The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 246, 15 October 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1872.

" That's the way the money goes " - Popuiab Sokg. To the Stafford Ministry we are indebted '*. for an exceedingly interesting and highly instructive " Return " that has recently been -presented to both Houses of tbe .Assembly, in compliance with an order agreed to by the House of Representatives, , on the motion of Mr. : Johnston, "That there be laid upon the table. of this House, a return, of all those persons for whom travelling expenses have been paid during the, financial, year^ending 30th. June,' 18,72, showing the total; amount paid for each person, the objects for, and the time for which such 'payments have been maije." We' say that we are indebted ;, to ? theVStaf- ; * ford, Ministry for this return, because, although it was ordered to be prepared on : '. the 24th. July, it. was not until; last ''£Tjieß- , day that it. was laid jon the table. We are not surprised at this delay^because, had the revelations contained "therein Been madewhi^ was going on, it might have had the disagreeable, effect of reducing the numbed of-; supporters of the^ox-Vdgel^Government, and it was ./scarcely 'to. be expected that the party - .then iJQipower should^p of Mhe^/wßy^'to^asaft bringing .apputf theirf ow^ amoun!; . Vtbat ? was d^ ■ " ixX^ Trave)lingf !; Exjte]Qses:^ ; was^^g^^; > •:• iajO&'-IlOdViw^ '. 'sTitfte^sjin^^ "■ !>-3iieoJte^^ ':"' X>fa&t^XX:& ;l ; "'ties6r>^#tl^ : , ;; ;ysbgetheir:§:^ith^ 1 : ates^thei ;^#r-g^y|'^^sl|eU||t w:-picirneht#i

