OFFICIAL CHANGES NECESSARY TO THE WORKING OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 97, 26 March 1853, Page 3

OFFICIAL CHANGES NECESSARY TO THE WORKING OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

(From the Wellington Independent. J

We have alluded elsewhere, in this paper, to the removal of the seat of Government from Auckland to Wellington, and we are quite prepared to do justice to the statesmanlike conduct of Sir-G. Grey in coming to this determination. What we now look to is, that the transfer may be followed out by its legitimate consequences, in the bringing to the same point all the ma-* chinery, and, along with it, all the chief officers of the general government. As affairs are conducted at present, there must be continual embarrassment, arising to his Excellency, from the absence of the heads of departments: and, if not, then this awkward conclusion must present itself to the ofiicial mmd — namely, that there is a body of gentlemen at Auckland nhu are absolutely useless and paid for doing nothing, or else that they are receiving the salaries which, belong to the higher offices, whilst they are

merely performing the duties of an inferior and local administration.

We do not mean to say," or to insinuate, that the officials at Wellington are paid 100 little, or that they are any of them incompetent to the performance of the high duties which have thus been thrown upon them incidentally. It is possible that his Excellency may have discovered that he has a more able staff of administrators here than at Auckland, and the public, not being quick at these odious comparisons, may see little difference between them : but, then, this corollary results — that the salaries of the Auckland officials ought to be reduced as much below those of the officers of the central Government as they are now above them. It is clear that the gentlemen at Wellington are quite willing to consecrate their talents to the public service, without any increase of remuneration. We say no more, therefore, on that point, as the whole question of salaries will have to be considered by the future House of Representatives. But, what we have a right to demand is, that the chief officers of the Government, that is of the General Government of New Zealand, and not of Auckland or Wellington in particular — sncha^ the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, the Colonial Secretary, ike, — should be resident at the seat of Government — vre mean, where the Governor is stationed, and where the Legislative Assembly is convened. Either these gentlemen are useless in th; ir present appointments, or they ought ?o be whpre the Government and Legislature are, in order to answer for the conduct of their several branches of administiation. For example, there mny be a very grave question raised at the ensuing meeting of the Legislature, concerning the coniluct-of a puisne Judge, and his fitness for holding ofuce. The Governor, the i Council, and the ptiu'ic lil-ewie^. would expert j to have the opinion of th" Chief Justice, and of the Atio'-ne\-General of the colony.

But where are th«.\ ? Paid for performing these duties, but resident at Auckland, whilst inferior officer- are called upon to act as their siijjs'iitutes at inferior salaries. This is an in3(>nvenien*. nn anomalous, and an indefensible state of affairs ; and, if perpetuated much longer, will assume the ehaiacter of a job, and an abu«e of a most flagrant kind. What would be said in i ( ]n«!nnci, if Ihe Lord Chancellor were holding his Court in Edinburgh, the AttorneyGeneral farming in the Lothians, the Colonial Secretaiy prospecting on the Grampians, and the rest, of the Cabinet and great officers of State administering Justice at Quarter Sessions, or performing some other lo< al duties, whilst the Queen and Parliament were sitting at Westminster, and getting through their business as well as they could, in the absence of these vagrant functionaries? We are, however, on the eve of the day that is to usher in Responsible Government. The Governor, as in Canada, will have to choose hia officers — excepting only the judges now on the bench — from amoi.g those who will be approved of by the House of Representatives. He will, in fact have to govern by a ministry, and the composition of that ministry will be dictated by a Parliamentary majority. If the present holders of an office can command such a majority, they will retain their appointments; if not — they will hme to gi\e way to those who can. It will then be seen whether the public will tolerate the absurdity, not to say the illegality, of the principal officers of the colony residing, permanently, at a distance of 400 tailes from the seat of government.

A Laugh Shark. — An immense shark was -caught off South Arm, by Jhe men on "board the Itoyal William, on the passage of that cutter to town.. The length of the fish from the head to the tail is 2<? fee* 1 , • and it is 15 feet round the body ; the length of* the ' fin on the top of the back, 1 yard. The flukes ar e l those of a young whale, and are upwards of £ fSetr^ across, It yielded a large quantity of oil.— •ffe&ML? Town Courier.