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Dunstan Times, Issue 294, 13 December 1867, Page 2

The Prov.'n id Government have ippointed a Commission to inquire into md report upon the working of. the Goldfields Department. The Commission consists of. Messrs W L' Simpson, Warden, Black's ; Richmond B33iham, Warden at Queenstown ; and St. John Brannigan, Commissioner of Police. We have no doubt but tk.t the Provincial Government, in endeavoring to procure some reform in the management of goldfields affairs avo pursuing a mes'; commendable course but we really do not see hew reform is to be procured bv placing the matter in the hands of Goldfields Wardens to bring it about. It is something like appointing Satan to sit in judgment upon himself. Tin Police Department is, without doubt, admirably managed, and Mr Commis. sioner Branigan is better able than ary one else in the province to make a report upon a branch of the public service where discipline and systematic combination is required. We should certainly think that there are plenty of other persons to be found who could give better advice upon Goldfields matters than the Wardens themselves Had Messrs. Simpson and Beetham any previous experience on Australian goldfields their appointment to the Commission might not have been quite so much amiss ; but the Goldfields Commission appears to us only auother bungle of the Government, who really appear to possess but sniuil ideas of doing business in a compre. hensive manner.