The Evening Star THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4126, 18 May 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1876.

There is but one method of correctly estimating the value of the Superintendent’s last manifesto, if it is assumed to be a reply to Sir Julius Vogel — the two letters must be read side by side. If this fair and obviously honest plan is followed, we are sorry to say Mr Macandrew has not improved his reputation for statesmanship, candor, or controversial ability. We feel unwilling to use harsher terms, for we cannot but respect Mr Macandrew for his zealous and persistent efforts to serve the I rovince; and regret that, in these last days of its Provincial life, he appears to be animated by a spirit that leads him to oppose those changes that are absolutely necessary to develop the prosperity he was so powerful an aid to initiating. If any one will take the trouble to compare the two letters, he will find that Mr Macandrew assumes much, invents much, prevaricates much, insinuates much, and misrepresents much. In public speakiag some of these faults would be overlooked as arising from impulse; but they are inexcusable in a letter, supposed to have been written with the advantage of being able to eliminate every expression that would not bear the strictest investigation. It would be tedious to go critically through every senteuce of the Superintendent’s illconsidered epistle, but in justification of the opinion we have just expressed, as well as for the sake of truth, a few instances of these departures from candor and fair dealing should be noticed.

The introductory nonsense insinuates that because Sir Julius Vogel declined to discuss certain questions, as, to use bis own words—

I have already answered them by what I have written to your Honor, or because they seem to me of a tu qvoque nature, and out of place in this correspondence, the Premier had no other object than evading some damaging allegations which his Honor had ventured to make. He assumes this course to be a reflection upon the intelligence of the people of Otago. "We trust they will fully appreciate his Honor’s quixotic chivalry in finding out the necessity for standing up for them. Next Sir Julius Vogel is asserted to have brought sweeping charges against “civil servants who have no opportunity of self-defence” because he defends the engineering staff of the Colony attacked by Al r Macandrew ; and says, what every one who knows anything about many of the public works of Otago, will agree with :

Your Honor’s opinion of the manner in whnh. the Provincial Government carry out their public works is entirely different from that which we are able to arrive at from the information sit the command of the Government. 't hat information is to the effect that the Provincial railways hj ive been very imperfectly constructed.

Mr Macandrew seems to forget the public meetings at Riverton and the arbitration in progress, and the reports which from time to time reach us of delays and disputes, and riots and differences between superintending engineers and contractors. These things are matters of public notoriety, and if the public know so much there is necessarily much more that they do not know. His Honor should have been careful in casting the first stone. It was badly aimed, but the last, like the boomerang, comes back to the thrower, and cannot fail to wound him. But what must be said regarding one who with such Christianlike forbearance in his heart towards Provincial officers, has had the folly to call it by its mildest] term—of charging honorable men like the members of the Waste Land Board with being coerced by the General Government 1 Inconsistent as much has lately been in his Honor’s career between profession and practice, this far transcends anything of which he has yet been guilty. The matter is not yet ripe for comment, as it remains to be seen what course he will take in view of the indignant remonstrance of those gentlemen who have been so undeservedly vilified for conscientiously fulfilling a disagreeable duty. We trust he will prevent the necessity for further remark by making the only amend now in his power. We, therefore, wait before further noticing it; but this naturally brings us to the prevarication respecting the land proposed to be sold in blocks. He defends the action of the Government by saying that the law permits land 1,200 feet above the sea level being sold at 10s an acre, “ with consent of the lessee.” The insinuation, therefore, is that all the land proposed to be sold was 1,200 feet above the sea level. It need not bo said this is not true, and the fact that much of it bordered river frontages is sufficient proof to the contrary. It does not alter the prevarication that the Executive would have secured 20s au acre, but the sale at 20s an aore proves that the land was not “ mountain tops ” as Mr Macandrew insinuates. The peculiar logic of his Honor is shown by the use he makes of different terms which he evidently wishes people to believe are interchangeable. When it suits, the term “ mountain lands " is adopted; and Sir Julius is said to think it a great crime that “mountain lands” should be disposed of. He said no such thing. What he did write was,

Notwithstanding the largeness of you r Honor's views as to Otago’s c ipabilities, the fact is, that in order to find means for meeting She expense* ol the next six months, your

Honor’s Government have had to attempt to make land sales of a mo t objectionable na ture

Not a word about the quality, or elevation, or depression of the land. Ro much for his Honor’s candor. His ingenuity is on a par with it; for in a moment “ mountain lands” are trails* formed into “ mountain tops,” and the opinion is thrown out that “if the whole of the ‘ mountain tops ’ of Otago were converted into branch railways,” instead of being a loss to the Province it would be a gain. Most probably it would j but since nobody would buy the tops without the sides and bottoms, such an opinion, though very oracular, is not worth much. We have heard similar oratorical jugglery on various occasions on the hustings in Dunedin, Caversham, and other places. His Honor is an apt scholar, but he “ underrates the intelligence of the people of Otago.” They are not to be caught with chaff. Much more of the same sort of ad captandum matter fills the remainder of the letter. It will not bear examination, nor admit reply, because of its vagueness and superficiality. The letter was not written for Sir Julius Vogel, but the public ; and Mr Macandrew supplies the best comment upon bis own letter when he says to Sir Julius Vogel, “You may rest assured that the people understand more of politics and political history than you seem to realise.” One little modification he should have made-—“ than you or I seem to realise.”