NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, February 11, 1854.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 890, 11 February 1854, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, February 11, 1854.

The course taken, by the Provincial Secretary and Mr. Revans with reference to the Audit would, appear, and no doubt was designed ]?y them, through most-un-deservedly, to, cast an imputation on Mr. St. Hill. To c.ome to a right understanding on this question, it may be as well to trace it through the discussions in the Council, and to see how it really stands,, and m doing this we shall try and plaee> the plain foots before our readers. On. the 16th ult., on Mr. Brown's moving am | address to the, Superintendent for the appointmentjOf <a permanent and efficient system of Aufjit, the Secretary^statedthat Mr. St. HiU -w;as acting for the present as Auditor,, but that no permanent arrangement had Jbeen,, made, and on a subsequent occasion, (Jan % #6) he stated that Mr. St. Hill wpujd be, appointed Provincial Auditor, witihqpjFanj sajary, and that his< tenure of ojgce^sQ far as the Executive was concerned, 6[ho.uld be qitam diw se hene gesserit, in others words, his position "and tenure of office , as respe.cted the Provincial Government (as the expression obviously implies) should be independent, and similar to thafrof the Judges with reference to thef(*Qvernor. But this announce • ment seems,toha.vebeen made without consulting Mr., St. HiU ; and Mr. Brown in the discussiqn. on his resolutions (Jan. 31) _j stated that he had asked Mr., St. Hill, and|| had been informed by him that he had> not accepted the permanent office of Au r ditor, as it would be impossible for him efficiently to discharge its duties without giving up his other appointments. In the evening sitting, (these post-pran-dial discussions have on more than one occasion led to uncomfortable exhibitions on the part of Government members) Mr. Revans, in a -very gross and most improper manner accused Mr. St. Hill of

treachery, and this ? accusation was sanctioned by the Executive, who affected to sit in judgment off' this 'charge, and informed the Council on its adjournment, by their mouthpiece the Secretary they were undecided as" to what course they intended to adopt with reference to it. . Now, it is pretty generally known that for some months past Mr. St. Hill, has rendered very essential assistance to the Provincial Government, at a- great sacrifice of his personal convenience by.auditing their accounts, carrying out to the fullest extent the desire expressed by Sir George Grey that the officers of his Government should offer their cordial cooperation and assistance at starting to the Provincial government. It is als6 understood that Mr.- St. pill intimated to the, present Executive, that while he would cheerfully~assist them until they were able ,tp make.some^ permanent arTangement, it would be impossible for him to accept the^ permanent -appointment of Auditor, as its onerous, duties would fequire, and fully occupy his- undivided attention, and would %c incompatible with the proper- discharge of the duties, of his other offices.' But wheiv the announcement above referred to was made (Jan. 26) by the Secretary in the Council, it does not appear that any previous communication was made by the Executive to Mr. St. Hill, or any intimation given to him of the plan that had been decided on. If there is any blame, it is to be attached to those who without the courtesy of previously consulting Mr.' St. Hill, chose to make use of his name-as a party to these arrangements, and' because he has not servilely adopted thems turn round upon him in this unjustifiable manner. For . the attack in the Gotmeil has been most cunningly devised; while the strongest and most offensive language, while the most unwarrantable course has been pursued towards Mr. St.Hill by the Governmentparty (in acknowledgement, we suppose, and by way of requital for the material assistance they have received from Jiim) , the independent* [' members have been precluded from making an observation in reply., 'ijiie; jsiole attack haarisen out of the c^u^tance^;tMlt', Mr. " K BroVn7 'before inoyiii^i-his resolutions* thought fit to inquire"of Mr. St. Hill whe-* ther he was really a' party to the arrangements that had been ljttid&in his name. To many it appears as though' the Executive, anxious to tide over, .the session and save appearances, had made this 'announcement without caring whether it could be carried out or not vr intending, after the session was over, to make their own arrangements, and allege as a convenient excuse for doing so, -Mr.'St. Hill's refusal to co-operate with them, thus making him their scape-goat. Nothing can more clearly shew their incompetence" to deal deal with this question, we haVl almost said their inability to understand it, than their assumption of the light and trivial nature of its duties. While the Provin- ■ cial Secretary gives the Council to understand, that T\hen permanent salaries are voted, both the Provincial Secretary and Treasurer will receive higher salaries - than have ever previously been given, the duties ot Auditor; -are in their opinion comparatively so trivial' and, unimportant as to require no salary, or to be discharged by a board which may act as a screen. As to the Vant ' about maintaining " at' all'" hazards ttie dignity of the Executive" made / as6*bf-'bj p the Provincial Secretary, -we '£&ti conceive no•i thing more calculated 3 t6 loWer the present Executive in*the estimation of the community than their paltry exhibition of spite against a^u officer of Sir George Grey's Government, more>-%fficient, more popular, and a more 'thorough man of business than the whoW'Exeoutive Council put together, including the Superintendent; the announcement of- whose appointment as permanent Auditor diffused very general satisfaction, and gave , a stability to the Provincial Government it did not possess before in the general ppinion. If the thieat conveyed, in the expression' 1 , of " maintaining at all hazards the dignity and supremacy of the Executive" means anything, it means this — that those who have got into power expect an unhesitating servility; an unscrupulous- compliance on» the part 'of holders of office in the- Provincial • Government, which will render it impossi^ He for any man of an honorable mind or independent principle to act with

