To the Editor of the Otago Witness.

Otago Witness, Issue 420, 17 December 1859, Page 6

To the Editor of the Otago Witness.

Sir — " In a multitude of counsellors there is safety," is a proverb, the truth of which seems to have been strongly impressed on the minds of some of our worthy representatives at the late meeting of Council, even to the extent of drafting iv two new members, though, when we consider the ratio of the population of the Province to its representatives, compared with such constituencies as Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, &c, one is forcibly reminded of Professor Aytoun's humorous ode, descriptive of the feud between the clans M'Pherson and M'Tavish, whence the feudal array of the " Phairshon" consisted of " four-and-twenty men and five-aud-twenty pipers." As yet there is, certainly, a greater numerical difference between our electors and representatives than between the noisy and silent portions of that band of warriors, though, I suppose a candidate may be suited with a constituency ranging from any number "beginning with a 0 and ending with a 9, or beginning with a 9 and ending with a 0," like the cab number as given by one of Dickens' characters. So long as the country has not to " pay the piper " we have little to complain of if " too many cooks don't spoil the broth ; " but when we have a sample of what the present members have done in voting a grant of public money to build an Athenaeum, it is time, against the coming election, that country members looked well to the men they desire to return, that they be qualified for the fulfilment of the trust reposed in them, and sufficiently independent to give their own conscientious "aye or no" to what is for the benefit of the colony, and not allow themselves to be mere tools in the hands of a party. There is a principle involved iv this same Government grant that ought to be universally opposed by every country settler ; for, though we all wish success to Dunedin, knowing that the body cannot thrive without the head, yet it is mere wind to talk of the moral interests of the Province being advanced by the Dunedinites having a public gossiping-shop to read a newspaper in ; and it is nothing more nor less than dipping into the public purse with a fine-sounding excuse to do what ought to be done by the people of Dunedin alone. The settler at Jacob's Uiver and the townsman living next door to this moral reformatory, contribute alike towards its erection, but it is impossible to see wherein the former is benefitted. This is act number two of a system that country electors ought to exainine, as their claim on the public purse for the improvement of roads, &c, is surely as urgent as the necessity of ministering to the idle enjoyments of the townsmen. The other instance I refer to is the Swamp Road grant. Your townsmen, not content with having the sea at their doors, must needs extend their acquaintance with it by a tramp across a swamp to a miserable sandhill, under the plea of benefit to health, which, considering the crowded state of the town, and closeness of the houses, might possibly be admitted, though the idea of a road is more likely to have emanated from some one who holds property in that locality, the value of which would be thereby enhanced ; but be that as it may, it was only then discovered that the interests of settlers in the Peninsula had been much neglected in not having a road through the swamp, and under this cloak a thousand pounds was thought little enough to sink in a miry bed, though until the harbour dries up those on its margin cannot want for the best medium of conveying their carriages. Now, sir, those sums do not seem extravagant, after what has been said on the seemingly flourishing state of the Revenue ; but when we know that the main source of income is derived from land sales, and that had those only amounted to what was estimated, there would have been less grounds for gratulation, while at no time ought these to be estimated as legitimate Revenue ; nor can the proceeds of the land sales be more justly estimated as annual Revenue to the Province, than the Duke of Buckingham or Campbell of Islay could estimate their incomes at half a million, though the sale of their estates happened to bring that sum. What is to become of the colony when we lose the hen that lays this golden egg ? It is all very well to live in the hope of this becoming a commercial country, but I doubt if it will ever have much revenue from agricultural exports, even though one of our periodicals lately asserted, in reference to opening up the reserved country fur sale, that cultivation must go on increasing, and that •• flocks and herds must give way to the plough." When the vine-growers at the base of the Alps can hurl

the mighty glaciers from their summits by the force of cultivation, we may then expect to see waving corn on the ranges of Otago to the exclusion of "flocks and herds;" but even if that in time were possible, I will venture a prophecy that the unprecedented means adopted for glutting the labour market now is not so deniable a 9 a gradual, and, therefore, safe development of the resources of the country, ami will eie long end in a depression that will be felt for years, and which is already beginning to manifest itself in the Northern colonies. I can well understand how a certain class, who are in haste to get rich, cry out for increased immigration that they may gut their purses filled quickly, and escape the dopicssion which the history of every colony teaches is suie to follow any unnatural or forced prosperity. Tha colony is at present like the human body under fever, and gradually approaching the climax from which the depression will be severe according to the height from which we have to descend ; and I will venture to say that unless the succf",sor to c..,i T-esent Superintendent acts his part wi.h cnnlu .i.'he v. ill not retire with so much cause of sJ.-^uiui.i'iou as the honourable gf .llleman '-vhoss politic.;! e;iiff>.r is now drawing to a happy close.— l . >„;. win ?