West Coast Times. MONDAY, JULY 29, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 575, 29 July 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. MONDAY, JULY 29, 1867.

What is meant by a ''responsible" political officer at the head of <i department? We are sorry that we have not the help of John Stuart Mill in answering that question. We have a very distinct recollection of the substance of Mr Mill's deliverance on this subject. But the whole province, we believe, does not possess — certainly not in any form accessible to the public — a copy of the book upon the Philosophy of Representative Government, written by tlin most recognise d authority in political science. According to Mr Mill's doctrine, as we remember it to have been laid down, " responsibility " consists in the provision of means by which every administrative act may be brought home to some individual man who shall be placed in a position to give an accouut of it to those who are in a position to demand such an account in the name of the people. Responsibility, unless individualised, is nil — it has no tangible existence; there can be no corporate responsibility for individual acts. To affirm that there could, would be as absurd as to say there could be a corporate conscience — conscience being necessarily a personal attribute.

In one of the recent debates in Council, a little interchange of argument took place between the Speaker and one of the members for Hokitika. It was in committee of the House. Mr Tancred threw some discredit on the project of a responsible Secretary for Westland, on the ground that the Ministry as a whole were alone responsible to the House ; and that the Government as a body must either administer the affairs of Westland from Christchurch, or the affairs of Eastland from Hokitika. It was maintained, iv opposition to the Speaker, that whilst the whole cabinet were responsible to the Council for their general policy, each head of a department was individually responsible for the conduct of the affairs of his own branch of Government, and that it was perfectly compatible for the Secretary for Westland, therefore — so long as he and the Executive were in accord on questions of general policy — to have to stand up in the House and justify every act done in his department. What was -wanted was the presence iv the House, at all times during its sittings, of some oue to whom the question could be put directly— Why was this thing done? When the appoiutment of a responsible Minister for Westlaud was demanded by tho members for the district, aud promised by the Government, there can be no doubt whatever that the understanding was that the new Secretary should hold a scat in the Provincial Council as well as in the Executive. In previous discussions in the House the two ideas had always been associated. During the session prior to the one just closed two motions involving this principle engaged the attention of the House. The one wasto the effect that the Provincial Treasurer should be required to be present in the Council ; the other that the Department of Works should be entrusted to a Secretary holding a seat. The former motion was met on the part of the Government by the explanation that the Treasury Department was responsibly represented by the Provincial Secretary, both portfolios being held by that gentleman. The latter was a Government motion. It was urged that the office of Secretary of Works was one to which too multitudinous duties were attached to render it any longer expedient that the Provincial Secretary should 1 hold that office also, as well as that of Treasurer, in addition to his own. The House affirmed the proposition, and the separate salary of Secretary for Works was accordingly voted, the office beiug then held by Mr Joseph Beswick.

When MrStrangeWilliams announced the appointment of Mr Bonar to the Secretaryship for the Goldfields, he spoke of him as a gentleman held in the highest esteem on this side of the Province, and as likely to make a favorable impression on the House when he " went over and took his seat there."

So also the language used by his Honor in proroguing the Council was as explicit as it well could be. He expressed a hope that he had effectually allayed irritation of feeling here, by complying with the wish of the population as explained through their representatives, in sanctioning the appointment of a Minister, " responsible to the Council, of which body he should be a member." It is obvious, therefore, that to realise the idea of political responsibility, as explained by constitutional writers — and interpreted, both by those who have called for, and those who have created the office — the Secretary for the Goldfields must procure a seat in the Provincial Council, and that unless he procure that seat at once, the essence of responsibility becomes practically dissipated. Mr Moorhouse has prorogued the Council until the 19 th September. But we all know of course that that date is nominal. The House will be further prorogued from time to time, according to the usual custom. His Honor is not so enamoured of Provincial Councils, that he desires to have much more to do with them than he can help. The supplies have now been voted for a period of nine months, viz : to the end of the new financial year — the 31st March next. We may predict without any danger of turning out to be false prophets, that the next session of the Provincial Council will not open this side of Christmas. Suppose that in the mean time Mr Bonar finds reason to regret his acceptance of office, or' finds a difficult)' in obtaining a seat in the Council, and that at a short date briefly antecedent to the commencement of the new session, ministers find it necessary to transfer the appointment to some one else — say to some gentleman who has already a place in the House — what will then become of the " responsibility" of the administration of the goldfields for the next six months? The new Secretary would be fairly in a position to say to the Council — " These are the acts of my predecessor ; I am not responsible for them. lam free to confess they were mistakes, and I will do my best to avert their evil consequences. But the House will remember I was uot in office at the time." Tho apology would be as just as it would be plausible.

