Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 441, 24 January 1857, Page 5

Colonial.

OTAGO. By the Retriever, we have a file of the 'Witness' to the 17th instant- We find that the question of political support from the, inferior officers of the Government has been raised, and has received a kind of decision. It appears that the office of Colonial Surgeon was considered vacant when the department was handed over to the province, and the appointment of a Provincial Surgeon was in the/ hands of the Provincial Government. The minutes of the Executive Council on the subject are published in the ' Witness' of the 10th instant. Mr^ Robert Williams, who had held the. previous office, was reappointed, and the following note was added to the minute : — " In making this appointment, the Executive cannot ignpre the fact of Mr. Williams having, always been its bitter political opponent; in. consequence of which it would have been perfectly justified in excluding that gentleman in favour of any other of equal personal qualifications. In consideration, however, of Mr. Williams having previously held the office of Colonial Surgeon, the Executive have been induced to recede from the ordinary principle of action in such cases ; at the same time resolved that the attention of Mr. Williams be called to the fact, that as a general rule, all public officers under the Provincial Government, if not friendly to, are expected to abstain from acting in open hostility to that Government."

Mr. Williams replies that he accepts theoffice as a compliment to his medical skill, but that hehus never disguised his .political opinions, and as a member of the Provincial Council especially, he must claim for himself that freedom in political matters which is the birthright of every Briton. The Executive rejoin that they, having considered Mr. Williams' reply to the letter notifying his appointment as Provincial Surgeon,

" Resolve—That the Executive have no desire to interfere with Mr. Williams in the conscientious discharge of his duties as a member of the Provincial Council. But his accepting of an office of emolument under the Government implied .that he was to cease to be a member of the Provincial Council, unless re-elected; and his offering himself as a candidate for office under the Government implied that he would he would offer himself for-'re-election-upon the footing thatj as' a servant of the Government, he would be precluded from acting in opposition.

"vo it.- Upon no other footing can ,he-or any other person be appointed to office under the f Government: and resolved also that a communication be made to Mr. Williams to the above effect." - Mr. Williams abides by the opinions expressed in his previous letter, and a conclusion to the correspondence comes fronvthe Superintendent: Superintendent's' Office, Dunedin, 6th January, 1857. Sic, —I" have the honour to inform'yon that your letter of yesterday having been read and considered by the Executive Council, it has been " resolved that your appointment as Provincial -Surgeon be cancelled ;" and it is hereby cancel: led accordingly;' ' ""'- " ' . I have the.honour to be, ''^ " ' Sir, your most obedient servant, . W. Cakgili,,'Superintendent. " " • Robert Williams, Esq., Surgeon, Dunedin." The ,' Witness' .' thus comments on the - affair:-"— , „ , "Could anything "be.more monstrous,than the minute of the Executive Council, on considering the appointment of a Provincial Sui> geon, or more preposterous than the second minute' enclosed to the gentleman who has hitherto held the office ? . , . " What! a Provincial Surgeon appointed, not because of his surgical and medical knowledge, hut because he will1 support a particular Government. If. men's political infirmities "were the objects of care in a Provincial Hospital—if arms and legs were amputated on. Whig principles, or were'fractures reduced and-dislocations set by Conservative rule—were radical changes to be made in the.,constitution of the, mind rather than in the diseases of the body, there wbuld.be,some .soundness in the ai'gurnents of the Executive; hut' to suppose' that the, Provincial medical officer is to be a keen partisan rather than a skilful .surgeon, that he must go out and come, in with every change of ministry, ' is one of those brilliant ideas which would never have originated except in the minds of such inventive geniuses as compose his Honor's Executive. That appointments- of a similar nature to" tint of a Provincial Surgeon are often given ■ to" political supporters is true enough: there "may be evils' attendant upon such a proceeding, but it is'natural that the party in power should-appoint its friends"and supporters to vacant berths, and therefore we need not express much surprise or disgust on such occasions, unless-the' recipients of the favours be notoriously, ill-qualified for the offices. -Eminent barristers are often made judges by a political party : in" fact, the At-torney-General of a ministry usually succeeds almost as a right to a vacant chief judgeship ; but who ever heard of his tenure of office being such as the Executive propose for the Provincial Surgeon ? Would the Executive, if they had . the power- to do , so, apply this rule to the Resident Magistrate ? - We" are - strongly inclined to think they would, no doubt with a:very. happy effect-, greatly to the. advancement of liberal views of-commerce. What doe's the letter of the Executive to -the Provincial surgeon mean more than this : —Here -is £120 per annum for you, and now, sir, you will please not to look too narrowly into what is going on in other departments : and if any little mistake should occur in the immigration scheme, or if your vote is required to strengthen the hands of Government, to enable them to make a snug little berth here or there, .you will please 'to remember you have received your wages, and you must not be over conscientious. No gentleman could hold such an office, on .such terms : indeed, few men entitled to the designation would consent to be responsible for, or to be bound to support the policy of a- Government unless they were, consulted upon the measures before their- adoption by the Government. To admit of this the Provincial Surgeon must be a member of the* Executive, which would be attended with much inconvenience. Properly, the office has no connection with politics, and it is by no means advisable to connect it in any way with the "mere party politics of the Government." - The Bluff Haeboub.—The Superintendent of Otago has ordered an investigation by Mr. Elles, R.M., assisted by Messrs. Li gar and Macandrew, into the causes wlu>h led to the wreck of the barque 'William Hyde,' in the Bluff Harbour, and the moans which should be taken to prevent such a disaster for the future.

