Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 929, 18 September 1869, Page 13

The Otago Witness.

, DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, SEPT. 18.

No Provincial ' Executive has taken ' office under more pleasant auspices than^ those enjoyed by the present Government. A Council satisfied and easy to manage, unpopular, predecessors to use as scape-goats in regard to everything that had gone wrong, untrammelled by antecedents which might have forced it into unpopular courses — office could hardly be assumed under more comfortable circumstances. It is with as much astonishment as regret, therefore, that we find this Government growing unpopular. There would appear to be a gradually progressive alienation of feeling going on in a score of different directions. In almost all cases this has been caused by trifling matters, and the real mischief at the bottom of the thing appears to be want of tact. The business which passes under the hands of our Provincial Executives is almost all detail. Lofty political principles, even highly popular principles are not all that we require in our local rulers. They have under their management a thousand little affairs, each in itself of comparatively small importance to the community, but, at the same time, not unfrequently of very considerable moment to the individuals or petty districts interested. It is by the discreet dealing with these small matters that popularity may be secured by the members of a provincial government. They may, of course, misuse their influential positions for the mere sake of popularity hunting. We have specimens of this soi't of tact, but the temptation towards it is very much reduced by the amount of publicity which follows all that is done by our local magnates, and by the jealous manner in which every little section of the community watches lest its neighbour should obtftin any privilege which it does not enjoy. From what we have observed, the temptation would appear to be the other way. The difficulty of pleasing every one, and yet avoiding 1 anything which would be unjust to the community as a whole, is found to be too great for the patience smd temper of most of thos«3 who undertake the responsibilities of office. As a rule, the men whose political creed has commanded the largest amount of popular approbation havo proved themselves the least competent to grapple with the practical work of office. "We shall be very sorry to havo to believe that this is to be the case with the leaders of the present Executive, who, as sensible, moderate men, have always had our heart/ support ; but if the number of potty complaints already brought forward goes on accumulating in the same ratio until the next session of Council, they are likely to have a little storm about their ears.

Since a majority of tho complaints that we hear relate to money matters, there would seem to bo little doubt that tho Government have been ' putting on the screw.' Thoro may be an absolute necessity for this. Prudenco is undoubtedly the first duty of the Government The moneys which are applicable to tho appropriations made by the Provincial Council do not come in in a day. Evory work that baa been authorised cannot bo begun as soon as tho Supormtondont has assented to the Appropriation Act. Wo do not doubt that these considerations havo led tho Government to delay mattera'which they are now in disfavour for not hurrying, and to withhold payments which tho claimants consider thoy havo a right to. Tlioro aro, howover, two ways of doing ovorything, and tho Governmonfc docs not appear always to havo chosen tho right ono. Nor ia it merely a putting off of payments or works that wo find complaints about. Thoro is an ovidont inclination on tho part of tho Executive to construo the claims which various sections of tho community urge upon it in tho loiwt liberal manner. Tho Government i» in fact accused of absolutely shirking payments which it is legally bound to nmk<y and in regard to which it is sheltering itself under interpretations of Acts and

f "vmet»cK"aißplay ratMf iHe gi'iMt lr # the;;;law7er" 4 tiiaa , &&';*&', a pattsM Government- anxious < for the -.progress, of every section of the province. We may take aa a case in point the dispute which exists between, the Government and sorae of our country municipalities in regard to their subsidies. Hawksbury seems likely to lose £200 or £300which it counted upon as available for the current year. The interpretation of its rights which the Government makes its stand upon is; a very illiberal one. Even should it be found that the letter of the law is fulfilled by it, no one can doubt that the spirit of it is violated. The case is made more exasperating by the manner in which the Government has carried out another of its engagements to the same municipality in regard to the repair of streets destroyed by the dray traffic diverted from the Main North Rqad by the carrying away of the Waikouaici Bridge during the floods of last year. An empty treasury might have beencourteouslyiput forward as an excuse had that really been the cause of refusal. But, in fact, one spirit seems to pervade this and all similar cases. There seems to be rather a pride taken in keeping 1 claimants at arm's length. We are inclined to fancy that it is very much more a question of idiosyncracy of temper than of shortness of cash. If so, it is very unfortunate — very nmck to be regretted. For, after all, is it not for public purposes that the money is asked ? The progress of the various districts of the province when summed together means the progress of the province. The duty of the Government is not to save but to spend, and to try to save at every corner, at the expense of annoying and disappointing our settlers in every part I of the province, is the most mistaken of policies. We have dwelt on the complaints which connect themselves with money matters, because they are naturally, the most prominent, and the greatest noise is generally made about, them. It must not be supposed, however, that these form the sum total of the complaints we hear and read. Our object in addressing ourselves to the subject was rather to offer a general warning to the Government than to champion any particular cause.