bring a few of these into the light of day, instead of allowing them 10" remain in their present mp^bsjt.se.ciusion.^K l^ejgi!L|} begin with the members; of the;Exeei|five;' who, in addition to>.their.i : £lbOO a] year,' drew upon the*?; treasury 'collectively/ for| 5 the trifling sura of £4693. This wai ? apportioned at follows.:— Mr.. Fox, for his. celebrated trip to the West Coast we presume, ±192; Mr. M'Lean's frequent visits to the Natives could not, of course, be made for nothing,, so that we may consider tre have been cheaply " let off with £685 for twelve months, or at the rate of something, over t£2 : . a day .a11, ; 11,ip5 year found/Stmdays excepted ; Mr.* OVmoniTs travels in the cause of public works in the North : Island will 'perhaps considered dear at £269 for nine months,that (a, from September 1871 to June--1872; nor, in these expensive days, -will iit be thought exorbitant by admirers of*' the late Ministry that Mr. .Reevee, '■''. acting : in a similar capacity in the Middle leland, ; should have received a cheque for £289 for. travelling expenses.foronly sixjnontbs, frdW December 1:871 to June XBt2. \. Still, however,, there are to be found people of moderate; ideas who are disposed to tbidc that a little more economy in the expenditure of the public money would not 1 have acted prejudicially to the dignity of r these Ministers, while it would certainly have been attended with advantage to tbe Colony. But all these sink into the utmost insignificance before the drafts that have been made on the "Colonial Treasury by J that , Prince of Money Spenders, the Hon. Julius Yogel. He must have a paragraph to himself, for in him we recognise tbe most' liberal disburser of the publicfuuds that New Zealand ever has known, or is ever likely to know again.- The items of his travelling expenses are, omitting the shillings and pence, as follows': 1 — :'y Travelling an d 'special allowance, mission " ' •..: to England, January 1871 to August: . £. 1871 (eight-months)... ...: ... 2368 'I Passages (Australia) ....•.: „!.• .. 45 Carriage hire *. .. ..-.; <;.... .. 6: Travelling allowance (Australia) „ 567 Travelling allowance (Wellington) ... 270 Total ... ... ... .. £3,256/ '" To this we/may fairly .add the expenses <.. „..-.■ of his, Secretary ,:— Mr. . Ebenezer, ; Fox, mission to England „ ... 330 ~, '' ' T6tal" ; '..'.' "... .. ... £3,586. ; . There is another ". little bill " we have had to pay that is worthy of notice. Dr; Featherston, the .Agent-Gfeneral,jn London, must keep up appearances for the credit of the coloDy, and he evidently, knows well how to do; this, as willbpseen by the^ fpljpwjng entries 1 of payments' made, to him ':— * •„'•.,.•,, > .- j ■ y ■■*. t ;~::i ! . > ■ ,"- • -.'<■:','':£. Immigration," travelling allowance. •■■-.*. . r."-978 Sundries, including railway and cab fares ' ... ;.i : i' 104 -.-, Passage to' London „ .. ,' ; ..i . ", - ... „ -! 149 Removal to; London .-...,• 500 Total ... \ £1.731. .- At the same 'time that, 'those * high in office were 4 revelling in the additions -to 0 their incomes that were so easily obtained under, the heading "Travelling Expenses," it appears that there were also some modest little chickens at work picking up tbe crumbs from' the same loaf : that fell from the' table* of that rich man — tbe,. New Zealand . taxpayer. t , Jk is impossible for one not thoroughly acquainted, with, all the circumstances to say whether such recipients were or were not entitled to be. fed even with little crumbs, but one. item may /possibly be sufficient to indicate the judgment and* cars that have- been exercised in meting put the many minute morsels that-, have helped to constitute this huge twenty-eight-thousand-pound-loai' which th/e'public will, if we mistake not, experience great difficulty in -swallowing. .Among ' Others we fkdjthe following j-r-^ < - ? -j Name^;.,, Service,, &6i ? ,...,.Timq,i .., Amount. f D. M. Luckie Native iDecember|>lß7l sBB 14s. r We.said,, in cbqanjencing, tu%';r^t.urn before us Was instructive,' and y) we now repeat the,r assertion;, sinceat has .afforded ' iuTb thei use'fuiinforraatipn that-Mr. 'LucTue is in some way or another^ the Native,, d^partmen^^ infer to beitbecase from bis, haying- been entitled toitfa*vellihg exbenses lander ; that head. We were iaw|rV;'ii^at'pMr] .'Luckie , vjpaid^a i.,y.ißit tp^. ; tbe: ;;^r,emier;'a^ . v at the time mentioned, and-we believe that t he partook of Mr. Fox?s;'Chrisemaßdh^^pi- , ' : 'htitjf/ A^he-'iime* ;: we SYf feit'"|pecially gratified at such ""/a '?■. circumsjtance. jas, ,we '' s afeecia^ Nelsbnby such a privilege being accorded to one /whowas imminently ; tive man as^r^Bu^ in it thatr it would have been morersaiistactorjy^o,^!^,,^ minded oF the pieasing facV through some • ro&^iftannelriimn pf^^^tiajiagb^ ■ : I; TravVHng;^^^e^? i v:^t;-: : ; Bppils;%th;e^ who^romanc_e:xiU^i»4.hingto find that we have had to bearour-jpharep|-the exj-

We should- like to be furnished with some partipniarj with regard to a numJier^fk thel^thir small charges^J^at^j list. Theyliilit,]] $$ph\n% %ssf know to the coffti^ry, || YeveaFtbe fact*'that a series of Minfstefial Christmas parties was taking place throughout the country. .. .Of course., no, reasonable man would obiect to bo barm".less.and uinconsiderabfe' an'expenditur6 of the public fuuds, while it would greatly enhance the pleasure. .experienced by each individual in : cbntfib'^tibg his quota towards the expenses of " g^v eriiing"" the country, 'did he that he : really knew for what he^w^s^beiDg, taxed., r l,f we only compreliended' the 4uil| raeanlifg of thei words, with r what,spir.it wp Epo.uld ,ail«and c . efleh..6f us, .take part in the-mer,ryjcb9r-u,s~ •" : •■ '"iThat'stheway the money goesi''' •■'"' I