THE Otago Witness Dunedin, Saturday, April 6, 1861.

Otago Witness, Issue 488, 6 April 1861, Page 5

THE Otago Witness Dunedin, Saturday, April 6, 1861.

In the present crisis in the political affairs of this Province there arises one serious difficulty, and that is the want of qualified persons from whom to select a gentleman to fill the important office of -Superintendent. A variety of names of persons as candidates have at different times been suggested, to each and all of whom some section of the community had objections. One was supposed not to possess the requisite ability ; the station of another rendered him ineligible ; a third had business connections which stood in the way ; Dut by far the most general objection was that the supposed candidates were unknown men. The late Captain Cargill, in his farewell address to the electors, stated his views of what were the qualifications of a Supeiintendent, but they were of too high a standard for us to hope to be able to find in any one man all the qualifications of what we may term a model Superinlculcnt. Of all the candidates suggested, Major Richardson, the Speaker of the Provincial Council, and Acting Superintendent, appears to combine the greatest amount of the requisite qualifications; but to him the most serious objection is that he is alleged to be an unknown man, and that his political career has been short. The latter remark may be true as compared with those who have gone before him ; the former can only apply to his being unknown lo tlie large majority of tho electors. To those who havo taken any active part in tl;e politics of Otngo, bo is perfectly well known, and we should think, even to the public generally, much better known than any other candidate who has boon suggested as likely and willing to come forward. Indeed we take it that tl.c fact of his having opinions which meet v.ith opposition is the best test that lie is known. We would much rather vole for a gentleman with whom we disagreed on minor points, than accept, as has hitherto been too much the fashion in Ofago, a gentleman who had made no enemies, and from whom every body anticipated great things, the usual phrase in such cases being that he is connected with no party. It is almost needless to say that we look upon this expression as a mere cant phrase, having no meaning, the truth being that there is no division of the community into parties. There are no prominent leading principles in the local government of the Province, which one side strenuously supports and the other opposes with equal vigour. Were such the case, although many evils might arise from it, the management of the Government would be much simplified, and therefore the absence of parties within reasonable limits is ralhcr to be regretted than otherwise. Another cant phrase made use of by your mild men who have neither friends nor enemies, Is, that they support measures, not men, as if the best measures were of any use without the men to carry them out. The wise administration of a defective law, it has often been remarked, is preferable to the injudicious execution of the best measure. The discreditable position into which we have fallen ought to be for ever a sufficient exposure of the absurdity of the cry, "measures, not men," as if it. were not apparent to all that our last selection of tho " man" has been the cause of our present position, aud not the " measures" we have undertaken. We warned the electors, on that occasion, that the most important duty they had to perform was to select the head of the Province, and that it was useless, after having elected a gentleman whom they doubted, to attempt to correct the error by the election of members of the Provincial Council as a check upon him. Whoever the electors may select must be 'a gentleman who will undertake to rule in accordance with the views of the majority of the Council, and who will within reasonable limits take the advice of his Executive as the exponents of tho views of that majority. In this matter we must depend tea very great extent upon the character of the gentleman elected as one who, whilst having decided opinions of bis own, not being slavishly led by the will of his Executive, will yet not ride rough-shod over that amiable and helpless body of martyrs to the public good, not consulting them on a question of the acceptance of a contract for half a dozen yards of metal, and spending thousands without their advice or sanction ! Perhaps, under present circumstances, there is little fear of this. As usual with people who have made one mistake, we may ru,s,h to the other extreme, and substitute, for a gentleman utterly beyond control, one who must invariably be led. We say again, that we think, under all the circumstances, we do not think the public can do belter than elect the Major. Whilst on this subject, we cannot help remarking again upon the complaint, that candidates for office are mostly unknown. Now, why is it so ? It is clear that the same complaint will be made for the next three or four years. Where are the young gentlemen of the Province ? With one or two exceptions, they do not come forward to take a share in the duties of public life. Of all the extravagant pieces of conceit, there is nothing worse than the idea tbat any man is in a position which places him above performing- his share of such duties. There are plenty of opportunities for a young gentleman to take a part in the public business of the district in which he resides ; there are the road trusteeships, the school committees, &c. &c. It would soon be. dfecoverci^by hjs neighbours 'were he likely to ma)|||i^i|ua(l?le' public nia,n) and. the

highest offices of the Province would bo open to him. As the matter now stands, it is with extreme difficulty that persons qualified by previous habits of business can be found to fill any office. This want will render it almost impossible to amend the Executive Ordinance in a manner to make it at all satisfactory ; aud even now, when Justices of the Peace are required for outlying localities, proper men cannot be found, — so that we are either obliged to do without them, much to the inconvenience of a large portion of the community, or have persons appointed of questionable fitness: indeed, the title of J.P. is with most of our Justices a mere ornamental addition to their names. That we shall have -in the course of the spring a large number of persons working at a gold-field, seems pretty certain ; and where are the qualified mon to take the necessary offices for carrying on the public business of the Province ? If the educated class of the community will not take the trouble of working for the public good, they can have no cause to complain of the power and honour falling to the lot of other men.