The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, 10th AUGUST, 1866

Dunstan Times, Issue 224, 10 August 1866, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, 10th AUGUST, 1866

I'Beneath the trie of men extihely .miht, the ! " pes is MialcTtKiT 41<an the swoud!"

The Committee to consolidate and amend the various existing Goldfields Acts, at the present time holding its sittings at Wellington, and which owes its origin to Messrs Haughton and Baldwin, is something like evidence that notwithstanding our members are charged with indifference to matters of detail, they are quite alive to any question which effects the interests of the general community. We find some of the foremost men of the day members of this Gold fields' Committee, and our readers may rest assured that when such eminent politicians as Mr Dillon Bell and Major Richardson take a cause in hand, and one in which they possess no immediate interest, that some inefficiency of the public service must be glaringly apparent, even to the most casual observer. The management, or rather mis* management of the Goldfields 1 department is a subject on which so much has been said and written that we are almost tired of taking it up; yet, however, we cannot afford to be indifferent to the matter, as upon the success of the Goldfields depends in a great measure the prosperity of the province. It must be well understood by most residents on the goldfields that the various departments work the reverse of harmoniously—there appears that want of system and organisation which in private enterprises alone can secure success. But what do we find the case with respect to the Goldfields—every officer acts independently of the other—no one appears responsible but for his own especial acts—miners having business to transact are handed about from one official to the other, and if he is lucky enough to find out the proper person whose duty it is to perform the work required, he may get on pretty well, but should he not be

fortunate in doing bo he suffers a considerable loss both in time and f money. In the first place, the Warden ■ in charge of a district does not possess that authority over subordi- ' nate officers his situation should i command, instead of his being the official head of the Goldfield of 1 which he has charge, he virtually finds that he is only nominally so, favoritism and popularity-hunting in , head quarters have so dismembered his staff of subordinates, that he finds himself like a general deserted by his army—no one to do duty but himself. Now, we agree that a warden in charge of a district, should have command over, and be responsible for the acts of all other officers in the service of the Goldfields Department; and he should be the principal safalite round which all lesser ones should revolve. For instance, a miner requires an extended claim or an agricultural lease surveyed he applies to the warden, pays his money for the survey, but when such is to be made, no body knows, because no body is interested or responsible—the supposed head of the department not having the power to enforce compliance with any order, consequently the applicant has to wait with patience the pleasure of the official whose duty it is to perform the desired duty. This utter want of system was soon discovered by the civil service commission, and who unhesitat in gly pronounced the whole of the various departments qF the Provincial Government totally dis-organised; but management begets expenses, and to perform a given amount of work when the system pursued is a lax one, it is far more costly than doing the same twice over when it is otherwise. The proceedings of the Committee will doubtless be watched with much interest, and the result will be, that some important changes will be made in the state of affairs. The gentlemen comprising the Committee are men of experience and well up in business matters, and whose ideas are sufficiently to enter fully into the details of the business ayvuv, which they are engaged, and who, from the number of witnesses they will examine, they will de- \ vise some measures more suitable . to the management of the Goldfields than those at present in ope- , ration. Rumour has it that the office of Goldfields' Secretary will be abolished, that duty being undertaken by the Executive them-; selves, and in all probability by a responsible officer upon whose shoulders will rest the onus of any mismanagement in his department. The little excitement lately got up on the goldfields respecting the handing over of the management of the Goldfields to the General Government has not been without some beneficial effects. The Pro- ; vincial Government would not like to lose the plucking of so well fledged a chicken as the goldfields ; and now that there is a probability of their doing ao to avert the impending calamity, the interests of the mining community will be better looked after,