WEEKLY BULLETIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5438, 31 August 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

WEEKLY BULLETIN.

(From the New Zealand Mail.) The Hon. Minister for Public Works made his annual statement on Tuesday evening. It will be found elsewhere in our columns, and will be read with the interest it deserves. It delivery was heralded by vague rumors of its bigness, and novelty. On the whole, on these two points it is not deficient. It is unfortunate for Mr. Macau drew that the blowing of Ministers’ newspaper as to the statesmanship of the proposals, and as to their size in comparison to the puny efforts of his predecessors, should provoke criticism which would otherwise bo spared, in view of the evident disposition evinced in the scheme to distribute its advantages fairly over the two islands, and to carry out to completion the great trunk linos already projected and authorized to bo made in each. The Minister desired to allay the apprehensions which filled the public mind when it was soon that the official changes which separate the administration of the great departments of Public Works, Colonial Defence, and Colonial Stores into two one for each island had the appearance of preparing the way for the political changes of insular separation, removal of the Seat of Government, and restoration of provincialism, which has been the publicly avowed policy of so many members of the present Government. Mr. Macandrew, as will be seen, assured the members of the House of Representatives that these changes have been made solely and simply with a view to more efficient and economical administration, altogether irrespective of his political opinions as to what would have been the best and most suitable form of Government for New Zealand. If these facts, and obvious inferences from them, have given rise to an opposite opiniou, it is so much the worse for the facts. As Superintendent of a province Mr. MacAndrew has always and eminently been a man of progress, not afraid of responsibility, and, if we must hint a fault, given somewhat to discounting the future too liberally, and objecting always to be trammelled by mere shopkeeping considerations about finance. There is not one of his proposals for the extension of our railway system which will not meet with approval. They are after all really only fractions of what will be required, we hope, in the not very distant future. But we are not very clear, nor indeed is Mr. Macandbbw himself, how the money for their construction is to be obtained. If he had consulted his honorable colleague the Colonial Treasurer, he might probably have learnt that the scheme which he has propounded wanted what may be called financial bottom. About that, however, we shall know more bye-and-bye. Wellington is to be connected with Napier by way of Wairarapa, and with Auckland by a line by way of Foxton or Palmerston, in addition to the Wellington-Masterton line. The difficulty of finding a good line from the Hutt to Waikanae has not yet been surmounted ; and we venture to urge upon all the settlers who are interested in opening up the large district on the west coast south of Foxton, to furnish information and to give such assistance to the officers of the Public Works Department as may be necessary to aid in the further exploration of the country through which that line must pass. The work is one of great importance in the interests of Wellington generally. The financial policy of the Colonial Treasurer as disclosed in the budget does not, as it becomes more freely discussed, command general acceptance. It is always difficult to adjust the incidence of taxation so as to satisfy every one and to obtain any substantial result ; bat the Treasurer’s proposals have the remarkable demerit of obtaining no substantial fiscal results, and of creating the largest possible amount of dissatisfaction and inconvenience. The dscussion on the Budget proposals has been delayed until the Public Works Statement had been made, both being necessarily connected financially. The Electoral Bill of the Government does not make much progress. It now commands such general approval that every member almost desires so to amend it in committee as that it shall as nearly as possible the dignity of being not only the mctgna but the major, chavta of popular rights. . All parties in the House appear to desire ** political rest” for a few days, and even the Government have coyly accepted the ‘£l offered indulgence—under protest of course. The Hinemoa takes a large party of Senators to Lyttelton on Wednesday next, and thence they travel by rail through to Dunedin. Abundant hospitality is offered on the route, and the occasion will be made, as it ought to be, memorable in every way. After the holiday it is to be hoped that business will be made the order of the day, and that the session may be speedily ended.