The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 621, 30 April 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1878.

What is the Isortb Otago Times about ? That is what we should like to know. In this morning's issue it is severe on the Waitaki County Council, and this is the more noticeable because our contemporary is usually so proper iu its conduct. Had anvone told us that our contemporary had stepped aside from the well-beaten track of its kindliness to soundly rate a public institution, because it does not choose to announce from the house tops the whole of its doings, we would not have believed thum. -N<>_ one disputes that it is the dutv of the W aitaki County Council to insist "upon the payment of the L 50,000 in question. : lid to have recourse to le_al measures if lu-cessarj". lint, one expedient at a time. >."'-t so fast, we would say t-. our contemporary, it not be" bad policy, merely tor the sake . of making a parade and a show of doing a great deal, under certain circumstance.-, to show your hand. We will cite an authority «n this matter. Our contemporary will remeiiibei that a week or so ago his Worship the Mayor of Oamaru proceeded to Wellington on important municipal business. Not a word was uttered by anybody in reference to his intended departuie, 01 the objects of his mission. The result was that success attended his efforts. Our contemporary will doubtless be able to call this circumstance to his recollection. Perhaps, after all, the Waitaki County Council have not been so secretive as some people would lead us to suppose. What does our contemporary want to know that has not been vouchsafed to it ? Is there something in connection with the plans and operations of the Council for obtaining its dues which has improperly been liiddcn from our con iemporaryl Perhaps so; and, it might be as well if, in future, the Waitaki County Council submitted its intended actions, whatever their character may be, to the Press of Oamaru, in order that the world might be made acquainted witli their business. Will anyone doubt that it is a reasonable assumption that if a public body keeps quiet, it is doing nothing? There are, of course, some exceptions to this rule, one of which is the Municipal Council. It is quite true that the County Council, through the Hon. R. Campbell, confronted the powers in Wellington, and obtained a cheque for nearly L 30,000 from Air. Batkin, on account of the Government's indebtedness to them, the payment of which was unfortunately stopped through the ofiiciotisness of the Comp-troller-General ; and that they are still moving in the matter through their Chairman. We tind that the following letter was forwarded on the 13th of December last:— Waitaki County Council, Oamaru, Kith December, 1577. The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, Colonial Treasurer, Wellington. Sir.—l liave the honor to inform you that at the last meeting of the W'aitaki County Council considerable di satisfaction was expressed at the way in which our financial wings have been clipped by the Secretary to the Treasury and the Commissioners of Audit. The .Secretary to the Treasury admitted to you iu my presence that the amount legally due this Council was much greater than you have paid over. This Council is only desirous of receiying what is legally due, and I now have the honor to make the following proposal, iu which, I am authorised to say, all the members of the Council concur, viz.: To leare the question to be determined by any Judge of the Supreme Court you may wish to appoint. Whatever decision such Judge may give i will be accepted by the Council as final—of course both sides to have the opportunity of stating their case through coun=el. It would be convenient to this Council if you would appoint as Judge cither Mr. Justice Johnston or Mr. Justice Wiiliams. Funding such decision, I hope yon will hokl back surhcient funds to meet our claim, which will probably amount to JLGO,OIK). J have, etc.. Robt. Campbell.

Since the date of forwarding the above letter the Council have not been letting > the question slumber, but they are dila- : tory. Why not send somebody to Weilington forthwith to frighten the Government into an immediate attendance to their demands? They should insist upon it being paid to-morrow. Why not 1 It is merely a question of signing, a -voucher,, and the trick is done. The ComptrollerGeneral says that it was never intended when the Act was framed that this money should be paid over to the Waitaki County Council. The Council says that it is not the Comptroller-Gene-ral's business to state what the Act was intended to mean, or even to interpret the Act as it stands. Whatever may be the opinions of those in Wellington, we think that we are entitled to the money ; and not only- must we have it, but we must have it now. The following correspondence transpired between the County Council's Chairman and the Government on the 29th inst.; — Oamaru, 29th April, 187 S. Hon. James Macandrew, Minister for Public Works, Wellington. On behalf of the Waitaki County Council I protest against any distribution o£ the land fund of Canterbury which does not include the claim thereto I have sent in, as per my letter to Colonial Treasurer of the 13th December. E, Campbell, Chairman. I Government Buildings, Wellington, 29tli April, 187 S. Hon. R Campbell, Oamaru. Telegram received and protest noted. No action will be taken in re distribution before 1 vour position in relation thereto is defined. J. Macandrew. Protesting by telegram forsooth. Why not send a policeman with a writ at once 1 J And is this the last communication that ' the County Council has had with the , Government on this matter. If they were • afraid to adopt more severe measures they should have at least sent a few more telegrams to-day. We hope that the Clark in the absence of the Chairman, will, immediately on seeing ' our article, be frightened into sending one or "two to-night. We only wish that we were the Chairman of the Waitaki County Council ; we would show them 5 how to transact their business. Let , them, we say, take the Municipal Council as their pattern, and endeavor to live up to their standard of excellence.