The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 468, 29 April 1857, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, April 29th. Neahly all the salaries of public officeis have been voted ( for the, year by the ProCouncil. \Ttiey have^ uot, in e%ery case allowed to'stand just as they weie piesented to the 'Council on the'estimates, but a, few alterations have been, introduced in committee. As this is exactly the point where attack*-ate first made upon the extravagance^of the:government, it i B as well to notice"very briefly the nature and' tendency of the alteied votes. The piinciple hitherto acted upon in oursmall state has been for the sake ,of econo-j my to combine offices in due person, ' one * salaiy paying for the performance of seve- • ral duties. As jvork has increased in the depai tments, the offices ha\e been separated, and additional officers with additional sala-' lies have been required. ' A Jjiemaikable t case wherein this plan has led to ?the leverse of economy" deserves,to be pointed r out. When the Waste Lands came under the management of the piavmce, the Gro'wn Commissioners duties were considerably' lightened, but the office and salary were letained in the Chief Coramissionership. Duties equivalent to the salary were still" peifoimed, those of Resident "Magistrate for Chiistchurch and Kaiapoi .being-added to those of the Waste Lands Department. The duties of Resident Magistiate in Lyttelton weie supposed, to he sufficient to employ another gentleman, and- this has led to the en or we speak of'- for the Council has declared that the whole duties of the Resident Magistracy can bo perfoimed by one individual, but at the same time, while mcieasing his salaiy, the office of Chief Commissioner remains at the same cost to the country as before. t The other cases of alteiation have been some increases of salaiy, and one 1 ejection of api oposed new appointment. On the whole, the tendency of the votes has been towauls gieat libeiahty, but the piinciple is not thoroughly canied out. "The" <3auuteil should, for the sake of the funds, beware of upsetting temporary arrangements, made with a \ie\v to economy, even if they are not quite satis-' factory. Should the Chief Commissionership of Waste Lands prove to.be something like a w ell-paid sinecure, as we have some i»ason to believe it must be, the option will lie between the reduction of the sa'aiy and the establishment of new duties. The alternative is an unpleasant one.