OTAGO.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 86, 1 September 1863, Page 2

OTAGO.

(FBOJI OVB. OWN COKKESPONDENT.) DUNEDIN. Friday, 2Sth August. Matters, politically, with us are assuming a very serious aspect. The Provincial Council is actively at work, and at each sitting most strange "revelations" come to light. The latest of these will certainly arouse th attention of your readers, and it is to be hoped may serve as a beacon to warn your South, land officials from the commission of similar " ii regularities," for that is the term we now apply to acts which in the good old days of yore were wont to be called by a very much stronger and more easily understood designation. Some two or three sittings back the Provincial Council appointed a committee to enquire into and report upon the financial condition of the Road Engineer's department and here is the cream and gist of an interim, report brought up by Mr Gillies, its Chairman, on Thursday night. Eroin the Ist April last to the present time the Treasury have advanced to the Hoad Engineer's department !L52,000 (I omit the odds), of

which only twelve thousand po>un<j7il! been accounted, for, leaving altogether j| accounted; for the enormous sum of n thousand pounds.' But to give due crej| , everything connected with this irregas| the auditor says he has vouchers *nhiß||| (which, however, he has not' produced) t|| amount of eleven thousand pounds!! leaving an unaccmtnted-for deficiency oftiM <nine tfaisaitf-goftiifa^The.. intenm. Jh states that at one time an over-draf^M unauthorised by any Provincial antJioriirfa madeby the bank -to .the credit of the &M menl. It appears- on enquiry that ujH simple application of :~ a' '■'Government sum nate, no less than L23,000 was obtaine^S the bank. Here is a nice state of thing.® subordinate of a department goes toil Government bank, and at his simple rJ| obtains an over- draft for t wen ty- three m sand pounds. Can it be wondered afteiij that there should have been paid awayp thousand pounds for which the comj| appointed to enquire into matters can $?§ Ino vouchers. Such a fearful "confusy| accounts, to call it by no severer terms ] i# be accounted for in the fact that our Goj| ment employes, from the lowest tow highest with very few exceptions, are f| petent for their situations. They are the|| who, under the old regime, held ver ys|| dinate and irresponsible situations, an||| subsequently been promoted by thejincaji fogeys composing the late Executive-^ because they attended the open-air preat|| of the Provincial Secretary ; others, bJ| j they happened to be twenty-second ctl to those in office ; but none have ever! chosen for their competency or special m i for the department they were called v.m fill. Then, again, the miserable sal which are paid being generally far belol average earnings of journeymen carpal forbids good and able men coining fonvJl till any vacancy or occupy new appointnli Penny- wise and pound-foolish lias beep policy of the late Government, as thep|| of the Province are now beginning to figjS their cost. Adding still more to our fin^| embarrassments, the Union Bank, whjd|| hitherto done the Government businetS refused to honor any more of the Prov|| Treasurer's cheques, and the consequewS been that (using the words ordinarifc pressed on these occasions), the SupeiS dent has '■" removed his account" to an^l money establishment— the Bank Of M Zealand. I cannot say how much o!|| Government account he has " removed,||j it could not have been very considerable^ he has been called upon by the managp the Union Bank, in very t peremptory t|| to cover his over-draft of L130,000 staM ; to the debit of the Province on the m ledgers. The Superintendent, in a *'Me|| No. 4"of great length, explains to the Coffi how it has all come about. But twi?J| turn it as he may, it just amounts'to this|| the Union Bank manager did not consid-|| credit of the colony as A 1, and re||| any further accommodation. So the Go&| ment have succeeded in getting an over-dg account with the Bank of New Zealand|| I do hear some very strange surmises M the transfer of the Government aecoJi this bank. Perhaps I may tell you all M it in my next ; but I shall just extract arM of the debate anent the subject whictij discussed in the Council on Thursday || noon : — M The Provincial Treasurer did not blansg| bank. But be had said, and he repeated, t!