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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 763, 21 February 1870, Page 4

THE NATIVE AND DEFENCE MINISTER. [From the Taranaki Nevvs.J Whether Mr M'Lean lias the patience and industry to deal with a large mass of routine work rapidly, we cannot say positively, but judging from the feet that the accounts of the old Land Pur-chase Department in hi* hands fell into inextricable confusion, and were uncleared up for many years and probably remain so till this day, we cannot feel much belief in his business capacity. In mentioning this we imply not the slightest slur on the integrity of his dealings in money matters, which has never been doubted; but a good man of business would never endure fo leave important accounts in confusion. As regards the settlement of knotty points, we feel little doubt that the tendency of the Minister for Deience and Native Affaires would at any time be to leave them to get mellow in heaps for a period sufficient to wear out the patience both of applicants and of well-trained suboi dinate officers. Mr Gisborne, whatever else he may be, is at any rate a first-rate official, and will rapidly dispose of the piles of unsettled questions which we see in our mind's eye loading the table of the Defence Office. Another possible reason for a change may be that Inspector Branigan, who was introduced to the Assembly with such a flourish of trumpets, is said to be heartily tired of his master, being himself probably a business-like and practical man, and not a professor of the sublime art of temporising.