HAWKE'S BAY TIMES. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1079, 27 July 1871, Page 2

HAWKE'S BAY TIMES. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1871.

We recently took occasion to remark, in reference to the .several diverse sehemes of reform proposed by colonial politicians as means for the salvation of the Colony from threatened financial ruin—such as Separation, Provincialism, Centralism, &c—that any of these high flown schemes may be tried, and found, if maladministered, only to increase the burdens of the community. AVe also remarked that the chances are that any change, no matter what, would be taken advantage of by our present rulers io increase their patronage. A striking illustration of the truth of these views has been afforded in the city of Auckland. For some years past the local affairs of the city have been administered by a '•Board," but somehow the inhabitants were not satisfied with the working of its machinery, and reform was demanded. Ultimately, such a " reform " has been effected ; but if any suppose that it has been productive of economy in the cost pf management of local affair*, they will find themselves mistaken. The City Board bas been changed into a Corporation, and the ciunge is something more than in name ; for although |he new councillors are, almost without exception, the same persons that constituted the old board, they seem not content to confine their expenditure to old limits, much less to retrench—one of their first acts being to about double their staff expenditure; £v::d, further, to threaten me rate-payers with heavy prospective contingent expenses, Tb"se

things were alluded to the other day in the letter of our Auckland correspondent.

Tfc can scarcely be too strongly impressed upon the public mind that it is necessary to be especially jealous of constitutional changes. It is evident that not one of the recipients of Go--v eminent bounty will be willing to forego the benefits he enjoys under the existing state of affairs. If his present office is abolished he will look for something rather more than an equivalent under the new order ol things; and, besides providing for present dependents, a Minister will always find a host of applicants for office, who consider he is bound to provide something for them as a quid pro quo upon the very slightest opportunity. All this is especially the ease when the new order of things is under the same personnel as the old ad ministration It is exceedingly dimcult for a Ministry to retrench after having been some time in office, but it may easier be done by a new set of men, especially if they make it the leading principle of their policy. It is too soon as yet co speculate upon the events of the coming session of the General Assembly, but one thing may be considered as certain, that, under the present Government, whether there be a change of constitution or not, there will be no attempt at retrenchment. The borrowed money, in possession and in prospect, will offer too many and too strong temptations to pursue the more easy and popular course of extravagance.