NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, September 15, 1858. DR. FEATHERSTON’S RUMOURED TRIP TO MELBOURNE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XIII, Issue 1369, 15 September 1858, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, September 15, 1858. DR. FEATHERSTON’S RUMOURED TRIP TO MELBOURNE.

It is luinoured that Dr. Featiieuston intends to accompany Dr. Evans to Melbourne in the course of a few days ! The object is said to be to make arrangements for the establishment of Steam Mail Service between Melbourne and Wellington. If the Provincial Government can go on here just as well without him, and the Steam arrangements cannot be made without his personal presence in that is. probably, as good an employment as he can find for himself. But the insolence of doing so without consulting the Council, which he has prorogued without naming any day for it to meet again, would be putting the cap to his former insults levelled at the representatives of the people. Dr. Evans will take to Melbourne with him the knowledge that, while the Council has been misrepresented by Dr. Featiieuston as adverse t,o a vote of public money for the above mentioned object, it is Dr. Featiieuston who now precludes the Council from expressing any opinion whatever on the subject. He will clearly understand that the salaries of the Superintendent and principal officers, for the current year, of which eight months and a half have expired, have not been even considered yet: that the money necessary to keep up the ordinary Government establishments has been voted in Committee of Supply up to the end of June last only: and that, with the exception of the sums due to the local Steam Navigation Company, and to the contractor for the Melbourne Mail Service up to the end of June, no money has been voted for public works or services for any period since the end of last year. Il Dr. Featiieuston should really intend to leave the Province without convening the Council, it will be for the members of that body, who believe that their election by the people entitles them to be consulted on all public matters of importance, to take the ne. cesssry steps for compelling this village Auto, crat to think a little less mightily of his own will and opinion. During the adjournment for elections to fill up vacancies, Dr. Evans, MT.Macandiiew, and the Chamber of Commerce, have had interviews and conversations with each other and Dr. Featherston about the projected Steam Service. But the Chamber of Commerce is not elected by the people. We desire to say nothing disrespectful of some two dozen more or less mercantile men, who have associated themselves together for some verv useful purposes. But we recall the fact, that the opinions put forth by the majority of that body have not been always such as met with the approval of the people at large. While, therefore, the result of their consultations with Dr. Evans and Dr. Featiieuston ought to have a certain degree of influence over any decision which the Provincial Council might arrive at in the matter, that Council is yet the only body whose sanction of any proposed plan will furnish the money for carrying it into execution.

Mere Dr. Featheiiston an honest and “ Constitutional ” Superintendent, he would have allowed the Council to meet directly the elections were over, would have laid before them all that has passed in the interval, and would have consulted them as to what further steps should be taken. But no ! he despises the Council's advice : means to do it all him. self: and, no doubt, to pay for it out of his own pocket, it he should make some entirely unsatisfactory arrangement? M ithout the authority of the Provincial Council, Dr. Featherston can enter into no agreement at Melbourne which will be worth more than his personal responsibility. If lie must go thither at all, Dr. Evans and ‘the Melbourne authorities will at once see that his visit would only be effectual if the Council had been first consulted.