New Zealand Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1874.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4238, 20 October 1874, Page 2

New Zealand Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1874.

The Hon. Mr. Reynolds appears to have had a lively time of it in Auckland, the suggestion of the Herald being acted on with regard to interviewing. He was “interviewed” with a vengeance, all the governing bodies, from the Provincial Government down to the Chamber of Commerce, being present. The subjects brought under his notice were skilfully varied by the deputation, to prevent anything like a sense of weariness overtaking him. Mayor Isaac wanted the Customhouse and Post-office tower built, according to the plan, with the addition of a clock, at a cost of £3OOO ; whereupon Mr. Reynolds made the very original remark, “that £3OOO was not to be “ sneezed at.” Mr. Isaac did not think it was, but considering the large revenue contributed by Auckland, he thought it was entitled to some little consideration from the General Government. Mr. Reynolds prudently referred the civic authorities of Auckland to the Minister of Public Works, with whom he regretted

he could not communicate direct, tho wire being down. Fortunate mishap ! It saved Mr. Reynolds a world of trouble, and Mr. Isaac a tart reply from the practical chief of the Public Works Department- • , .. TV , Mr. Daldy, Chairman of the Harbor Board, next preferred his claim for a, time ball; but the Commissioner of Customs, who is an authority on matters of that kind, evaded giving a direct reply, and was supported by the Mayor, who was cleverly detached from his ally of tho Harbor Board. • But this was not all. “The Supremo “ Court does not look very handsome “ without the towers,” put in Mayor Isaac. “ Would tho Government finish “ the Supreme Court Building ?” Mr. Reynolds was equal to this emergency, however. He had never been inside the building 5 he thought it was finished, hut tho Government would consider of the towers. The shadow , of the Minister of Public Works again came between the Commissioner of Customs and his tormentors. , , . The ice having been broken in this rough way, the Superintendent complained that the proposed Kaipara railway would destroy the frontages of some property at Mount Albert, and said that the owners had waited on him preferring a request, as we understand it, to the effect that they should have the railway and retain their frontages. The point involved appears to have puzzled Mr. Reynolds. “ Would the hon. gentleman have any “ objection to bring , the matter under ‘ ‘ the notice of the Government on his “ return to Wellington,” Superintendent Williamson inquired in his blandest tones. At this stage of the interview, Mr. Reynolds apparently became somewhat confused. He had used up his colleague in Wellington and made the most of the broken wires, and was evidently bothered for a substitute. But he was not quite cornered. The Public Works Department might still serve his turn, and he boldly laid hold of the District Engineer to parry tho thrust of the Superintendent. “ Most certainly he would do so, if he “ had a memorandum to that effect from “ Mr. Stewart, the Engineer.” This, however, was a desperate expedient, so he fell back upon the state of the weather and the Thames, although what earthly connection there was between these and the Superintendent’s question no can imagine. “He had intended,” he continued, “to have made a personal “ visit to the Thames, but he had been “ deterred by the weather.” The diversion was skilful, but it did not succeed. The ■ Superintendent changed front, and totally ignoring the strait to which the Commissioner of Customs was reduced by the weather, “ wished to know if “it was the intention of the Govern“ment to open the railway to Drury,” implying that Ministers had some sinister design in closing it against traffic. This was adding insult to injury. A telegram from Mr. Richardson to Mr. Bdckland, explaining the reasons why the Government could not take over the Drury line from the contractors, had been published in the local newspapers ; but here were the Superintendent and his Executive, and all the local topknots treating this official explanation as a deliberate attempt to deceive the public, ‘ 1 for the piurpose of injuring “Auckland.” Mr. Reynolds very properly resented this implied charge, whereupon there was a lively scrimmage between Mr. Sheehan, the Provincial Secretary, and himself, in which the former gentleman u“i«l/3BEfire‘\4 n Spo.v Goveruin Canterbury and Otago as soon as possible, whereas a different course was pursued in Auckland. Mr. Reynolds, however, was firm. Mr. Sheehan was wrong in his facts. The Government were determined not to give way to local pressure, however, great. The railway to Drury would be opened when it was pronounced safe by the Government engineers, and all the conditions of the contract had been complied with, but not a day sooner. Mr. Von deb Heydb, for the Chamber of Commerce, (and as member for Waitemata,) hereupon took ground upon Mr. Reynolds’ flank. He wanted to know when the Kaipara railway would be constructed. They had waited a long time, and other districts were having their railways built meanwhile. This was a very direct way of censuring the Government for neglecting Auckland, but Mr. Reynolds would not admit thecharge. The line had been authorised in 1873, and he did not think any time had been lost; however, the matter would have his attention on his return to Wellington, where he would discuss their grievances with his colleagues. And here Mr. Reynolds evidently thought the interview was at an end ; but he was mistaken. Mayor Isaac, as he had opened the proceedings by a demand for a clock and clock-tower on tho Postoffice building, closed it with the very modest request that the Government of the colony should contribute towards tho maintenance of a fire-brigade in Auckland. Some such promise, he assured Mr. Reynolds, had been made in the olden time, “ when tho brigade was “ not in existence,” and His Worship revived it now in the hope that the Government would keep faith with them. The Commissioner of Customs asked for a memorandum setting out the facts stated by Mayor Isaac, on receiving which “he would make application in “the ordinary way,” and “the deputa- “ tion, after thanking him for his patient “ and courteous hearing, withdrew.” Now, this parting scene must have been very touching on both sides. Tho spectacle of a Minister of the Crown, badgered by the unreasonable demands of a deputation of provincial top-knots, is not a pleasant sight; but when the unlucky victim is thanked by his tormentors for his patient and courteous bearing, it is a sight, as Mr. Reynolds said of £3OOO, “not to be sneezed at.” The reporter leaves no record of what transpired when the deputation withdrew. If he had taken a peep into that little apartment in tho public offices, a few seconds after the deputation withdrew, he might have finished the sketch. As it is, we are left to our imagination, and we could not trust ourselves to do justice to it. Our readers can imagine the scene for themselves. Mr. Reynolds, however, has certainly not been sparing in his promises. Let us hope that they will be better kept than that long-forgotten one which tho Mayor of Auckland revived, as the crowning proof of the neglect of that city and its interests by the Central Government. After these disclosures, what man in Auckland could vote for the abolition of Provincial Government ? Superintendentalism would remedy every abuse, subsidise every local institution, and comply with every request tho citizens might prefer. There would not be a grievance loft unredressed by the Provincial Government—if the General Government only found it money enough, and exercised no control over its expenditure. That is the only drawback to the perfectibility of Superintendentalism; but it is

one, we suspect, which tlie Colonial Legislature will not remove. In conclusion, let us say tliat we do not think the Auckland deputation was well advised, or that it will strengthen the position of that province in the eyes of the Colony.