THE BROGDEN CONTRACTS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1259, 27 February 1872, Page 2

THE BROGDEN CONTRACTS.

[from the evening. eost.J The Brogden contracts have practically• been a sealed book to the public The papers, laid before the Assembly,., and the utterances of the Government, have been so much gunpowder smoke toconceal the real movements. We will not tire the reader by recapitulating the points of the contracts. We will merely expose some recent transactions in connection with them, and leave the decision to she electors and taxpayers of New Zealand We shall see how the interests of the Colony were sacrificed to Ministerial selfishness and unscrupulous abuse of power. Mr Yogel could not conveniently accept the proposals of Messrs Brogden, but he could propose others, which, if less advantageous to the country would be more advantageous to the Ministry, and more profitable to that firm. Mr Brogden was relieved of all trouble or responsibility. The Government undertook to find the whole of the capital and the labor, to appoint the mens and to spend the monev. Mr Brogden was-to- receive tor little more than the mere use of his name, a clear profit of ten percent, on.all outlay. No sooner was. this mutually, satisfactory arrangement concluded, than Mr Brogden's services were called into requisition. He was requested to draw up a list of railway plant, <fcc, immediately required. Mr Brogden's business smartness enabled him in a few minutes to fill up a page and a half' of foolscap comprising .£38,-000 worth of plant and stock. In that short time Mr Brogden had netted a clear ,£3,800 —ten per cent on the outlay included in the list—and a cheque for that amount was immediately paid to him. But the commission business does not stop here Another fortunate person.is permitted to have a share of the pickings. The Mes>rs Brogden are in no. way responsible for the supply of the- requisite plant and stock,, nor for their good quality. They are to be supplied under tenders in, England, subject to the proval of an engineer appointed by the Government, and receiving remuneration at the rate of one per cent on the outlay. Thus 11 per cent will be spent fur the mete list of plant and stock, and for inspection. If. railways and public works be constructed to the extent of ££,000,000, Messrs Brogden will receive a cool £400,000 for filling up a few sheets of foolscap, while the Government engineer will net many thousand pounds for little more than, signing a tew certificates. Goodness knows how many more lucky people will be allowed to participate in the plunder. When the Ministry have rewarded all their political supporters, bribed, some of the more dangerous of their opponents into silence, thrown a. little business in the way of relatives, paid tithes to wealthy contractots, who can substantially leciprocate such favors, there v ill be very little left for the country. The money will have been dissipated in jobbery or corruption of the grossest type. The life biood of the country will have been sucked by political vampires and ad/ venturers, who will laugh iu scorn at the miseries and sufferings of their victims.