ANOTHER REPLY FROM HIS HONOUR.

Western Star, Issue 144, 10 June 1876, Page 5

ANOTHER REPLY FROM HIS HONOUR.

Mr Macandrew has again replied to the Premier’s last letter, but as we do not wish to try the patience ©f our readers too much, seeing that they have already almost been surfeited with this correspondence, we have curtailed it considerably, in order to give place for more readable and important matter — “Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th, May, 1876. . I cannot say I am surprised that you desire to bring this correspondence to a conclusion. Nothing but a painful sense of duty and responsibility could have led me to engage in such a controversy, not of my seeking, and I must regret that your last letter should hai o rendered it necessary for me to write again. “In your letter of 3rd May you did not, as you now do, confine your criticisms to engineers at present, or very lately, in the Provincial service. You said you thought Otago had suffered from ‘ the want of engineering skill.’ I pointed out that this was a slur upon the competency of all engineers that had been in the Provincial service. Your last letter made matters worse. You are condemning unheard men who have to roly upon their professienal reputation for their employment, and this on an ex parte report, unknown to them and unknown to their employers. Although the light branch railways now being constructed iu this Province, chiefly out of revenue, at a cost not more than that of metalled roads, miy not find favour in the eyes of Colonial engineers, they will, I venture to predict, be highly prized by those who have to pay for them, and will be ah immense booh to many important districts.

“As to the Waste Lands administration, I observe that your only objection iiow to the proposed sale, of which you disapproved, is that there was no competition allowed—an assumption which cannot be reconciled witli the fact that there was more than one application for the same land. It wonld appear that your Government has no objection to the creation of vast private estates. The method of dealing witli the native lands, to which I must not particularly allude, abundantly proves that. The real question is, Did the Provincial Government take the best means of getting the highest price for the land opened for sale ? I assert that they did, and should be glad to heap on what information you express a contrary opinion. “ In reference to the Estimates forwarded to the Colonial Government under the provisions of the Provincial Appropriations Extension Act, let the treatment which the Provincial Government has met with be an illustration. In this matter the Colonial Government insisted upon a position which ultimately they had to abandon—a position, as I was advised, in violation of law. They attempted to assume the functions of the Provincial Council —a body which, in consequence of their action, could not be convened. • I need not point out to you that the Provincial Appropriation Act provides for the Governor approving of the estimates of revenue only, and that His Excellency has not t® determine which road is to be formed, or which bridge is to be built. The Assembly, although bent on Abolition, felt that such a function could not be so well performed as by the Superintendents and Executive of Provinces, ....

“I consider with,youthat thereexists in Otago a Colonial .pritle and spirit, :in which I have always shared, and which influenced.pne in opposing a dismemberment of the Colony years ago, when that policy, was by none more warmly advocated than' by yourself. But in common r.with the people of Otago, I fear that New Zealand cannot becoihe grea t by creating a centralised administration, and: that the true interests of both islands, and of their respective subdivisions, is to cherish within each the greatest amount of self-reliance. If you think that there can be no such local government as I advocate, without involving different Customs dutio-,you altogether misunderstand me. ■ No.doubt, were Otago an independent Colony, its aim would be to make all its ports free. I for one, however, have no desire to see the Province separate from the rest of the Colony, unless it is absolutely driven to that course as the only means of preserving its entity and of holding its own. All it requires, as I take it,, is a fair field and no favour. It wants nothing for itself which it is not willing to concede to other portions of the Colony—-viz., the management.of its own local affairs, and the disposal of its own revenue within its own borders, excepting so much as may bo required for purely federal, purposes. “ You say that you cannot sec any breach of faith to Otago in the proposal to repeal the salutary provisions of the Immigration, and Publie'Works Act, in reference to the liabilities of those Provinces in which railways are. constructed. I fear creating an uneasy .feeling throughout the community, widely you need not be told is highly detrimental Jo the, progress of the Colony.-rl am, &c., .. “ James Macanpbew.”