The Oamaru Mail MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 13 December 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1880.

.The sheep rate during the year 1579 realised L11;695; and the cost of salaries, Sc., tuider the Sheep Act, IS7B, amounted to L 11,750. In the Nekon district, the rate amounted to LI6S, while the coat of administering the Act was LSOO, divided among five inspector*. This is one of the directions in which the Government were strongly recommended by the Opposition to cut down expenses. Bat sympatny for tho3e of their own class prevailed against their senie of dnty. We admit the necessity for the employment of a staff sufficient to seenre the cleanliness of oar Hocks and herds; bat we deny that there 13 any necessity for making the sheep and cattle inspection department one from which magnificent charitable aid is dispensed to political limpets and social " ne'er-do-wecli." If such men have any claim upon the country for eleemosynary support, let them be employe! with those who do more work at a fraction of the my On railway construction. The overburdened taxpayer of the Colony cannot afford to enable a class of political dependents to moke " blue blood" at such an enormous sacrifice. Five sheep inspectors la the Nelson district, and an absolute loss of L 632 on their work ! We shall be met with the response that the station owners contribute towards the expenses of the inspection debt; but that is no reason why tee money contributed should be recklessly spent. Whatever amount the Government nred in the expenditure in this department woold he a gain to the colonial exchequer. This is the excuse the Government made last session wbea, in Committee of Supply,

the Opposition objected to the unnecessarily heavy expenditure in connection with the department. The Government wished Parliament to believe that as the amount was contributed by the stationholders, Parliament had no right to interfere with the administration of the department. The Government might, with an equal show of reason, contend that, as the licensed victuallers contribute towards the maintenance of law and order, Parliament has nc right to interfere with the administration of the police department. The fact is, our administrators have shown a greater inclination to bear the odium consequent upon the concoction of ridiculous theories than to face the unpalatable duty that devolves upon them in the matter of retrenchment.