NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Wednesday, December 21, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 875, 21 December 1853, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Wednesday, December 21, 1853.

The length of our report of Fridays proceedings in Council compels us to confine our observations on the discus, sions on the Estimates, which occurred $hen we spoke on Saturday mapp^l of tho moderate way in which the Estimtttt wiredrawn up, we received them In good fftUh, believing that if any alters

tion were attempted,it certainly would not be in the way ofincrease of salaries. After the professions of Economy and Retrenchment which have so constantly been paraded by the Faction, after their unqualified abuse of the former Government on the score of extravagance, few were prepared for the scene which took place in Council yesterday. On the salary ol the Superintendent being proposed at £500, Mr. 861 l moved it should be raised to £600, and although the Provincial Secretary professed to oppose it, the amendment was carried by a majority of 10 to 7. By way of " helping ' a lame dog over a style"— we nse the words of the Provincial Demosthenes, Mr. Fitzherbert, who it must be confessed is more homely than happy in his illustrations^Mr. Clifford proposed a further addition to the Superintendent's salary of forage for two horses, but ultimately withdrew "his motionon Mr.Fitzherbert's stating that the Superintendent would not sanction the Appropriation Bill with this amendment. In other words it was hardly safe to press the amendment, which was accordingly withdrawn. We abstain at present from noticing the exhibitions of temper of the Provincial Secretary, the gross imputations, the highly indecorous attacks made by Mr. Fitzherbert on those who presume to differ from him. We confine ourselves to the single consideration of the way in which this item has been voted. If Mr. Fitzherbert had been sincere in wishing to carry the sum originally set down in the Estimates, if he Teally desired to act up to his principles, he had only to make the same distinct announcement with regard to Mr. Bell's amendment, which he did as to Mr. Clifford's. But the whole thing was evidently planned beforehand, the members connected with Government did not scruple, as Mr. Wakefield declared in Council, openly to canvas beforehand for votes, every member of Council was present, for the first time dliit session, and though the Provincial Secretary affected to oppose the amendment, no one was deceived as to the real state of affairs ; no one could be so credulous as to be imposed on by the transparent trick that was played off. "A little still he strore, and much repented, And whispering"! will ne'erconsent" — consented.** The settlers must be prepared for many such exhibitions before the Estimates are disposed of j we shall take good care they do not pass by unrecorded. Let them take this one item of Superintendent, a« a specimen of the advance they are making in Cheap Government. If we assume the salary of the other three Superintendents of the Southern Provinces to be £400 each, (the amount voted to the Superintendent at Canterbury) the cost of Superintendents in New Munster will be at least £1,800, or half as much again as was paid to the Lieutenant Governor, including all contingencies.

Division on Mr. Bell's motion to increase the Superintendent's salary to £600 Ayes— Mess. Bell, Bethune, Clifford, Daniell, Dorset, Hart, Lyon, Wallace, Waitt, Watt. Noes — Mess. Brandon, Brown, Fitzherbert, Ludlam, Moore, Renall, Wakefield.

♦ — The Amateur Concert in aid of the funds of the Athenaeum takes place to-morrow evening, when we understand a great treat will be provided for the lovers of music.

Pbogbamme of the performance by the Band of the 65th Regt., at Thorndon, on Friday, ! Decembe£23th : — 1. Overture — Wayerley Berlioz 2. "In my power at length behold thee" 1..,.. — Norma fßeliuu 3. Le Maalin in fans Souci Quadrille. ... Schubert 4. Selection — " In happy moment! day 1„, „ by day"-Maritan» . J } WttUae * 5. Famt Valie Diabolique D' Albert 6. The Hippopotamus Polka 7. Alboni Galop .' & Albert