THE COLONIAL TREASURER'S MISSION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2474, 20 January 1871, Page 2

THE COLONIAL TREASURER'S MISSION.

(From the WeUimjton Iwl •’pendent.) . The present mission of the Colonial Treasure , we venture to think, may be protlnc. live of v>-ry great benefit to the eoun ly. Wo do not pretend to any bet e informati n than our contempor ries—but we imagine it is but the necessary step to ascertain how and on what terms the money can be hail for carrying out the measures passed by the Assembly. T do so to the best advantage is th ir boimden duty, and it L the proper bu-iness of the Colonial I reasurer to ascertain for himself in the home money market the best way of rai ing the necessary funds. It woul i appear Mm a ■ rinted telegram that the Treasurer is to return bsfo e the Asse ■ bly meets, and it seems a very natural in fere ce that on the information he may acquire in his present mission the policy to be submitte I to the new Parliament will mainly depend. It is abundantly evident that the de ence loan must be raised not only for the pr per purp se of defence, but for recouping the Ceneral Government for advances ipado under ift provjsiopq. Vfo cannot imagine the Government wouid do so fooli ha thing as wait till the “< ml of the war,” be r ore they made all needful enquiries, seeing that in the opinion cf the leading ho e journals the close of the war will be the very time when money wil hj most dillicnlt to be had from the large loans that the-combatant powers will then have to raise in the market. Wj can only excuse the Ministry for not sooner sending home that one of th ir number whose . roper function is to deal with the finances qf ttm c lony, on tlj.3 group i thaj: he was engaged as liqstmaster-Gcuepal in making arrange? incuts fpr new postal service. Put the delay 1> s net been great, and if the details of that new s=:ploe,'ab M; 0 shrink! ipiagpic, require big presence at ashingtou 01 New Vorkj «x ib cffcctctl liy iiixugi-* taking in his own person both a postal ami a financial mission. Charged with such responsibilities, he carries with him the best wishes qf every right-thinking colonist, and he is fairly entitled to a charitable construction of all' ids proceedings unyil pis return. Tim rpmor that hi? colleagues bad any doubted “the advisability of his projected journey,” shows too plainly that “ the is father to the thought ” to require any contradiction. Dissensions jn the C binefc were never more inopportune, and we should ima,kine were never mor • improbable, It ia surdy unnecessary to repeat he is not going home as Agent-General on a'salary of ! 2,000 a year, Before he oonld accept snoh an oibce he would have to resign all the offices he bolds and holds, we ma e hold to say, with great credit to himself, and great ad* vantage to the Colony.