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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4455, 30 June 1875, Page 2

Writing on the subject of the appropriations in excess of revenue by the Otago Provincial Council, the Daily Times remarks : —“We are aware, of course, that Mr. Beid’a policy had a very definite bearing ; he did not scruple to I point it out. In plain language, it is simply this : The General Government will very likely j lay its hands upon our land fund ; let us sell, pawn, reserve, and otherwise dispose of our heritage, so that the despoiler may get as little as possible out of us. This, of course, is not policy at all, by whatever name it may be called. It reminds us rather of the action of those nervous people who may sometimes be seen at a fire flinging the bedroom crockery out of the window in order to save it from fire. Bankruptcy Judges are not unfamiliar with , the story of how A. B. C. pledged every negotiable asset until his creditors could not get half-a-crown in the pound. We repeat, there is not much statesmanship in dealing with the public funds after this fashion. Perhaps the proper verdict is, “Your certificate will be suspended for two years.” It is not, moreover, a mere matter of impolitic and dishonest dealing; another and more obvious, if not greater evil, is attached to such conduct. Every year, nowadays, a certain item of account has to be noted and explained, viz., “balance unexpended,” or amount due on unfinished contracts. Every session the sum voted, but not spent within the year, grows greater.- It is worthy of note, though it seems to have escaped observation, that this item, if it grows fast, is a pretty sure sign of mismanagement at least—and very often of the grossest corruption. To vote away -a sum enormously larger than can possibly be spent, on the calculations that some of it will have to be held over, is, on the part of a representative body, simply to abrogate its most important function of allotting sums for certain specific work. It is in effect to entrust to the Executive the right of selection as to which work should be pushed forward. - It is clear to everybody that all the operations for which money is voted cannot possibly be carried on ; and it is a distinct temptation to the Government to be ruled in their selection by influences which will not bear inspection. Jealous as the representatives of the people usually are about the power of the purse, and carefully as they examine into questions of undue preference and improper motives, it is painfully evident that local jealousies and intestine quarrels have fairly blinded their eyes to the evil we have noticed, and led them during the past session to give an unlimited and almost irresponsible authority to the members of the present Executive. We have no hesitation in saying that the composition of the Executive is excellent, and its honor unexceptionable ; at the same time, the principle of handing over unlimited power to a few is entirely opposed to sound principles of representative government. We repeat it, from a variety of causes this last Council has abdicated the position to which it was called by its constituents, and divested itself of the powers entnisted to it ; they have been careless of the responsibilities with which it was charged, and the crime, like every crime, will bear its fruit next year, in a whole host of charges, and counter charges, of jobbery, corruption, and the like. When our provincial rulers show themselves thus reckless, it is high time that they should be sent off to more congenial occupations. Centralism might be better —it could not be worse for us. We have said nothing about the expediency of forming this or that line ; about this opinions must differ very widely. The questions that arose towards the end of the session between the various birds of prey, remind us of the story of the commercial traveller and the landlord. * The former remonstrated at the extortionate charges in his bill. ’ The latter offered to take threepence off the amount charged for wax candles ; when this pi'oved unsatisfactory, he requested the bagman to find fault with the items, to which the man of commerce replied, * It is the extortionate sum total to which I object.* So with the Council's action. Whether the Nightcap or Gatlins line is required, the Waihemo or Tapanui, is not the point now. The extortionate total is uttex*ly unreasonable, and the Council that permitted the bill to run up deserves to, and probably will, pass out of existence quickly, and unregretted.”