To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 142, 2 October 1863, Page 3

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Sir, — I beg to draw your attention to an able common-sense article which appeared ih the Otago Daily Times of August 26, (reprinted in the Otago Witness of August 28,) on the unauthorized expenditure of that Province, as one not a little suitable to us at this time, and well worthy of republicatiou in your paper, if you have room. It appears that the Superintendent of

Otago had expended no less a sura than just a quarter of a million (<£224,000) without authority! And that the compliant and find Provincial Council had even negatived a resolution seeking to know how this enormous sum had been spent!! The following sentence should be carefully studied and treasured up in memory—both in Hawke’s Bay as well as in Otago—“ Of one thing it [such conduct] is likely to convince the General Government —the impolicy of granting the control of large loans to men who show themselves little acquainted with the form of constitutional government .”

There is also, in the same paper, (Otago WitnessJ , a series of letters between the Superintendent of Otago and the Manager of the Union Bank of Australia ; which is very useful and highly suggestive to every one interested in Provincial Government matters, but, I fear, too long for republication in your columns. From them, however, we learn that while that Bank had contracted to allow the Otago Provincial Government to overdraw to the amount of <£30,000, it had really overdrawn to the extent of .£150,000 ! ihe last letter from the Superintendent of Otago to the Manager of the Union Bank of Australia, withdrawing the Government account from the Bank, being a short one, you may perhaps find room for. I am, Sir, Yours, &c., W. Colenso. Napier, Sept. 24, 1863.