them. Such proceedings afe not calculated to add to the strength or dignity of a Government; often saved through the session by tjie casting vote of the Speaker who, Mr, Revans assures us, is not a party man* and even on the last dayot the* sessioti carrying ' important divisions hy a majority of one,— that one voting amidst the ironical cheers ot the Council against Jiis previously declared conviction; though Wanganui has become the Superintendent's close borough and contributes two sticks to the bundle on which Ins Government leans for support, a Government -so strong that on the contemplated retirement from the Council of xme of what Mr. Fitzherbert calls,the sticks heworks with,—thewalking gentlemen who vote, if they can do nothing ; else,-^the Superintendent, it is said, is l anxiously?l6oking out for a safe man, to fill the vacancy; "

We are requested tcTcall the attention of our readers to van ertatum -.fleeting the date m the Provincial ?th February, TBs4'. pubfisH^V. out " iast number - The notice should s^M^hus :— "I, the Superittfehdent ;of the Province of Wellington, do hereby declare and notify, thatthelahds descri^ed ( in the annexed schedule, and which have receritjy been acquired from the Nativechiefs,' w^lt'be opened for selection, under the regulations' of 4th March, 1853, on and after the \J>tH''dty of March next, subject to the following' jfuither regulations and reservatiohs." , '? "'" '

The Government Bng l arriv£d yesterday -from Auckland, which she left on 31st ult. The General Assembly is summoned to meet at Auckland on 24th" Hay next, and the Vic toria will proceed in 'a fortnight to Canterbury and Otago, calling at Nelson and Taranaki, on her way back, for the. Members of the General Assembly. ", - : '"^ ~

The numbers of the Tpyttleton 2 imes received by the Kawai, contain no news of local interest. At the meeting of the Lyttleton Colonists Society on the 25th nit., it was proposed to discuss the following proposition :—: — •'That it is highly desirable to introduce the Government Land Regulations within the Canterbury block, with the view of rendering the price of land in this settlement conformable to "that of che other settlements of New Zealand ; and that a Memorial, to be signed by the inhabitwits of Lyttleton, be forwarded to the General Government to effect iuch object.".

We have received frelson Examiners to the 28th ult. The Provincial Council was still sitting. The folloivirig; Ordinances, (the laws past by the Provincial Uouncil at Nelson, as in most, of the othoV province*, are styled. Ordinances), had been passed: .An Immigration Ordinance/ Fenciug Ordinance, and Quaianti'ne Ordinance/\i^"e',£onn.try Road^s ]>ill was thrown but on 'tfie $aird, A Scab Bill wa« before the 'CoagciL.- A difference had arisen, bej^eji tfee ;&V&eri&tenrien,t, an j the Council," oi\ c . the former refusing' to allow "the Pilot to be examined^ before a Select Com mittee, and on his making. some amendments in the Schedule of Estimates agreed to by the Council, and transmitted to the Superintendent to be embodied h>=an Appropriation JJill, w bich proceeding was considered to be an unconstitutional interference with the privileges of the Council. A very' flattering atldrebs, which was very rfumSrpu.slv signed, had been presented to Major Ribninond on his retiring from the position of 8 Superintendent of the Province. n , '

A meeting of the 'Nelson Mining Company had been held to consider a proposal made by the Superintendent of, the P. and 0. Steam Navigation Company topurchase their interest in the Pakawau coal district. The Directors recommended the Shareholders to transfer their interest in the mine at Pakawau on»the following conditions :— * w 1. The representatives of, Jtlie .Peninsular and Oriental Company to repay to th^Nelson Mining Company their outlay. T - " i ' 2. To commence mining operations -within a given time. 3. To establish a coaling depot for general purposes at Nelson, or some other harbour in Blind Bay to be agreed upon. The meeting was adjourned for further discussion. , •* , *