If, then, we are not to be satisfied with a mere shadow, allowing the substauce to elude our grasp, it appears' to us that the presence of Mr Bonar in the Provincial Council should be at once assured, or that some new arrangement should be come to by the Government. We hold that, in appointing the present Secretary, ministers were bound to find him a seat without delay ; and that until he holds that seat his position as administrator of the goldfields is far more anomalous and unsatisfactory than was that of Mr Sale as Commissioner. The latter was at least responsible to the Executive, if not to the people or to the Council. The former, as matters now stand, is responsible to no one. The Superintendent is not his master ; he is the head of his own department, and a jjolitical officer. In a recent debate, Mr Travers ridiculed responsible government in the Provinces as a farce, and asked " what were the rela~ tions between the Superintendent and his Ministers ? Either he was their master, or they were his masters." Mr. Stewart replied with dignity that the question raised was one very delicate to be discussed in the House. But he would say, the Superintendent was not the master of himself and his colleagues. "They were his advisers." We all know what that meant. But who shall be the political " adviser" of the Superintendent,, who is not in a position to be openly challenged by the representatives of the people for the advice he has tendered.

To sum up the whole matter. If a " responsible " Secretary has been conceded to us, he must be " responsible " in a strictly parliamentary sense. That is to say, he must during the whole tenure of his office be a member of the Legislature, always acting in anticipation of the day when he will have to give an open account of his stewardship. Until this necessity is provided for, we shall only, by the appointment of Mr Bonar, have exchanged a condition of things which, although on many grounds objectionable, was at least clearly defined and intelligible, for a mere political myth.

Two bills have been introduced into the House of Representatives by the Government, having reference to Municipal matters, which must not be confounded with each other. The first is the Counties or Shires Bill, which aims simply at an enlargement of the powers at present enjoj'ed by Road Boards. Under the provisions of this measure Conutxesare to consist of arcasof country of not less than sixty square miles, with a rateable value of Llo,oo0 — the Counties to be constituted on petition of ratepayers, not neutralised by counter petitions more numerously signed. The revenues of the Counties are to be derived from the following sources, as we gather from the Wellington correspondent of the " Lyttelton Times" :—: — Ist, from rates on freehold and leasehold property, and on the annual rental value of runs, which will by rated at one-third of their market value ; 2nd, from contributions from the ordinary revenue of the colony, in the proportion of double the amount raised by rates, but no contribution to be given by the Government beyond the proportion payable on a rate of one shilling in the £ ; 3rd, from a per centage of the land fund raised in the district, and allotted on the following scale : — twenty per cent, where less than one-half of the land has been sold; twentyrfive per cent, where more than a half, and less than three quarters of the land have been sold ;— and thirty per cent, where more than three quarters have already been disposed of; 4th, from loans raised by aggregations of counties for works of a large and permanent character, for which special rates will have to be raised for the payment of interest aud sinking fund. The Bill itself has not

yet been submitted to Parliament, and these particulars are gathered from Mr Stafford's explanations of the policy of the Government.

It will be seen that there is nothing in this measure calculated to meet the requirements of this district, or to furnish it with a practical substitute for Separation. If the whole district were united under the system of " aggregation of counties," there would be no provision for local government, beyond the administration of the local funds raised by rates and the grants in aid of these. The expenditure of the Gold duty, of the Customs receipts, and of the other moneys which constitute the present ordinary revenue of the district, would still remain to be provided for by other machinery. In the administration of this revenue, consists the real government of the district.

The second measure to which, we have adverted is the " Municipal Corporations Bill," which is designed to put existing Corporations throughout the colony on a sound legal footing ; to validate the action taken under clauses of Provincial Ordinances conferring power ultra vires ; and to grant to Corporations local Court fees and fines which have hitherto been held to belong to the General Government. In connection with this subject, it is the duty of our own Corporation to place themselves at once in communication with the General Government, with the view of securing the ratification of all the powers conferred upon them by the Ordinance of last session, and of giving effect to the proposal to divide the town into wards — the Provincial Council having refused to entertain the Bill for that purpose recently submitted to it, on account of the doubt which prevailed as to its authority. We believe it is the desire of the General" Government so to frame their measure as to legalise all action taken under municipal ordinances which have not been disallowed by the Governor ; but it is of great importance that all future doubt and misunderstanding should be obviated.

