THE CHANGE IN THE GOVERNMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 137, 24 April 1862, Page 4

THE CHANGE IN THE GOVERNMENT.

In consequence of the vote arrived at by the Provincial Council. on Tuc'l-i v v\ n>i ig, a change ih the Executive was necessitated, and lis .Honor, the Superintendent sent- for.Mr. Dick at, an early hour yesterday, and "left to him the task of forming a Government.' After' a short interval Mr. Dick • signified that he had, succeeded in bringing together the follow.jng Executive, viz.:—Himself, Treasurer and Secretary; Mr.M'Glashan,' Provincial Solici-

tor; and Messrs. Patterson,,. Reynolds, and Kilgouf,"To" "have scats at the Executive without office. ; ■ ' • l The actioh-that led to the putting out of the late Government, was so entirely based upon past transactions, and' so little' reference was made to any specific charge, that it is difficult to even enter upon the discussion of the propriety of the change. To do bo would only open up old questions, which have already been discussed ad nauseam. The new Executive argue -we presume ■ that they have the right to supplant the old one, because the Council by the vote last session, decided to, that effect. > Although the majority on that occasion did not take office, their claim to it they consider did not' lapse, and they renew it now that at the commencement of the new session they are pre pared 'to take office. Such at least is the only ■ solution we can arrive at of a vote which turned out the Ministry without detailing any special ground for taking that course. Adopting this view, the only issue left to the public is to judge between the personal fitness of the new and the old Ministry. We must not be understood to consider the precedent a good one. The salutary influence 'which party distinctions have, would be lost if it were made a common practice to rely upon might alone without deeming it necessary to enter into the right. However without dealing with this question, and without touching upon another raised by the Superintendent last session, we may be content to give the Executive a trial, and to hope the best from it. No doubt Mr, Dick's range of selection was limited; or it is useless to deny that otherwise exception might be taken to one at least of his colleagues. In regard to the others it is to be supposed that he has taken' the necessary precautions to, guard against their interference in matters which it is said are yet unsettled' between themselves and the Province. Adopting these qualifications the p'tblic will be content to allow their judgment on the merits of the new Executive to abide tho exposition of their' policy and.their mode of carrying it out.

After all, political feeling is not very high, and the most efficient ministry will make itself most popular, no matter what prejudices it may run counter to. The policy of the new Executive will be anxiously scanned, and we look forward to a lucid announcement of a liberal one. Much has been said about the conflicting interests between the " Old Ideality" and the new comers, but we confess to.not understanding them. The " Old Identity " fell in with the change in the circumstances of the Province.-wben, as unquestionably they have done, they benefitted by the advent of the new comers. Had they held aloof at the first, and persisted in doing so, we could understand the remarks directed against them. But it is very certain they did Hot and they do. not do so, beyond the-.caution, which characteristically great, has led them, and still lends them to -undervalue rather than overvalue the resources of the .Province. The new arrivals on the other hand, naturally were willing and are willing to fuse with the " old residenters " seeing that these continue to retain the lion's share of wealth and influence. The new comers, perhaps, are more inclined to be sanguine, and ask of their predecessors a little more go-a-beadism. Hence we have the 'distinction between the two parties, the one inclined to exercise an amount of caution which the other considers indicative of narrow views. But it is a mistake to. divide the two by calling one the old, the other the new inhabitants. ,The fact is, on either side is ranged a mixture of the two. On the cautious side are many new inhabitants, and on the sanguine and energetic side iriany of the old inhabitants! men of wealth and influence, are amongst the mo*t prominent. The .interference with the peculiar customs, habits, or tone of feeling of a section of the old inhabitants, is one that should not be encouraged ; the liberty the new comers claim they should be willing to accord. On the other hand, the ill feeling has perhaps been stimulated by a section—a small one— of the old inhabitants, who fearing the changed prospects .of the colony would interfere with the exercise of certain notions they cherished, have set themselves assiduously to uphold the doctrine of quieta non movere. Content with the progressr they made 'in former times, and wanting the confidence in their own judgment to decide between desirable and undesirable'reforms, they have thought it safest to stick to the cry of "the good old times." ' But this section.is numerically small, and it is in the highest degeec unjust to class it with the general body •of the old'inhabitants. We have entered, into this discussion because it is ' exceedingly desirable to put'a stop to the presumed feelings of antogonism between the old and new "identitj'." To put the matter in the most homely light, the one is so identified in interest with the other, that active or Overt hostility on either bide must rebound on. those who cherish it: We trust' that the new ministry will make clear their v.iews on the matter, and be nble-to definitely state-that they do not propose to administer their duties in the interests of either the old or the new residents, but with a strict regard;to the rights ofboth. , . - -

