To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, February 9, 1854.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 890, 11 February 1854, Page 3

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington , February 9, 1854.

S IR> — I am afraid, jou^will think I. hare been asleep, but I have not ; ifnave not written to you because the labours'~of *he Provincial Council have been so heavy and misty that I fairly ran away for a holUay, like a »choolboy, and I feel all the better for my little journey and recreation. Before going I sat down fo wrije to you about the audit question, but I was deW beat with roy labours, so I pave it -up- Although I have not writieu to you I have been wide a-wake, picking U|> infoi maiion of an extraordinary character, which, if 1 have space and aime, I will detail to

you. I see, however, tbat my friend Minos, and his Imperium have been busy — under the signature ot " Merry 'Andrew" — they cannot conceal themselves, they use certain expressions which point tlifm out even as & dead dog. Mr. Editor, I have "been much puzzled by the Provincial Secretary, M ! r. Fuzherbert, resisting | the appointment of aa auditor. I thought he would have been-too glafl "to have availed himself of the opportunity, whtn it was proposed, and have agreed thatfJan aurfifor should he appointed. I have heard the -question canvassed by some of the most influential gentlemen in this town, and they have, one and all, expressed their surprise at the resistance made-by the Provincial Secretary on this question, and thought that he would have been the fir^t to have proposed it in the Council as a measure absolutely necessary. But, Mr. Editor, what can be the reason of this resistance to a proposition ~so obviously correct and true ? I know not if I have "liitthe nail on the head," but it has struck me from the little feelers going about, that Mr. Fo£ is expected shortly, and that his advent possibly^roay,, hy something to do with it. Is Mr. Fiizhe'r'^ert to a.ee'p a seat warm for him till he does Vome — possibly Mr. Fox may have some secVetafy ' who will require a snug berth ? Can tk* Provincial Secretary accommodate them both/* Certainly he c*irf-and" : mofe" if necessary. 'Are there not'required a Treasurer, an Auditor, and v an Auditor's clerk, a clerk to the Treasury,,' a clerk "to the Secretary, .and possibly many otheif luile places which will be found to be requisite ? If there .should be anything of this sort I do trust that the people ni Wellington will, resist such an outrage upon iheir rights ; they have the right, according to the uses of corporations, for we are nothing more, to elect officers to carry on the business of the Province ; and if these appointments are improperly usurped by the Provincial Secretary and Superintendent the people will be to blame if they tamely submit. On the Audit r/uesiion the Provincial S- cr.Mary thus expresses himsVll, — '* The effect was to give ! the Superintendent and his Executive a master in the shape of a subordinate master raised over i their heads into ''exasperated importance. Now to th*M the present Government would not submit." And he further adds, — " Ii was a principle contrary to the stability of every form of Government, viz., the establishment of an imperium in imperio (a power within a power) — whenever in any country (no matter what its form of Government) such an error has been made, from that moment its downfall may.be dated:' This reads well, Mr. Eiiiior, but ii is not true; the Provincial Secretary is fond of making grand asseruons, without reference to their applicability or truth ; he accuses others of the suppressio veri, and making garbled statements, but he forgets to look at home. ' - With regard to the first part of the above, that the Auditor would- become' master — how could hp, holding office during good behaviour, become the master of the Superintendent and his Executive? he would become independent of them, but not their master ; and'ihis is the true position of an Auditor, he ought to be thoroughly independent of the Government, and s*d long as he does his duty he has nothing* to' fear from* the Minister of the ~dtiy.\ The PrdvinciarStciet'aiy did not in any ■■ivaV'State how arii) itt'whai way^the Auditor would = ffprisft»e* t in^sTP"r ;> oV^r\'"nie~Superinteri<ient and his Execulivt — f>i tact^t was a nitre broad assertion winch he tlfoi>i>lii"w;oulil go down wich ihe Council. As to objecting that the appointment of an Auditor, as suggested by Mr. Brown, would be an imperivm in imperio, and a thing sn monstrous that u would be the* downlall ol ibe Province, 01 ,nsinyMr. Fuzhei-beit's own expression, that if such ati imperium in imperio were allowed, the whole Government would go to the dogs ; — what can we say but that it is» a gross ab&urdiiy and absolute nonsense, it will not even bear consideration, and the more you do consider it tbe more absurd and nonsensical it appeal s. Are not the Secretaries of State in England an im~ perium in imperio in the fullest sense, and did not this follow upon' the revolution of 1688, when all the powtfs of the Crown were cone n trated in a few" instead of dividing them among many of its advisers forming an imperium in imperio, as it is styled, by a writer oi> the otfice of Secretaries of SW. Surely, Mr. Editor, Mr. Fuzberbert knew ibis for lie speaks confidently in matters of history, anl knowing it, why did be suppress tile truth or make a garbled statement about if. Was itas a clap trap to the public, or was it to delude those unfortunate walking sticks; or dtimiiUevwho follow the unfortunate Secretary about as Pet Poodles asking for a bone ? Is not the Provincial Secretary himsell an imperium in imperio ? But he wanted the ap .ointment in himself as minister of the day, but possibly the Superintendent will not agree — but says, 1 will have'an Audit Board. Is not this borne out by tbe Secretary stating in the Council that be was'informed by somebody whose Uncle had been an Auditor that the appointment wnB in the gift of- the minister of the day ? Are the Provincial Secretary and his Honor already at variance a» to'apftoitHments ? Did tbe Secretaiy claim thVapp'ointment as a feeler, or as a trap tor votes,— i^ce'rta?Bly\caught the vote of an old. experienced gentleman' 1 who may have been led^fco , anticipate. <s !b Appp*9ttn*»r, .tbutvas the £ cre'ary la* got^fl he,isnt*d from that gentleman, namely his yjpjte.inTfes wjll now, be considered, politically speaking, astd^l|aod bu ied. Where did the Provincial S^>e\ary- get. the phrase of imperium in, imperio frctaa, for he evidently uses it without knowing.its application ? Where does he get many of the axpressions used by him against Sir George Oey, aud the late Government,' and also against Mr. Wakefield 1 Will you believe it Mr. Editor lo he picks them up from the Australian and New Zealand Gazette. You will perhaps say, poh, nonsense, Mr. Fitzherbert cannot be a literary thief, a plagiary, nevertheless it is true. Let aiyone take the trouble to compare Mr,- Fitzherbert's remarks with the- Australian and New Zealand Gazette, and he will be perfectly satisfied I am correct. No sujpressio veri with me but I openly denounce what I consider a political falsehood. I must conclude this long letter, but I cannot resist following the Provincial Secretary's example of having an Euclidian demonstration — he says if we have an imperium in imperio the whole Gpvernment will go- to the dogs — Mr. Fitzherbert as Provincial Secretary is an imperium in imperio, therefore the whole government will go to the dogs, Q.E.D. I air, Sir, •Yuur obedieut servant, A.