WHO IS TO BE SUPERINTENDENT ?

Otago Witness, Issue 479, 2 February 1861, Page 9

WHO IS TO BE SUPERINTENDENT ?

To the Editor of the Otago Witnjess. g IRi — I observe the press is at present open to all communications relative to the conduct of the Superintendent. Major Richardson was scarcely landed, when he appeared in a supplement to the Witness — not only in self-defence, but for the purpose of making a further effort to lessen the character of the Superintendent, and to terrify the electors from all idea of retaining a man in their service whom he had pronounced guilty. I thought the voluminous report and printed evidence on the public accounts had brought the Superintendent low enough, but evidently Major .Richardson is not yet satisfied : he has conceived a lower depth of degradation ' still, and indirectly asks the Superintendent to .consummate the act with his own hand, by mak■ing a formal demand on the Treasurer for the production of a private letter in that gentleman's hands. Mr. M'Glashan, in his defence, produced all the letters he considered necessary for the- in- ' formation of the Council, and if he considered the production of a certain letter an improper act, or at best inexpedient, then he was quite justified in withholding it, and the public can have no fault to find. Of all men, surely the Treasurer was the most competent judge of what documents would best answer his defence : he was in no way trammelled at the time by the Superintendent, and as far as the public know, he is untrammelled still. If so, the more active members of the Finance Committee of Inquiry should refrain from probing a matter which the Treasurer seems to think too delicate for public ears, not to speak of how harrowing it would be to the feelings of one who has just returned from the discomforts and buffetings of a long sea voyage. Let well alone : all must confess that Major Richardson " has done his duty." Duty I duty ! duty !— That will be the rallyingcry at the next election — Duty ! That is .one of the finest words in the English language, because it is the name of that golden principle which has been the guide of the Christian in past ages, and of Garibaldi and Major Richardson in our own day. In the present state of Otago men are very apt to imbibe depraved notions of what is their duty. If the electors are to take their cue from the address of Major JRiehardson, they would condemn the Superintendent at once, without reference to what the Auditor-General may report. On the other hand, I would advise the electors to suspend their judgment till the accused has had an opportunity of speaking for himself. When a criminal •is brought before a Court of Justice, he is never asked to implicate himself; on the contrary, the witnesses' are examined in his presence, and the whole of the evidence against him is submitted to his inspection at every point, and when the case for the prosecution is completed, the prisoner is asked what he has got to say for himself. If he has" nothing to say, the Judge may appoint some one to plead on behalf of the prisoner all that can have a tendency to mitigate the severity of the sentence. Even when a murderer is to be condemned, the Judge giv^s him the benefit of every doubt, and the full value of any extenuating circumstance that may lessen the guilt of the unhappy man. Now has the Council in its judicial capacity, treated the highest Executive officer in the Province with the same consideration — justice and respect — as the Supreme Court would treat its vilest criminal ? Ist. Did the Committee of Inquiry examine all witnesses in presence of the accused ? ' ' 2nd. Did the Committee submit to the inspection of his Honor all the evidence that had been collected against him ? 3rd. Did^eCkjuncil, on receiving the Report on the Pnblic Accounts, and after hearing the defence of the Provincial Treasurer, allow the Superintendent to utter a single word in his own defence ? " If so, the Council has acted an honourable part and is fairly entitled to the thanks of the com- . munity ; if otherwise, then the decision may be a rash one. If the Superintendent wished to confront his chief accuser, and the request was rejected, then no sentence should have been pronounced by our Councillors ; they should have remitted the evidence without note or comment to his Excellency the Governor. In the Report of the Committee of Enquiry there are serious charges against the Superintendent, which I cannot defend 5 but there are other charges which hardly came within the province of a select committee. When the' public appoint a Treasurer to keep their money in a strong iron chest, he is supposed to watch over it as- if it contained the life's blood of the Province ; it is at his peYil to touch it. They, however, the possibility of. him lending a needj' jpr'ieud, or of tampering with ihe money himself : "for this-purpose they demand two sureties, worth more substance than can be embezzled in three months, The Auditors are appointed for the purpose of taking a peep into the chest every t . quarter, to ccc if " all is right. " The public, as far as I can judge, have far less cause for alarm than the sureties : and if the electors choose to 4hink that the horror thrown around the whole aflkir is more imaginary than real, and re-elect the Superintendent, what will hje said ? Enemies will say— The people of Otago are lost to all sense of duty ; lake Representative Institutions ' from them, and hand them back to the Crown. Others will say — The remembrance and gratitude of the past exceed their prudence. Friends will say— We can find no one with brains enough to fill his place. Neutrals will say — It is the most flattering reception which has yet been given to any settlerof New Zealand. The bare possibility of such an event is even now gall and wormwood to the Speaker of the Council, for it would be substantial proof that Mr. Macandrew still slumbers in the affections of the people ; and perhaps the only reason that could explain such an event would be the fact that the electors know that he sacrificed himself for the advancement of the colony, and has injured himself far more than he has injured the Province. I am, &c,

An Elkctor.

- Dunedin, 23rd January 1861.