AUCKLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 595, 17 July 1858, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

THE VOTE FOE MR; SEWEI.Ii. ;'; (From the 'New Zealauder,' June 19. • "The House of Representatives, when in Committee af Supply on Thursday evening, did no less credit to itself than it adjudged, m a welldeserved reward to the eminent services of the late Colonial Treasurer as Agent for this Colony in .England. We refer to the unanimity with which—even after a little gentle criticism by one or twolhpn. members who, in the Session of 1556,' favoured the financial fallacies of the Fox Ministry—the value of. those services was acknowledged; to the unqualified unanimity with which testimony Was borne to the ability and patriotic zeal manifested by Mr. Sewell throughout the-negotiations 'with the Home Government, the Bank authorities, and the

different Steam' Companies with whom he soughtsto'eifect.a contract for steam postal communication.b«tween P]ngland and New Zealand ; and also to the unanimity with which, after frank discussion, a sum was voted to Mr. Sewell far larger than that put upon ;the Estimates, arid somewhat rnqre approximate to the varied character and nigritude of the work he undertook, and has so successfully accomplished/. . The discussion, such as it was, took place in Committee, of Supply on the Estimates for 1857-8, and arose on the item of £500 for Mr. Sewell as agent for the colony. Mr. Oilivier, in amendment,, moved that the sum be £800, which he considered the,very smallest amount at which the House could at all appraise the eminent services rendered by Mr. Sewell to the colony.. The amendment was at once received in a manner that showed it no more than expressed tire general feeling of the House. Mr. Stafford stated that Mr. Sewell had as yet received nothing but the mere cost of his travelling expenses—that he had declined to accept any stipulated sum, preferring to leave the mat; ter entirely to the Hou*e—that ministers would not oppose the proposed increase on the original sum on the estimates, which was fixed at; a time when it. : appeared likely that Mr. Sewell would remain in England as Colonial Agent. Mr. Weld (who was in England while- Mr. Sewell was negotiating this'loan, and who fortunately arrived in Auckland in time to be present at the discussion of the estimates for what'we might term the-past"year), :briefly summed up from/his own knowledge the difficulties^Mr. : Sewell had had to contend with,; and, while, warmly approving of the increase proposed by Mr. Oilivier,' stated his belief, that £1000 would not be more than, an adequate recognition of Mr. Sewell's services. This suggestion also metthe approval of the House, and Mr. Oilivier said he was ready at once to adopt the . sum named : by Mr. Weld. The eccentric member for the suburbs, who never loves or hates, except in extremes (we do not mean Mr. Merriirian), sought to atone for his temporary support of the Fox finance, in the session of 1855. by now marking his gratitude to Mr. Sewell for demolishing that fanciful and fragile scheme—he proposed- that the vote should be £2000., IV this ministers said they could not consent, and: if they, could they were sure ; Mr. Sewell would; ,not.; Messrs. Hall and Henderson, though having full confidence ,ia Mr. Sewell's energy and perseverance, questioned his prudence in having closed with the Union Bank for: the entire £500,000 at 6 per cent, interest and sinking fund, whereas if he had waited a little-longer, he would probably have been able to have effected. the Loan, on easier ■ terms in consequence of the sudden reaction in-the Mo"; hey-market. In reply to this both ministers and Mr. Weld remiried the objectors that the offer of the Union Bank was made before the money-market became depressed—that the Brink of Englond pronounced the terms to be more favourable than could be hoped for from other quarters—-that when the offer was. closed with fnerp was, no prospect of any. improvement in money matters—that among, the terms was the liberty of drawing the money whenever the Colonial Government pleased, so saving trouble, commission, and loss of time—'that only £300,000 had yet been negotiated^ and that interest accrued only as the .money was drawn.

The uijshot of the conversation, for it was that rather.,than formal discussion, was the unanimous adoption of the altered amendment,, making the vote £1000; coupled with the expression of a general wish to see Mr. Sewell back in the colony and once more in the House as soon as possible. . : As advocates of the Financial Scheme of 1856, and as close observers of-. Mr. Sewell's proceedings as Colonial Agent, we need, hardly say how entirely this vote meets with our. approval. Never was. money more honestly and arduously earned. But we value the vote most of all as an affiirmation of those resolutions, and as a proof that, however this or that hon. member, in the ardour of his chase after a favourite crotchet, maj' be disposed to nibble at particular detc-iils, the House as a whole will permit no attack lipon the great features of that Financial Scheme to be carried to a successful issue.