If the Separation' League is to be a ; success, aud attain any really practical object, its design must be distinctly defined ; whatever it aims at will have to be sought by petition to the General Assembly, and there is little chance of the Assembly entertaining the subject during the present session unless the case is submitted to it without delay. If Separation pure and simple is desired, it must be understood that that end can only be obtained by the passing of au Act by the General Assembly, which must be reserved for her Majesty's pleasure. If the public are really in earnest in seeking this deliverance from a political position so unsatisfactory as that now existing, the attention of the legislature ought to be invoked without any further delay. The meeting of the League to-night should result in some agreement, as to a plain intelligible issue to be raised ; a distinct object to be sought ; and a well-ordered machinery to be promptly brought into play. We must make up our minds as to what we want, and then work hand in hand to secure it — or the cause is lost. Delay is ruinous in every way. It distracts attention ; it dissipates energy ; it allows the impression to get abroad that there is no earnestness. A mere desultory, aimless and ephemeral agitation will do the district infinitely more harm than good. What is wanted to-night, is such a plain practical discussion of the situation as will enable the League to give a definite and tangible shape to its proposals, and adopt a systematic course of action. It is to be hoped that the whole of the members for the district who are at present in town will accept the invitation of the Committee, aud assist the public in understanding what are the real feelings of the East Canterbury people towards this side of the province, aud what are likely to be the effects of the policy lately pursued by the Provincial Council.

.-'The directoj^pf the Scandinavian Golc"« mining Company, Ross, met at the company's office on Friday last, and decided to declare a dividend of L2O per original share ; also to raise the poppett-hcadg,.2s feet higher; at present they are to 2 feet, but S^additional height is wanted to increase the storage for tailings. The remainder of the Westland members, with the exception of Mr Whall, the member for Greymouth, came in on Saturday night by the Christchurch coach. Messrs. Bright and Cassius, tho members for Hokitika, and Messrs. BarlT aud Hoos, the members for Westland, will, wo believe, be present at the meeting of the Separation League, which takes place this evening, at the Empire Hotel. There was a good house at the City Theatre on Saturday night, whoa (he entertainment consisted of a musical melange, and Signor Vortelli's extraordinary performances on tho tight rope. This evening, a grand bal masque is appointed to tuke place. •• On Saturday, we recorded the departure qf the Postmaster of Hokitika, Mr Dick, who has been appointed to the office of Postmaster at Nelson, vacated by Mr Walinsley, who reresigned. Mr Stevenson, who succeeds Mr Dick, arrived from Greymouth on Thursday, and on that gentleman's departure took charge of tho post-office here. We congratulate Mr Stevenson upon his promotion. We perceive by late Tasmanian papers that charges of defalcation are being brought against Mr Wintcrbottom, the Town Clerk of the city of Hobart Town, for issuing waterworks debentures without the authority of the *** City Council, and failing to enter the same in the books of the^Corporation. Deposits to the amount of Ll5B 2s 6d were placed in the Hokitika Savings' Bank during the past week.

After Signor Vcrtelli's performance on the tight rope on Saturday evoning, a -foolish fellow, probably under the influence of alcohol, mounted the rope under the idea that he could easily accomplish tho feat he had seen the Signor perform. Ho soon, however, found out his mistake, for falliug heavily to tho ground, Uo was carried out from the Thoatre with his collar-bone broken, thus paying a heavy penalty for his folly.

Tho weather has been Very changeable during the last few days. On Saturday the day was bright and warm, approaching the climate of early summer. Yesterday on the contrary, was most uncomfortable throughout the day, heavy showers falling at intervals until nightfall, when a continuous rainfall set in. We (" Grey River Argus ") are very glad

to be able to state that the rush on the North

Beach, beyond the Flagstaff, is turning out exceedinly well. There are now sixteen or seventeen payable claims of the extended area at work, all yielding very good prospects. Some of the parties have waßhed up, and othera are preparing to follow suit. In one claim as much as a quarter of a pennyweight to the shovel has been prospected, and the average returns appears to be over an ounce to the load. About 200 men are on gold, and all fully satisfied with their labor. There was a small rush to the Darkies' Terrace on Friday, but it did not prove successful. The old claims are paying well still, one party dividing from L 25 to L 35 per man per week.

The following late items of news from the seat of General Government are contained in telegrams published in the Ckristchurch papers of Friday: — "Wellington, July 25. — In the debate on the Provincialis^.' motion Dr Featherston followed Mr Fitzherbert, expressing his satisfaction at the amendment of the Government, as conceding the substance of the motion, and disclaiming any intention to

upset the Ministry so long as they granted

theirrights to the provinces. The amendment — was ultimately carried on the voices. Mr M'Lean proposed that the committee on provincial affairs, asked for by the resolution, be ballotted for, when Messrs Carleton, Ludlam, and - Hall were substituted for Messrs Curtis, Eyes, and Moorhouse. The Governor is ill. A new writ for the Ashley district has been ordered. The Government is preparing a bill rendering the real estate of insolvents more available to creditors. Mr Crosbie Ward was very ill when he left Panama for New York.