The Star. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1876.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2531, 4 May 1876, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1876.

Isr another place we publish a correspondence that has passed between his Honor the Superintendent «nd Sir Cracroft Wilson, .President of the Executive, in reference .to fillinfi" the poßt of Provincial Treasurer, rendered vacant, by the unexpected resignation of Mr W- M. Maskell of the appointment, which be held jointly witb that of Provincial Secretary. Tho correspondence and memoranda accompanying it must inevitably be read with a considerable degree of interest, as it opens up a question as to the necessity for the existence of political heads of departments during a period while the functions of the political body to which thoy were amenable are suspended, and it is possible thatthe adviaability of having the Provincial departments administered by the moat competent officers money can procure, quite irrespective of political opinions,

will suggest itself to a good manyThe correspondence opoas with a letter from Sip Cracroft ; Wilson to the Superintendent, dated April 24, ia which Mr Mwkell'a inK'ntion to reaign on May I the offices held by hitn is mentioned, and another gentleman «u«gosfced to his Honor m a fit and proper person to be appointed to fill the vacancy. Attached to this ia the noto from Mr Maskell to Sir Oracroffc Wilson, iv which the latter intimates hia intention to resign. Then follows a series of memoranda between the Sub-Treasurer, Auditor, Provincial Solicitor, and Superintendent, relative to tho payment of cheques signed by Mr Maskell anterior to his retirement from offioe. Next comes a memorandum from the Provincial Auditor to the Superintendent, requesting that provision be made for payment of cheques. The Auditor's memorandum leads the Superintendent to suggest to tbe President of the Executive that some member of the Government should i countersign cheques signed by the Sub-Treasurer, and this is met by Sir Uraerofc Wilaon with what amounts to a threat that if bis Honor does not give in to his responsible advisers a deadlock as regards payments would he allowed to como about, and he says, " if the inconvenience alluded to by your Honor does occur the blame will rest with your Honor." Sir Oracrofc Wilson in this communication it will bo noted is careful to place on paper one of his Honor's reasons for declining to appoint Sir Oaeroft's nominee, which his Honor with gentlemanly delicacy had expressed verbally rather than place it on record iv a Government document. The general tone of the wholo of this communication is uneompromioing in the extreme, and ifc is evidont that the Executive considered themselves masters of the situation, and intended to compel the Superintendent sooner or later to give in. Mr Eolleaton's reply is dignified and to the point, he dis claims ail intentional discourtesy to the Government he explains to Sir Cracroft Wilson his reasons—which Sir Cracroft had failed to detect—for not writing ; " when the merits of an individual were to be discussed ;" ho expresses tbe opinions that, under tho existing circumstances, it would be proper to appoint the then Sub Treasurer, Mr Jameson, to the office of Treasurer .^ or Acting-Treasuref, pen (i ing tho decisiou of the General Assembly as to the continuance of the provinces and that there is no necessity to make any further paid offices. His Honor speaks out as to the " highly improper action " of Mr Maakell in not giving longer notice of hia intention to resign, shows that he does not wish to havo entirely his own . way by expressing willingness to consider any further proposition the Exeoutivo might have to make, and concludes by disclaiming any intention to " deviate from the legal course which should be taken." To the Superintendent's communication is returned a reply from Sir Cracrott Wilson, intimating that the Executive intended to stand thoir ground* have their own nominee and no other, also, with characteristic good taste, charging his Honor with a desire to procure the appointment of some friond of his own. Thus the matter stood on> May 2. A stoppage of all payments from the Provincial Troasury was threatened, and a perusal of all the correspondence shows pretty clearly that it was not the fault of an Executive who, more than other mon, have made Provincial institutions unpopular, that it did not come about. The satis faction with which they regarded the prospect of the dilemma in which they thought they had placed tbo gentleman they were supposed to advise nnd assist, upon whom the "blame " was to rost, and " not upon tho Executive," is oasily imaginable ; and so, too, is thoir astonishment when his Honor informt d thorn that, as they had refused to ohh'hl him in filling the vacant offices of Pro* vincial Secretary and Treasurer, ho had felt ifc his duty to tnke ca™ that the public service should be carried on, and that the numbers of poisons awaiting payment at the Treasury should no longer suffer inconvenience for which reasons he had exorcised the power t vested in him by law of appointing a 1 Provincial Treasurer, and appointed Mr "William Jameson to that office. Tne Government refused to regard this action of the Superintendent as legal, and took an opinion upon.it which went to confirm their views. The Superintendent must havo been differently advised or ho nover would havo acted aa ho did in a matter in which important and large money interests are involved. In support of , this conclusion we are in a position to state that the cheques drawn by Mr Jameson are being honored by tho i Bank Creditors of the Provinoial Government will care very little who I signs Government cheques so long aa 1 they are paid, while there are a great ; many who will agree with his Honor in 'the view he evidently holds that ' I while the business of the Provincial

departments can bo conducted by their working heads, tbfcre ia no necessity for "further appointments, involving the payment of salaries."