THE DYING KICK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 312, 27 October 1855, Page 5

THE DYING KICK.

The old officials at Auckland appear to be doing their utmost to furnish the colonists with excuses for demanding their dismissal, and withholding the pensions which at one time it was thought probable would be granted to them. The attempt which they have made to drive the Provincial Government into bankruptcy by first recommending them to appropriate the outstanding balance from the General Government and then withholding that balance for so many months, has been defeated only by the energy of our representatives Messrs. Clifford and Sewell, and the determination of his Excellency the Governor not to be a party to so dishonest an attempt. Scarcely however are they defeated on this ground than they aim a shot at one of the Provinces, which might he attended by the most disastrous consequences, and which openly sets at defiance not only the solemn resolutions of the House of Representatives but (we understand) the pledges of the officials themselves given to two gentlemen who having heard of their intention, personally remonstrated with them upon it. The facts are these.—The old officials having by a blunder allowed Canterbury and Nelson to gather too large a proportion of the land fund, suddenly on finding out their mistake, demand immediate restitution. The consequence to those settlements would have been the entire suspension of public works and immigration, and the breach of large contracts entered into by their governments. Those Governments dispute their liability to make the repayments, and on the question being broughi before the General Assembly the accounts of the old officials are found to be in a siate of such hopeless confusion, that the house passes a resolution which while it does not deny the possible liability of the settlements to refund, recommends that the matter should stand over till satisfactory accounts are rendered, as they must be, when the Assembly meets again. Scarcely was this resolution passed when the representatives for Canterbury and Nelson got a hint that the officials were, notwithstanding, going to send instructions to the sub-Treasurers in those Settlements to remit the whole Land Fund in liquidation of the debt. An interview ensued and the officials (we are assured), after admitting that such had been their intention, consented to reconsider it, and withdraw theirinstruetions. AsregardsNelson this appears to have been done ; but as regards Canterbury, it appears that the original intention has been persisted in, and instructions have been sent to the land commissioner which would strip that Province of its revenue and leave it not a penny for public works and undertakings. We print to-day a letter from Mr. Sewell to his Excellency the Governor det«iliug the transaction, and calling on him to protect the Provinces against the arbitrary and unprincipled conduct of the old officials. The question our readers will perceive, is, not whether Nelson and Canterbury are ultimately to refund any sums which they may have received more than was their due; but whether the confused unintelligible accounts of the old officials are to be taken as final, and whether those officials are to be allowed to set at defiance the solemn resolutions of the House of Representatives. If they can do so in one case they can in another—in reference to Wellington or Otago, as well as to Nelson or Canterbury. We are confident however that Governor Browne will not support them in such a course, and that the matter only requires to be brought underhis notice to secure redress. In the meantime the various Provinces will see the necessity of tnakins* common cause with the injured Settlement. If these old officials are fools enough to provoke the wrath of the colonists it will be worse for them in the long run. They may die hard, but die they must. It is difficult to say whether the cowardly flight of some from the day of reckoning, or the ill conditioned dying ki«k of the others is the more contemptible.— Wellington Independent.