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Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3724, 10 February 1873, Page 2

Nelson is nothing if not pettifogging. It has pettifogged its goldfields, and itscoa fields, and now it wants to be allowed to pettifog its railways. Everyone has heard of the Nelson and Foxhill Railway — which is one of those lines that would not have been contemplated, but for the pernicious logrolling which accompanied the passing of the schedule to the Railways Act, and is aline which the "Nelson Examiner" denounced at that time in no measured terms as a useless expenditure of public money. The Government having decided to make it, have thought it desirable ,to do so in the most economical manner, and as only some fourteen miles of it are to be commenced at once, the work is to be [contracted for in a lump, as being more likely to secure advantageous tenders. But the Nelson people cry out that it should be let in small sections, and have brought ail the pressure they could upon the Government to induce a compliance with their wishes, and because the Minister of Public Works knows something about his business and has refused the application, there is great wrath in consequence. It finds vent in a most extraordinary article in the " Nelson Examiner," from which there is only this inference to be drawn — that the railway has been from the first regarded simply as the means of finding employment for the population through which it passes. No doubt this i s tlie true complexion of this line, and the indignation of the Nelson folks is easily to be understood. The ' 'Examiner" says : — "The tenders are to be for the whole present work in one block, so that in all likelihood our local men will be excluded for want of plant and funds, and contractors like Messrs Brogden, Holmes, and others will come in with their trained hands and their special commissariat and trading arrangements to carry off the profits to happier lands ! Half the estimated £80,000 which the line is to cost will necessarily go to buy rails, rollingstock, &c. , in Europe, and no trace of that amount will adhere to the colonial money bags. Of the other half, about £20,000 perhaps is to be laid out in the present contract, but unless there is knowledge, enterprise, and cash found at hand, to compete successfully for the work in the lump, Nelson purses will be almost equally free from its contact." This is rather an extraordinary admission of the inability of Nelson contractors to find either plant or funds, and unintentionally justifies the course the Minister of Public Works has taken. Our contemporary upon this preaches a sermon of a column long to Mr Richardson. It has "no reason to disparage him," but proceeds to attempt to make its readers believe that neither he nor any of the Public Works staff know anything of their business, and that the only competent authority is the editor of the " Examiner." And he, amongst other things, goes so far as to recommend day labor — otherwise known as the " Government stroke" — as a good and economical system of railway construction.

Coining events cast their shadows a verylong way before in Auckland. Not long ago the telegraph communicated to the rest of the colony that there "were already some five or six candidates for the Auckland Superintendency, leading one to suppose that the election of this officer was close at hand;. Indeed the prorogation speech of Mr Gillies contained a passage referring to his intention to carry out the wish of the Council for an early dissolution. It turns out, however, that the Council cannot b<j dissolved before some time in October next, unless Mr Gillies resigns before that date, in which case there would be two Superintendental elections close together. It appears that the Council- during its last session passed an ordinance readjusting the representation in the Council and repealing a former Act relating to representation and election. But this new Ace provides that the elections under it should not take place until after the new electoral roll for 1872-3 comes into foree — that is to say not until October next. If Mr Gillies should ask for an earlier dissolution, no elections could possibly take place until the time just mentioned. What may not happen before that time, to disturb all the calculations of the present aspirants for the Superintendency ? Eight or nine months, with a session of the General Assembly in the meantime, may very much change the position of both provincial and general political parties. Besides it is too early now to attempt to get up any excitement on the subject unless the election was shortly to come off, and if any enthusiasm ia excited now it will die out altogether before the day of election arrives. Mr Williamson and the others whose names have been mentioned have commenced stumping too soon. The Auckland newspapers and the Auckland people have latterly manifested great interest on the subject of immigration, and complained in strong terms of the smallness of supply of fresh population furnished to their province. Not long ago a public meeting was held, and a deputation appointed to wait upon the Superintendent requesting him to urge the Government to greater activity in this matter. Mr Gillies, who had been blamed for not having pressed this subject more prominently upon the notice of the General Government, gave the deputation to understand that the fault of the short supply of immigrants was due to the* General Government only, and that he was as desirous as they were to see an extensive immigration to the province. It is a pity that the deputation was not in a position to ask Mr Gillies what opinion he had expressed when the Government first acquainted him with their instructions to the Agent-General as to the supply and distribution of emigrants. We think that 800 was the number originally put down for Auckland, which, although small as compared with the numbers to be sent to other provinces, was regarded as sufficient for its present requirements. MrGillies, we are informed, told the Minister for Lands and Immigration that 800 was far too many, and appeared to think generally that immigration was not much needed in Auckland.

Since then, owing to the pressure of public opinion, which was in an exactly opposite direction, Mr Gillies has shifted his ground, and is anxious for a large immigration to the province. But he should not have thrown the blame of the small immigration so far upon (the Government.

We learn from the Marlborough papers that the official inquiry into certain allegations preferred against W. H. Eyes, Esq, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Sheriff of Marlborough, concluded without all the witnesses on behalf of Mr Eyes being called upon to give evidence. It appears that already forty-two persons had given evidence for the defence, and it was agreed, by consent of both sides, that eighteen other witnesses should be considered as having given evidence of the same nature as that given by Mr Hodson, J.P. Mr Eyes was asked by the Commissioners if he wished to be ex^ amined as a witness in the case, but he replied that he did not consider it necessary, as he thought his case was complete without it, but that if the Commissioners desired it he was willing to submit himgelf to an examination under oath. This did not appear to be necessary, and the inquiry closed. The Commissioners arrived here on Saturday by the Wellington, and their report and the evidence taken will no doubt be at once taken into consideration by the Government. From what we can learn it would appear probable that some of the accusations brought against Mr Eyes have not been established, that others have much exaggerated facts, and that the petition which led to the investigation owed its origin a good deal to old political feuds and social differences, which, in such a Little Pedlington as Blenheim appear to be the chief amusement of the population.