By the Gniding Star we have Southland papers to, April 19. -The following' paragraph with reference to the "Wakatip diggings contains the only item of intelligence likely to bo of interest to pur readers .:—" Corporal Morton has been down this week from the Hok&nui Station, and reports that, on his last visit to the .Wuikatip Diggings, he found the prospecting parties had abandoned deep sinking for the present, and were confining themselves to surface digging, fr»m which they were making fair wages. They were all in good spirits." ~ -, , The. Escort to-day brings down from Tuapcka 40020Z5. sdwts., and from. Waitahnna 12280z5. 'sdwts. In addition to this there will be an escort from WaipQri, but we have no information as to quantity. ' The Resident Magistrate's Court vras crowded to'excess yesterday, during the hearing of the case against William Joseph Brutton, for. embezzlement, in' August last, of sundry monies, the property, of the Dunedin branch, of the Union Bank of Australia j which sums the defendant hud received by virtue of his official position in that establishment. The particulars will be found fully reported elsewhere. Brutton was fully committed to stand his trial at the approaching criminal sessions. A very lively -interest has manifested itself in this extraordinary- case. We have reason for complaining of the suppressed tone of voice in which much of the proceedings was conducted. •■ • - In our report of the proceedings of Council in yesterday's issue we purposely omitted an allusion made by Mr. M'Glftshan, both because its. nature

-r ;*.*■'.<.?■ -■ ;"t>" •■• v... . r .•■ scarcely permitted its ft]>pe»r»nce in guy cominns and became » Urge number of yesterday's israo would find it§ w»y to Melbourne, and we were anxious not to do the Provincial Legislature discredit in the eyes of the p K>plc of the neighboring colony. Still, »s public journalist*,, we are called npon t*ke notice of the , matter. Mr. M'Glashan ventured upon an allusion so indolicnt* in its natnro, and so broadly stated, that really it was scarcely possible to print it. llb rcforred to the use to which he assumed certain papers of the Council might have been put. It is no excuse to say that he designed his allusion us a joke. Jokea of the kind would be more fitting for assemblies which, it ia to bo hoped, honorable members neven frequent, than for a legislative body. We trust that the hint will be, taken, and that members will not, for tlio sake of exciting a laugh, make remarks calculated to bring into, contempt the body the dignity of which it should be their prido to maintain. A meeting of the M'Lean Testimonial Committee was held last night at tho Criterion hotel, Mr. Alex, dimming in tho Chair.- A variety of mutters in connection with the arrangements for the dinner, and the getting in of the outstanding subscriptions, were discussed at some length. The illuminated testimonial which. is to be presented . at the dinner was also exhibited- and was highly approved. It is a very elaborate piece of workmanship, beautifully executed in colors and gold, and is highly creditable to the taste.and skill of the illuminator, Mr. W. M. Hodgkins of .this city. The- design is surmount by* a .faithful representation of the' Aldinga steaming past the Solandcr Hock. Beneath appears the dedication, which is olegfintly. executed in fanciful letters, and tho body of the address is written in. old English characters with illuminated initial letters, n blank being at present left for the amount of the money ■ to be presented with it. The whole is enclosed .in a border representing cordage, and in the. two lower corners arc scutcheons bearing the coats of arms of Victoria and - Otago respectively. We believe that it is intended to'exhibit the testimonial publicly before the day, of presentation. . ./ . , Some little excitement was caused yesterday evening by a horse without a rider galloping through Princes Street. Efforts were made to stop him, and he was at length hunted .into a passage at the side of tho Queen's Arms, Hotel, where he was easily captured, and no ownerappoar- . ing to claim him, the animal was handed over to the custody of the police. The horse, a bay, had iv saddle on, but was. without a bridle. It, is not known whether the horse had thrown.his rider or merely broken loose. • We hear that a very reprehensible practice is often indulged in by some of our local sportsmen, and sportshoys, of which it may be well for. the police to take cognisance. We allude to shooting or attempting to shoot the se;i fowl, that congregate at low tide upon the exposed mud at the top, of the harbor. We are informed by persons who have to pass along the: road to Anderson's Bay or the Ocean Bench, that lads are frequently seen amusing themselves by " popping" at these birds, to the no small disquietude of timid citizens. We observe.that the road in Princes-street, between the ' Custom House and' the cutting, and more especially near the office of the Town Board, has in many places been scraped into holes of considerable depth and dimensions by the men'employed to remove the.mud. In the event of ram coming on before the street is thoroughly metalled, much inconvenience" will be experienced by foot passengers from this source. Could- not a few wheeUbarrows of metal be ut once thrown in, so as to prevent tho threatened evil ?