New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4534, 1 October 1875, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1.

Mr. Maoandbew, Superintendent of Otago, went a hunting that rare zoological phenomenon a mare’s nest, yesterday, and found it. He had been much aggrieved, he said, by certain things he had seen in a Wellington paper, which he presumed to be the Government organ, and he called upon the Ministry to produce a document which would at once ease him of his woe. The things that he had seen were certain strictures upon the faulty management, some time ago, of the Otago railways, under Provincial Government control, and upon the utterly worthless manner in which the construction of new railways was being carried out under the same administration. The Wellington paper which Mr. Macandkew presumed was the Government organ was the New Zealand Times, and we are happy in assuring him that it was quite characteristic of his presumption to presume as he did. This, however, is a matter over which we need not waste many words. When we find ourselves one day accused of being the Government organ, another day assured that we represent the Opposition, and yet another day gravely informed that we are for neither, but that we ought to champion one or the other per fas aut nefas, we receive the most satisfactory assurance that we are independent of all, and that we are doing that which we profess to do, supporting a party only in those respects wherein we consider that party to be right. So far, then, we are content to let Mr. Macandeew’s presumption remain where it is, a part of Mr. Macanueew’s political creed. As to the other portion of Mr. Macandbew’s speech, however, we desire to set ourselves right. It is quite true that the strictures he mentioned have appeared in the New Zealand Times, and it is equally true that in all cases they were founded upon facts supplied by Otago journals, which we will not say are under Mr. Macandbew’s control, but which we may affirm are frequently distinguished by a very indiscreet advocacy of that gentleman’s views and actions. In this respect, therefore, if Mr. Maoandbew has any soiled political linen to wash, we would advise him to do it at home, where he must know the materials are quite handy, since it was from there that we got the articles upon which we did a little vicarious cleansing for the Otago provincial administration and construction of railways. We may say, however, that from facts that have come to our knowledge and from facts that were in our possession at the time we quoted from Otago journals, we are quite satisfied of the accuracy of our strictures. However, from the proceedings in the House of Representatives yesterday, it is quite evident that Mr. Maoandbew is not so satisfied, and to prove that he had good grounds for his dissatisfaction, ho went, as we have said, in quest of a mare’s nest, and obtained the object of his search. From something let fall the other day by the Hon. Mr. Richabdson, the Superintendent of Otago took it into his head that Ministers had in their possession a report by a Government officer on the Otago Railways, which proved that in the construction, maintenance, and administration of those railways the Otago Provincial Government had displayed an ability and obtained a success without parallel. He therefore, with a befitting felicity at the coming triumph over the enemies of provincialism, Otago, and Mr. Maoandbew, demanded, in a resolution, the production of the aforesaid report by the Hon. Mr. Richabdson. Mr. Richabdson at once obliged him,- and then it turned out that the Minister for Public Works has for some time contemplated the initiation of a new system of audit in connection with the railways of the colony under General Government control, and in order that a uniform plan might he adopted throughout New Zealand, directed the Auditor-General to report upon the systems in vogue in Otago and Canterbury. The report, then, which Mr. Maoandbew trusted was to prove so much, merely stated that in Otago a new system of audit had been put in force, and that the Auditor-General had not yet had time to report upon that. in Canterbury. This report,' which was characterised by extreme brevity, Mr. Richabdson read and laid Upon the table, so that the matter, as regards our strip-; tures, remains exactly where it was before. "Under the circumstances; jve feel for Mr. Maoandbew, and therefore have no hesi-. tation in pointing out to him how he may put himself right. If he will get the

Otago Fatly Times and the Dunedin Evening Star to admit that certain leading articles of theirs were wholly incorrect, and if he will get certain reports presented to the Otago Provincial Council, and as yet uncontradicted, withdrawn and pronounced erroneous, we shall only be too glad to discard that portion of the evidence on which we founded our strictures, and to rely solely on that which we are prepared ourselves to adduce.