AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1633, 1 December 1874, Page 446

AUCKLAND.

(FROM our correspondent.) 17th November. We have had another disturbing of the elements, otherwise generally so quiescent. It appears our Super, got a notion in his head that a trip to Europe was necessary or desirable, and also to have nearly completed his arrangements before the public knew aught of it. The Cross let it out, and there was a general feeling of opposition to the project, which found vent, and for once the Press spoke the public mind ; for, except a half-apologetic kind of excuse in the Star, not one public writer has, so far as I know, even defended, much less advocated the proposal. It is now said that the project is abandoned. It is not likely that Mr Williamson (our Superintendent) .would lightly entertain such an idea, and less likely that he would willingly abandon it after having once decided on it. The project was a wild one at best, and could only be carried out with the sanction of the Colonial Executive. If that sanction had not been obtained, the scheme was a daring one ; to make many of the requisite preparations, even so far as to name a day for starting, and that day close at hand, and no official recognition from Wellington of the affair, appears an extraordinary proceeding all through. Suppose that his Honor had started, there is not the smallest reason to suppose he would have returned within the five months which is said to be the longest term for which a Deputy-Superintendent could act, and consequently a vacation of office must have ensued ; and if a new Superintendent was to he inevitable five months hence, why not have him now ? Why let the public business get into disorder for want of the legal head for five mouths ? Then there is the other difficulty—payment of money on warrant signed by the Superintendent. It could hardly be in contemplation to sign a lot of blank forms of warrant, to' be.afterwards used at discretion ! That would be opposed to the spirit, if not also to the letter of' the constitution. The members of the Provincial Council must feel gratified at the treatment which the Superintendent and his Executive deemed a fitting retvru for their confidence. The Executive asked—first, supplies for four months, afterwards an extension; the Council granted eighteen months' supplies, a course unprecedented in this Province, and virtually left the expenditure of the cash as much at the pleasure of the Executive as that of the Colony is at the disposal of the Colonial Ministry. In return for this generosity (or perhaps misplaced confidence), the Provincial Executive proposed to indulge in a tour round the world, without so much as saying, " By your leave." The Provincial Secretary being Auckland born, naturally desires to see the land of his fathers, and would like to go at the cost of the public; but how he could suppose that he would be serving the Province or Colony by his travels, is one of the most far-fetched of all the fallacies of the scheme. He is a fair sample of the modesty which distinguishes the colonial youth. Gifted with a fluent tongue and fertile brain, he does not need to kiss the real blarney-stone of the Emerald Isle. Mr G. M. Reed, of the Star, joined Mr Williamson's Executive at its formation, and continued a member up to last week, when he resigned. As both Cross and Herald were favorably disposed to Mr Williamson, his securing Mr Reed was a capital move, as thenceforward the Star was muzzled, and any opposition to the Superintendent was curbed, if not actually stifled. But another evening paper has started, and the Star, hitherto successful, wnst be able to fight freely if called on, or its position is lost. This is probably the real reason why Mr Heed left the Executive. Having been a consenting party to the proposed tour to Europe, and having allowed it to be excused in the Star when no other known public writer appeared willing to defend " the scheme,'' that cannot be the reason for Mr Reed's abandoning office. Mr G. M. O'Rorke has joined the Provincial Executive. He still holds the office and emoluments of the Speakership. Ho has been an ally of Mr Williamson's throughout all his public career, and to that gentleman he owes, more than to any other M.G.A., his elevation to the Chairmanship of Committees, and doubtless much of his other good fortune in politics. Ho is also a favorite with the Press, and always gets patted on the back by the wieldera of the mighty pen. But he obtained his first election by means to which few of our public men would care to resort. He had large flaming placards circulated, calling on his countrymen, as Irishmen, to rally round him, and not be represented by any other than an Irishman ! It was the most glaring case of the kind that I have any experience of in the Colony, and it proved successful, the constituency (one of the pensioner villages) numbering a large proportion of sons of the Green Isle. It was a close contest, and won by a very uarrow majority. At the contest in 1869, he retained the seat by the casting vote of the Returning Officer; arid at the general election in 1870-71, he was fortunate enough to induce his opponents to be quiet, and had a walk-over. Since that time his seat lias been deemed secure against all comers. He is one ot the " Heaveti-born," having uninterruptedly been in receipt of public money since 1858. He has been a consistent supporter of his party throughout his career, and has made very few political blunders. Whether his abandonment of office last session was one is not quite clear; for, had there been a change of Ministry, as some folks anticipated, his friends would have endeavored to include him in the new Cabinet. Nov. 21st. You will be aware that the Star had to defend a libel suit—criminal information, and that the jury had to be discharged without agreeing to a verdict. That need not surprise any one. It would bo noteworthy if a jury could be got to agree to a verdict of guilty in a case where the

main facts on which the article was based were correctly stated. If the term " free press " means anything, a public writer who quotes official acts and sayings, especially the conduct of the occupants of the Bench, and then comments, even warmly, on those acts and sayings, will never be convicted as a criminal for so doing. On the other hand, the Star has been ready and willing to encourage similar persecutions when other people were intended to be the victims. Then the Star exulted over the victims. Besides, it is remarkable that one of the first appearances before the public here of the name of Mr G. M. Reed was in connection with a libel case, in which Mr Reed was prosecutor. It is said that the Star people have apologized in the libel case above alluded to. I hope it is not true, for the sake of the freedom of the press.