The Evening Star. THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4138, 1 June 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1876.

Thb letter of “ A.Z.,” which appeared last - 1 night, reiterates some charges somewhat flippantly dealt with in the * Daily Times.’ The whole matter had escaped our notice, mainly because the Evening Stab, having, we suppose, double the circulation in town and country of both morning papers together, was not honored with the . advertisement. . calling for tenders for the construction of railway carriages, The department on being applied to for it replied the “Provincial Secretary ” had only directed it to be given to the morning papers: we suppose, on the principle of advertising in the ‘Provincial Government Gazette, ’ that- the public should not see the advertisement. How much political feeling lay at the bottom of this strange preference we leave the public to judge. It is plain that had publicity been sought the most widely circulated advertising medium would have beqn the cheapest and most certain method of securing it. If our coirespondent’s conclusions are true the Provincial Executive, in this instance, at least, have loved darkness rather than light—we need not finish the quotation. The charges our Correspondent prefers are somewhat difficult to deal with, excepting that of noh inviting competition. It is objected, for instance, that workmen having come to the country under the belief that “ plenty of work would be obtainable in con nection with the railway plant,” the - Provincial Government ought to have taken proper steps to have the work done here instead of sending orders to Australia and England. We quite agree with “A. Z. ’ that if the urork could have been done equally well in Dunedin and equally cheap the Provincial Government should have Even this country the preference. We low of no way of ascertaining this excepting by inviting tenders. But so far as we can see the “proper steps’’ spoken of could only have been the completing of the Government railway workshops, and doing the work for the railways there. To this many would object, and perhaps even several firms, and even our versatile contemporary, who slashed the Executive so hastily, would be down upon a Government doing its own work instead of giving them a chance of a picking out of the railway revenue. If it be really true that “ without competition that is without ascertaining; the cost at which the work can be exeeutec. by competent firms—the work “ has been banded over to particular firms ” —the Executive are clearly unworthy the confidence reposed in them. In inviting tenders for work on the conditions specified, the Provincial Government was throwing dust in the eyes of the public, as they well knew only one firm in town . was in a position to take up the work on the terms stated. This is really a serious charge, which we are slow to believe, and which for the sake of their own reputations, we think the Executive are bound to clehr up to the satisfaction of the public. They are placed in a somewhat difficult position. Never was opportunity for the doing little jobs more favorable. The Provincial Executive have been for twelvemonths absolutely irresponsible. Appointed by his Honor the Superintendent, and approved by the Provincial Council, they stand alone now that that jobbing little Parliament is dead. As the walls of the Council Chamber will no longer reverberate with their eloquence, they have no opportunity of throwing light, on the shady transactions that have marked their reign. If they can be explained,: even at the expense of a little stretch of privilege, the Press is open to their justification, and we think should be availed of. At any rate as they stand at present in the position of officials whose pens are forbidden to reply to attacks, unless in regard to clearly public acts, we feel bound to withold condemnation until we have their statements before us. We do not like hitting one whose hands are tied. Although, however, there is no Council to be responsible to, and although there are no opposition members trying to share with them the emoluments of office by blackening their reputations, we should like ike last days of the Provicisd Executive to w as Cjesar would have had his wife to be—- “ without reproach.” There are, therefore, a few points which the Executive would do well to make clear. First—Are the conditions laid down in the invitation for tenders essential to the work, or can any of them be with so as to give wider opportunity for competent persona to tender ? Secondly—ls it true that even before the tenders were invited a contract was entered into with the firm alluded to for performance of the work ?

Thirdly—ls the contract closed ? for if so, to invite tenders is a mockery and insult. We think the public entitled to a clear explanation of the real position of the case from the Executive. Our correspondent at any rate, cannot but see that as the work is not given to Australia or England, but is to be done here, the case of the immigrant workman has been taken into consideration indirectly if not directly. The other statement is of a more serious character, and one which would have had to be explained to the Provincial Council as a representative body. Explanations given to representatives are really given to the public through them, and though they are dead the people live and should be directly informed on the subject. '