A COSTLY REMOVAL.

Colonist, Volume VIII, Issue 817, 29 August 1865, Page 2

A COSTLY REMOVAL.

One of the members for the Province of Auckland lately moved for a return showing the cost of the removal of the Seat of Government from Auckland to Wellington, including all allowances and compensation naid to officers ofthe Government, and others affected by the removal, distinguishing the cost of freight and passages, and "also the cost of the purchase, rent, erection, and additions to public buildings," consequent on the removal. This return was laid on tlie table of tlie House of Uepresentatives the other day. Ifc was a document to make tax-payers open their eyes; and although the benefits lo the colony at large by such removal were to be we shall say half as much as was promised, —for of course there is exaggeration in everything, —it shows thafc even for a small good the price to be paid, almost in the nature of things official, must be exceedingly heavy. The cost of this removal, then, it will surprise our readers to find, is nearly £55,000! The items are as follows: —

No compensation appears to have been paid to Ministers, beyond probably the cost of their passages. The allowance generally was about six months' salary for the officials under the Governor ; His Excellency himself receiving one fourth of his salary. No one will object to a fair rale of compensation being given. In most cases government servants had to break up their homes, and many ma)- 'nave had to give up, or dispose of at falling prices, property which may haye 9 cost them a good deal of money; and of course an allowance for such loss and for the expense of removing was only just, especially as the rates of rent in Wellington are very high, scarcely a single house, fitted for a middle class family, being obtainable below £100 a-year. But, still, altogether, looking at the cost of all this, the sum of £55 ? 000 seems enor-

mous. We are going to have a large taxation. Addition after addition is being made to the ranks of Ministers ; for a new office, that of Solicitor-General, is to be proposed, making no fewer than Eight different departments, with their respective staffs. The house has sanctined—blindly sanctioned— a most costly telegraph service, and a still more expensive mail service, at a time when the Colony cannot pay its way for the cost of its own preservation. .And in spite of all the warnings for economy which our financial embarrassments are laying before us, in spite of the mani'old taxes which must come, Ministry after "Ministry have indulged in costly freaks and experiments, and been acting like a young housewife who spends on ornaments, or cracked china and ivory elephants, the money that was wanted for the leg of mutton that should form a frugal meal. As Mr, Macandrew said in the House the other night, Ministers have been acting like a man who with 10s. a week sets up a carriage and pair. If, instead of seeking to aid each other, as some members of opposite views seem inclined to do, for the purpose of carrying their respective local crochets to the detriment of good united General Government — if these members would set themselves resolutely to oppose all extravagant expenditure; to excise the luxuries of Government which at this moment we can ill afford; and compel Ministers to adhere to necessities only, and never to pay for these more than their legitimate value; and moreover to see that tlie work was done ancl done well; far better results, more favorable to the colony, would arise than can follow from any extent of airing cherished theories and constituentcatching speeches. One great object in removing the seat of the Colonial Government from Auckland was that Auckland influence might no longer give a coloring and a bias to the legislation of the-Government. It must not now be suffered that Wellington influence should fall into the same groove. If men of the North and South, Auckland on the one hand and Otago on the other, could but come to see that the Gereral Government must not be asked to suit its policy in order to remedy the evils into which their own extravagances have helped to hurry them ;— if Auckland will but give up its hopes for having a separate Government in that island, and Otago set aside any expectation of monetary aid ;—then, if all would but unite in keeping in check the Ministerial propensity of squandering money on that which so often proves not to be bread but a stone ; — if they would but sink local prejudices (but by no means injuring the principle of Provincialism,) and look to what was a just aud fair policy to the whole colony, that is, specially an economical policy, and only support' Ministers who would carry that^out, we should witness a Legislature more creditable to the country than the present split-up and dis-unived House of ltepresentatives at this moment displays.

Expenses or beat tt Oovermnent Commissioners £-t.0£5 5 7 Compensation to Officials .. .. 9,497 8 8 IVsrtges 150 1 9 Fiviijiit, Insurance, Cartage and Shipping _.. 832 IG 3 Miscellaneous Expenses attending the removal of Furniture ancl Records, &c. &c 1.269 9 11 Purchase of Offices - 9,178 0 0 Erection, Alteration, and Furnishing of Offices and Chamber for Legislature ,••.;• 8 >Gl9 l5 6 Purchase and Finishing of Ministerial Residences 3,114 1 11 Purchase and Expenditure on Gov- "■ eminent Domain at Howry Bay 10,141 2 2 Enlargement, Repair, and Furnishing Government House—Buildings for Servants and Improvement of Grounds 7,477 4 4 £54,065 5 9 Kent of Building on Lambton Quay for offices of Inspector of Customs, Registrar of Deeds, &c, —ono quarter 37 10 0 £54,702 15 1) These are large items, and a verv extensive total. The particulars of the nine thousand and odd pounds given by way of compensation to officers of the G-overnment are worth looking at. We summarise the items. Governors' Establishment — (of which sum His Excellency received £1125) £1,740 0 0 Colonial Secretary's Department — Five officials, from the UnderSecretary downwards 720 0 0 Secretary for Croion Lands Establishment— (Of which Mr. Domett, one of the niemhois for Nelson, received £350, the balance being divided Among four olhors) .. G53 12 9 Attorney- General's Establishment— Three. < boks 250 0 0 Coloni I Defence— Eight officials .. 1,300 0 0 Legislative 'Council— Clerk of House 175 0 0 House of Beprcsentativss —Clerk of House aod tout other officials under him 621 12 (5 Audit Office Eight Officials .. 1,036 0 0 .Postal Department— Five Officials 617 16 0 Native Department—Yen Officials 1,125 0 0 Fruiting Establishmenl--K\even 1Employces 756 0 0 Government House —Two scrvanto 83 9 6 Giving, as above .. .- .. £9,4 ci7 8 8