THE COMPTROLLER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 664, 9 July 1870, Page 2

THE COMPTROLLER.

«» The following correspondence explains itself:— ■; . .. Government Offices, • Wellington, Jane 6, 1870. Sir, — The Government hare received from the Commissioners in England a letter, complaining of the publication of a pamphlet by you, relating to the defence question and other matters. I enclose a copy of the letter. It will be the duty of the Government to lay this letter on the table of the Houses of Assembly, together with, tpe other correspondence of the Commissioners, and they are desirous of affording you an opportunity of offering to the Government any explanation you may wish, relative to the complaint made by the Commissioners.— I have, &c, . (Signed) William Fox, Premier. J. E. JTitzGeraid, Esq., Comptroller-General. London, 15th March, 1870. Sir,— We think the attention of the Government should be drawn to a letter just published here by Mr FitzGersld, under date 26th December, 1869, and entitled "The Self-reliant Policy in New Zealand." Some days before the debate in the House of Lords, on Lord Carnarvon's motion^ a rumour had got abroad that the Colonial Office was in possession of a letter from a well-known colonist, giving advice very contrary to the course we were urging Lord Granville to take ; and we were told that Lord Granviile had expressed g'sm doubta

as to the truth of our representations, on the ground of their contradiction, by letters he had seen from New Zealand. We were.unable for some time to learn whose letter it -was that had caused this rumour j but a day or two ago, our inquiries were answered by the publication of Mr FitzGerald's letter. 'It seems an unusual course for one of the highest civil servants in the colony to inform the English public, that the tone taken by the Imperial Government "had been provoked by the language of Ministers in the colony. 1 ' Throughout the discussions which we have had as Commissioners, we have not only absolutely refrained from casting blame -on any of our predecessors in office, but we have uniformly defended their administration whenever we could do so without sacrifice of our own opinions, for we felt that, the character of the Government of New Zealand, as a continuous body, must be upheld by ourselves in the most loyal and generous spirit. 'As regards the imputations against Sir George Grey, Mr Sewell, Mr Atkinson, and other friends of the colony who have helped in the endeavour to retain the 18th Regiment in New Zealand, it is not necessary we should notice them. But it appears, to us a pity that when Mr FitzGerald thought right' to attack them as a means of vindicating his own consistency, he should have omitted a matter of great importance in which he himself played a principal part. Mr SitzGeraM, referring to the time (1865) when he was himself in office, says that " A -commencement was made towards- the establishment of a permanent force," -and he immediately adds; "lt was the next (Stafford's) Government which neglected ta -bring this force, to perfection." He omitted to state that, when Mr Stafford met /the Assembly with the proposal for a large appropriation for the maintenance of. an efficient defence, force, he (Mr FitzGerald) moved the following resolution :— " That, whilst this House recognises, the. duty of providing for the security of ; life and property, And the maintenance of the public peace, in all parts of the colony, it does.- not. perceive the necessity for creating a permanent military force of the magnitude contemplated. by Jbe Government, at a cost which cannot fail fai inflict- burdens unnecessarily heavy upon the 1 inhabitants of this colony." This resolution may be, at least supposed to have, represented MrFitzGerald's>6wn opinions at the time, and we have taken care that tbe resolution of 1866 shall be known here. as widely, if possible, as the accusation of 1869. But Mr FitzGerald?s letter has not only interposed a political difficulty in our way— another is added about finance. In addition to the more prominent duty of our mission, we are engaged in a large operation, the reopening of the consolidation. The question is p«t to us whether the New Zealand GoTOrnment mean, to bring out a loan ; - and we definitely answer that there is, no such intention, and that we earnestly hope still to avoid throwing a >ew loan on the English market,- pointing to the sale of -the Treasury Bills as an instance of our credit being high elsewhere than in London. At the very moment when' we are making these statements, and 'working out a financial operation of great delicacy connected with the Consolidation of Public Debts, the Comptroller of Revenue announces on the London market that "New Zealand cannot long go on without a fresh loan.'-' There is really no knowing how much mischief this statement will do us, nor how oauoh hesitation it will cause among holders, in coming in with their debentures when our arrangements for re-opening the Consolidation are completed. We have made these observations in no spirit of hostility to Mr FitzGerald, or bis opinions. As ; a private gentleman he is, of course, absolutely entitled to hold them. But it may be doubted whether it is convenient, or advantageous to, the public service, that a high bffioer< should lend his influence to thwart and embarass other officers expressly sent so many thousand miles on a work in which they might fairly have- hoped for the forbearance, at least, of all parties. And we tiring the matter before you mainly to give you an idea of the entirely unexpected ' difficulties by -which we have been beset.— We have, &c, (Signed) F. D. Bell, I. E. Feathbbstox. Comptroller's Office, Wellington, June 9, 1870. Sir, — I have the .honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant, enclosing the copy of a letter from the Commissioners in England on the subject of a letter of mine to Mr Selfe, which has been published in England. '■ I beg to express my great regret that anything which has fallen from me should have been deemed to impede; in any way, the action "of the Commissioners or the policy of the Government. : I fully recognise the principle, that any such: attempt on my part would be inconsistent with the understanding upon which my office is held. But in the letter re-j ferred to I thought that I was only dealing with matters which bad already been decided; and which could have no bearing on the action by the Government. - ; With respect to tbe expression relating to a loan, I was only speaking' -as any casual observer, reading the public Press of the colony, tbe debates in the Assembly, and the published accounts of the colony, might speak^ It did. not occur to me that such an expression would be deemed to have more significance as coming from the Comptroller, and I can only exprees my regret ■ that it ehould have been taken ior more than it was worth, and my hope that, the Commissioners have somewhat overrated the effect. — I have, &c, (Signed) James Edward FitzGerald.