§| any one was to blame it was the bank. Tta|| no right to allow L23,000 to be overdrawn nS informing the Government of what was pwil or going on. How could the Treasurer knoll why should he suppose, that such a tkisg|| going on ? ?& Mr Hardy : Do the facts before the Csp justify the statement that any banking corportf| in existence would advance to a department.ip out instructions, L2:J,000. t§ The Provincial Treasurer: — I never trawl^ instructions to advance n single penny tip department. || Here you see how it is — twenty-lt|| thousand pounds sterling drawn out of f| Bank, and " nobody knows nothing sbocj| whatsumever." § : The public are greatly gratified to ls| that the abuses— l may say the acti|? cruelty and inhumanity which have bj| permitted in our hospital and lunatic asyllj are to be brought to daylight. Mr Vip has moved — U " That an address be presented to his HJ| the Superintendent, asking hicri to cause ts| laid on the table of the House copies of anjp respondence in reference to the roan:i;*emei>f| the Hospital and Lunatic Asylum, or of nny|| plaints thereof; also, reports of any Boanlp Inquiry (it any) on matters relating to tho ds; agement of the Hospital." '0 The Provincial Secretary has promise|| lay on the table all papers relating to t^ institutions for the past twelve month-ig believe that the member for Waikouaip propared to show that the hospital authip ties have been guilty of such praeticei|; would make g — each particular hair to stand on a Like quills upon the fretful porcupine. Saturday, 29 th Augu.' In the Council last night, when the! vincial Secretary moved the appointnien a select committee on the management of Roads Department, aR amendment was mo that an inquiry be made into the gee finances of the colony. A most desii and well called for amendment, for tha no doubt the whole Province is financ involved, and that the greatest "in larities" (a new name invented to supe: such words as intromissions, and the have been committed. The Govern; succeeded in carrying their point of havii investigation. The Molyneux is subsiding, and n rich claims are now being worked profits From the Hogburn the news still contip extremely favorable, and we in Dutf| expect a great rush to set in this way »|v the next two months. That we shall 1»£ rush I have little doubt; although I affij£ clined to think Invercargill will come i|| the lion's share of any good that is to(g| out of it. M I give you a digest of what wai dsjj| last night's sitting of the Provincial Co|| The Provincial Secretary moved the apfj|v ment of a select committee on the manage^ the Roads Department. jjk Tne Provincial Treasurer seconded tha n>|| Mr Vogel moved an amendment that s|| committee be appointed to inquire into th e f|| ral financial affairs of the Province. p| Mr Hardy seconded the amendment. J| The Provincial Treasurer said if the B|| ment was carried he should resign — not fro|| fear of investigation, for he was sure the asf| of the Treasury were in good orderj| defended the manner in which the &rj| ware made up, as being the system £g| throughout the colony. fl Mr Gillies concurred in the amendment, || and legitimate inquiry was intended; ijß wou'd not support a vote of censure. j|| Mr llennie approved of the amendmcnt.J|| Mr Moss felt compelled to vote againg| amendment. J| The Provincial Secretary hoped thel| would not support tbe amendment. £g The House then divided, and the aroC! f| was negatived by 22 to 8. • M& After some discussion as to the constit^ the committee, the motion was put and <®| The House went into committee on ting Resolutions. , J|| Mr Vogel spoke at some length, and mm the adoption of an upset price of L3 per seem Major Richardson supported the klpyi upset price as most likely to promoto the IM mont of the country. . |fl Mr Pinkerton advocated the adoption ot'|| price free from restrictive condition*. IJ^ Mr J. Cargill would oppose selling l^tM pound per acre, unless conditions were ift^ Mr Brodie spoke in favor of Ll per M^W tax on unimproved lands. f M After -further discussion, the nmenoi^ Major Richardson was put, "That tlie J:|| sold at an upset price of one pound pl| with conditions of improvements," and «* g ried by 22 to 11 g