the loan. The public lands will pass into private hands within a few years, and the proceeds be spent on local works and to maintain local Government machinery. The Consolidated revenue will then be the sole resource, before which time, however, we anticipate that the goldfield revenue will have been absorbed to meet the growing necessities of the country. And when that time comes, —as come it must, — when General and Provincial debts arc consolidated in fact as they are now in ::ame; —when there shall be one debt, one Treasury, and one taxing body, Auckland will awake to find that its contribution on account of the public debt will far exceed the amount for which it should beheld liable. There will then be an outcry, and public meetings will be held, and fiery speeches made and cheered to the echo; but all iu vain. The protest will come too late. It will be like closing the stable door after the steed has been stolen. We have performed that prudential feat more than once in Auckland already. We did it to perfection after the removal of the seat of Government; we repeated it when the Imperial forces were removed; and in short, we have rather a reputation for making a display of that kind of useless energy. Our public demonstrations are decidedly striking ; the misfortune being, however, that they invariably liang fire too long.

Now, we do not advise our fellow settlers in Auckland to sit down and cry over spilt milk. That would be another useless proceeding. There have been many pails of milk kicked over in Auckland, by Auckland men. Accidents will happen ; only we trust our fellow-citi-zens will be more careful hereafter. But in order that our representative men may keep up to the mark, they should be sustained by the clearly expressed voice of the public. To that end, we think our leading citizens should exert themselves more than they do. _ They should take occasion to meet in public, and discuss questions affecting the general interests of the province, and endeavour to lead the masses to an intelligent conclusion upon them. By so doing, if past mishaps cannot be repaired, mistakes may be avoided in future.

Oua Southern telegrams throw a little more light upon the stupendous exertions of the Agent-General to obey the orders transmitted to him from the Government. Of the 24,000 tons of railway material ordered in 1871, Dr. Featherston advises that he has shipped for Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, and Nelson, a total of 365 tons of rails and spikes. If, however, he has failed in respect of the heavier duty, he has apparently exerted himself in lighter and more congenial work. Dr. Featherston, we are told, has " shipped large quantities of " salmon ova for Otago" ; and, stranger still, it is added that " Shaw, Saville " and Co. offered to charter a ship " specially adapted for its convey- " ance." Now, it is somewhat singular that Shaw, Saville and Co. should be so forward in the matter of salmon ova, aud so backward with respect to Government material and merchants' freight. Has this bit

of liberality been the cause of Dr. Featherston telegraphing that unless the contract with Shaw, Saville and Co. was extended, the emigration scheme would fail? We cannot say so positively. But we have the sum total of the Agent-General's emigration exertions in the telegrams as well. Letters have been received from him, informing the Government that two hundred emigrants had been shipped in November, and four hundred in December ; but that a great falling off in numbers must be anticipated, owing to the season. The telegram adds that the destination of the emigrants is not stated. This is the way, apparently, in which the business of the JSTew Zealand agency in London is conducted. Would any mercantile house tolerate it for a moment ? And is the interest of the eutire community to be considered as of less value than the interest of a few individuals? We protest against the continuance of such palpable neglect of duty. Dr. Featherston is sufficiently paid ; he has a large and well paid staff; the Government should make them do their work, or dismiss them. The time has come for speaking out plainly, and it is as well the Government at Wellington should know that the large centres of population in the colony will not much longer tolerate the unbusiness-like and imperfect discharge of their important functions by the Agent-General and his subordinates. What has become of Dr. Buller, the scientific secretary of the Agent-General ? He was receiving £000 a-year from the colony ; what work has he done for the money ? We have a right to have this question answered by the Government, to satisfy the ]Hiblic, whose money they disburse. We venture to say that no country has ever been so ill served as New Zealand has been since the appointment of the Agent-General.