Original Correspondence.

New Zealander, Volume 10, Issue 885, 7 October 1854, Page 1 (Supplement)

Original Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Nbw-Zkalandkr. Sib, —The Provincial Council is about to meet, and I trust and doubt not that they will 6et speedily and vigorously to work in, forwarding those measures which require the summer season to complete. If they pass the Estimates during the first week of the session, they will be in a position at once to open contracts for much of the necessary work that hits to be accomplished, and they may thus make this the most practically useful, and important Session in the history of New Zealand ; we have fortunately experienced that the Provincial Council is compared of really practical men—and are not an overtalking Assembly. There are some few matters to guard against, or rather for the constituents to watch their Representatives upon that they are not guided in their measures by self-interest ; and it will be a wholesome check upon the proceedings of the members, to know that their votes during this session will be narrowly watched. The surplus of money voted last session for work to be done on certain roads, will, I presume, remain for expenditure on the same line, and more care taken than could perhaps be taken during the first Session, that money be not wasted or badly used. I presume, the shortest and least expensive line of road from one given point to another must always be the most correct one, and a diverging line to suit private interests or peculiar cases cannot be good. Then again, some of the departments which will be be placed under the management of the Provincial Councl willhave to be scrutinized and insome cases re-arranged. The maximum of liberal salaries for work done and no idlers, must tend to make a good •tail of satisfactory officers in each department; and there is more tncouragement to men to work well when they are adequately paid. It is hardly possible at present to know what departments or •what precise work comes properly under the Provincial Council, from the harum-scarum way in which the latter business of the General Assembly was managed ; but matters will soon find their level, and doubtless all our members will set to their work much more conversant with their duties, than they were at the commencement of last session, and not a few lessons may have been learned from the ill-digested and bungling legislation of another certain body. At all events, the Provincial Council have our thanks for what the did during the past session, and I have a pretty strong hope that they will terminate the coming session with satisfaction to the various constituencies. There were one or two cases where the members did not deem it a matter of sufficient importance to attend punctually and regularly in their places; and it is a matter of consideration whether they had not better retire, and make room for others. But with a long-pull, a strong-pull, and a pull all together, great good may result from the coming Session of the Provincial Council.—Yours, &c. " Watchful."