PATRONAGE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 41, 10 April 1862, Page 3

PATRONAGE.

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times. Sir, — Some rather important questions are opened up by the “ State papers” of the late session of our Provincial Council. Among others, I will take the petition of Mr. E. G. Wright, complaining of being slighted in not having the offer of the Provincial Engineership. Mr. Wright’s claim was advocated by his friends on both public and personal grounds; public, on the assumption that the reversion of the office was pledged to him by Mr. Fitzgerald when Superintendent ; and personal, on the supposition that his “ services rendered, and talents displayed” entitled him to the office. Taking the latter question first, I must deny that Mr. Wright’s services and talents have been so eminently displayed as to entitle him to any office as a matter of right. His “ grand scheme” of levelling the island, filling in the flats, and deepening the channels of the harbour at a cost of £70,000 has fortunately not yet been attempted, so we have not yet learnt to our cost that an estimate of <£70,000 often indicates an actual expenditure of five times that amount, and sometimes of ten times it. But we have seen some of Mr. Wright’s plans tried, and in nearly all cases the actual cost has proved a very different sum from the original estimate, to say nothing of the actual failure of some portions of the work, and the necessity of improvements on others. His experience gained at the cost of the Province ought indeed to be taken into consideration. But, while denying that any practical proof of superior genius has been shown, I would not insult Mr. Wright by hinting or doubting that he is not fully equal in practicable ability to the gentleman whose shoes he wished to step into. The little that can he shown in this Province for the immense sums that have been squandered in attempts at road-making and bridging contrasts strongly with the talk of our former Superintendent about the great practical talents of his pro-

tege, the late Engineer. But on the public grounds of the complaint I must protest in the strongest terms against the right of Mr. Eitzgerald or any other Superintendent to pledge any office or any emolument not open. It ought to have been enough for that gentleman to have the power to give berths and salaries during his term of office, and he was no way backward at that, as long as the Provincial funds would bear it, and afterwards as long as either the General Government or the Bank would advance the needful; but he had no right to pledge the Province to anything beyond his day. This is neither the first, second, nor third—more probably the tenth—case, of the public having to pay, either directly or indirectly, compensation to individuals for broken promises of Mr. Fitzgerald. Our Provincial Council, when next a complaint is made of a Superintendent’s promise being broken, ought to inform the complainants that the Superintendent has no right or power to pledge the Provincial funds, so to the individual, not to the public officer, they must apply for redress. If Mr. Wright has been deceived by anything told him by Mr. F., perhaps it may be satisfactory for him to know that he is not alone in that position. Promises are made to be I need not say what. Yours, Tutua. Napier, April 4th, 18G2.