Mr. Elles in reply states that'after the strictest enquiry nothing has. been elicited which can in any way injure the chai'acter of the harbour for safety and convenience. The accident was one of those, which might have happened in any harbour, and was attributable chiefly to the state-of the vessel herself, and her ■ crew. The evidence of a boat's crew who w Tent off to give assistance was taken, and the ship's logbook waj examined, and though the statements were often contradictory^ enough was proved to show that whatever was the cause of-the accident it was not at all attributable to any existing danger in connection -with the harbour. .' - i .

. The Union Bank of Australia.—lt will be seen from our - advertising columns that a branch of the. above Bank, will commence business, in Dunedin, on Friday next, 2nd- January. It is with much satisfaction that we at last witr ness the establishment of a -Bank amongst us, which .we have no -doubt will tend. greatly, to develope the resources of-the Province. We are fortunate in obtaining a branch of the. Union £ank, which, having branches in all the Australian. Colonies/ and in all the. Provinces of New Zealand, will be enabled greatly to facilitate the transaction of mercantile business, and-will give an exactness' and -punctuality to trading operations which, are very desirable. To our agricultural and sheep-farming colonists the Bank will afford great accommodation in the transaction of business with the buyers of their produce. Indeed, if judiciously managed, the Bank will be a great boonto-the community.— Witness, Dec. 27. -.: - '. ;.-■'' '.-.

Exports by the "Thomas & Henry."— The. " Thomas & Henry" has cleared out for Melbourne with a full cargo ; consisting of 301 bales of W.OOI, weighing. 89,544 lbs., valued at £5223, besides several bales of sheep skins and hides. It as .pleasant to see this little craft, longing to our port, making,, regular and rapid passages backwards and forwards from Otago to Australia with full cargoes. It is also^gratifyihg to observe,-that the export of wool is gradually on the increase. We understand the ".Thomas & Henry"- will, immediately 'on her return, have another full cargo of wool, after which she will proceed to a producing market, and. we,- may hope to receive a supply of necessary articles of consumption on the most advantageous terms. — Ibid. . The Weather and the Crops.—The early part of- the spring was , cold and wet, and the crops, are, consequently, backward ; but for the last month we have had a sucession of fine growing weather -—alternations of sunshine and showers. ..Wheat, oats, and all kinds of grain, promise a heavy - crop. The breadth of land under potatoes is less than usual, but the crops present a. remarkable healthy appearance, and we have a. prospect of a most abundant harvest. — Ibid, Jan. 17. • ■