Wellington Independent. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1871.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3111, 31 January 1871, Page 2

Wellington Independent. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1871.

It is refreshing whon our evening' contemporary comes out of generalities into srecific charges against the Government. We will shortly deal with the particulars to which he does, after our challenge on Saturday, at last condescend in leference to the alleged abase of Government patronage.

We will first take the appointments made before the last session of the General Assembly and existing now, viz: Minister of Justice, — t'rivate Secretary to Mr Yogel, — Secretary to Government agent at Napier ; — and a Detective Inspector in the Armed Constabulary Force. Now we might shortly state that these appointments have been sanctioned by the Colonial Legislature, and that the responsibility for them is with that body. We will, however, refer to them singulatim. W<s do not understand our contemporary to state that the men filling these offices are incapable, therefore the only question at issue is, am they unnecessary ? First, with regard to the Minister of Justice The title of the office or its departmental duty is not of itself relevant to that ques tion. It is well known that a number of Ministers is requisite to carry on the political and parliamentary business of the country, and that in preceding Ministries occasionally a Minister with a nominal or even without a pori folio (Major Richardson for instance for some time in the Stafford Ministry), has been appointed, and paid the v ual salary. Mr Stafford in the session of 1869 had six Ministers in the colony, including himself. Mr Fox in the session of 1870 had in the colony, including himself and Mr Sewell, five. Can then rhe appointment of Mr Sewell as one of thoso five Ministers be considered unnecessary? It is no reply to say that Mr Fox had two Ministers iti England. They were nominally Ministers, but really Commissioners sent by the General Assembly on a special service, and they could not aid in transacting within the colony its political business. If the Stafford Ministry required six members within the colony in 1869, why should not the Fox Ministry be allowed five members within the colony in 1870, and why should the latter be deemed comparatively excessive. Will our contemporary answer this question ? The appointment of Alajor Green as secretary to the Government-Agent at Napier was sanctioned by Mr Stafford's Government. If Mr N. Russell, who had no other duties than those of agent to perform, did not require a secretary, was it unreasonable when the Superin tendent of Hawke's Bay became again the agent, to revert to the former ar rangement sanctioned by Mr Stafford? The appointment of a private secretary to Mr Yogel who held in combination the offices of Colonial Treasurer, Postmaster-General, and Commisioner of Customs, cannot we think be fairly held up as a job. If our contemporary had the duties of Mr E. Fox to perform we do not fancy he would find them a sinecure. Well, then, can it be fairly said that the appointment of a Detective Inspector in the Armed Constabulary is quite unnecessary ? Perhaps our contemporary, from his Maori proclivities, does not object to the smuggling of arms and ammunition into the natives' hands. If so, the general feeling of the community is not with him. Already the detective's efforts have brought to conviction perpetrators of the crime, and we may well imagine that his efforts have been to a far greater extent than ever can be positively known, the means of checking i's practice.

We will now refer to the appointments objected to- made since last session. Captain Baldwin has been appointed, under the authority of the 33rd section of the Government Anuuities Act, 1809, for six months, at the rate of £250 per annum, to give information and explanation in country districts, and to facilitate the extension of that act. Is that an unpardonable exercise of patronage? If the act is calculated to confer great public benefit by the encouragement of provident habits, and by giving investments the security of the Stale (the same security as guarantees the colonial bonds), it docs not appear to be either unnecessary or extravagant to expend a small sum in making the act more generally

known.

Captain Kennedy is to be Mail Pilol of the new steamers on their voyage down the coast of New Zealand. We cannot conceive a more necessary or fitting appointment. Strange steamers of a large size, belonging to a foreign country, have to perform a mail service from Auckland to Otago, via "Wellington and Lyttelton, and vice versa, within a very short time. Is it not incumbent on the Government representing the colony which is to receive such benefit from the success of that service, to take every precaution to ensure the safety of the vessels and their rapid passage ? Any person who knows Captain Kennedy and the coast of New Zealand, also

knows that nothing could be more conducive to the success of a postal service, which has been hailed with do much satisfaction throughout the colony, than his appointment. Our contemporary states that Messrs. Mooriiouse and Main are not qualified for the legal offices they hold under the Land Transfer Act. 'That is a matter of opinion, and time will test the question. We are not prepared to accept as decisive on that point the oracular dioium of our contemporary, who probably knows as little of law as he certainly does of equityMajor St. John is not Private Secretary to Mr M'Lean He is employed in the Public Works Department to visit and inspect the various bridle tracks in progress in native districts, and to report on them, and to make suggestions for their extension and im provement. Ho is paid at the rate of £300 per annum, and of £100 for travelling expenses. The two new Treasury clerks are, one who was transferred here from the SubTreastiry at Auckland with an addition of £50 a year to his former salary, and another who is an accountant, and was Appointed as such. The appropriation available for these charges will not, in all probability, be exceeded. Last, but not. least of those'misrepresentations comes the alleged appointment of Capt. East »s mail agent. What are the facts of the case ? About eight months ago, Capt. East went once, for the first and last time, as mail agent to San Francisco and back. He was paid for the trip and nothing else. He i 8 not in the public service, and is, we believe, not in the colony.

So much for the" Post's" first edition of the index expurgatorius of appointments by the Government! Let us have an amended one forthwith. There muse be at least materials for £20,0'.)0 more, if, as is stated, the Government have added £25,000 for new and unnecessary offices. We trust we may be able to deal with them as easily as those already adducod. We have heard that nothing is more fallacious than figures and facts. One thing is wig re so, and that is our^evening contemporary.