The Invercargill Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1864.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 25, 4 January 1864, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1864.

Tn etiE- are certain circumstances connected witH: the rec.ent appointment of a -*'Ko: d Engineer for this Province, which appear worthy of rather closer consideration than they have- hitherto received at the hands of tfie public. In alluding to this subject a few days since, we "hinted -that' there had beer) some slight irregularity in the manner in which Mr -Dundas had been " pitchforked *' into a position of much import- ( ance. That gentleman, may, be in every way qualified to discharge efficiently the duties which will, as a matter of course, devolve on him, in his new and extended sphere of action, and on that question we have no wish to enter ; but on the manner of the appointment we have a little- more to say, which will not be without interest to our readers. It is legitimate for the Superintendent, in making Government appointments, to consult with his Executive Council, not merely as a matter of form, but that he may really benefit by the advice they may feel called Upon to give him. In placing Mr Dundas at the head_j)f the pursued a course diametrically opposed to the expressed wishes of the Executive. Nor :is that all. So great a want of courtesy was displayed on the occasion that the wonder is, that every one of them did not resign immediately. It matters not from what source our information : is- derived : it may be imp 'ieitly relied en, and affords a striking -$f juration of the fact that some of our pub»i.-- jtnen — w k° wou^ f am be considered- leaders among the' people — are, after &\\i '■ .content to play avery subordinate paff, a nd are ready to eat large quantities Of .official dirt. The Superintendent, by c^/'iing them together and asking theWpani'^ri. admits the right of the Executive CJoov'-cii to be consulted in this affair *£ the, Koad Engineer, but, finding their views by no means in accordance with his o„wn, he speaks as follows :— *- GentSeßofin, it is useless to prolong the discussion, & 5 *■ have already offered the appointment U> Mr Dundas, who may be yexpeetedjrom Otago in the course of & $ew da£s. There remained, however, the «hanc.e that circumstances might prevent Mr. Dundas from accepting the appointment at once, and previous to his departure to the North, His Honor requested ' Mr Chalmers, the Deputy-Super-intendent, :to advertise "for gentlemen willing to undertake the office, '—- applications to be received up to a eei-tain date. A- day was also named «p to which the appointment was to stand open for Mr. Dundas, and should he not by. that lime; have put in an appearance,; the choice was to be left to the Deputy-Superintendent and Executive Council His Honor also left/ a letter for Mr. Dundas with MrrChalmers^ the contents of which were riot, of/ course, known at the time. Mr. Dundas did riot make his appearance by the; appointed rdayi aud according to the/ Superintendent's own arrangement, the; matter should have stood 'over- until the day for 'opening the "other applications came round; and the choice should have rested with/ Mr. Chalmers and the Executive. When , "Mr. Diiridas did/.arrive,' the letter which 'we 'mentioned above was placed iif his i' -band's arid contained— -his ap^ pointmerit! So that the advertising in the Duriedih- papers could have been nothing but 'at very foolish and'discour--teous" ruse on the part -of -His Honor. We know' brie geritlemari, whb,/dece)iyed by the ad vertiseriierit, Wnd riot doubting for a mbmerit./its gobid faith, took the trouble.? of' imakingxthe; journey frbm Otago to Southland, bringing -with hina ■testimonials which certairily/wbuld' have-..enti.tled-his.application to serious con-; ssderation had- it &ovpfi under the notice of the Executive, The whole arrangement wears, a'decldedly '-fishy " aspect^; arid the Executivis 6iid ihemseUea placed iri>7.false position by the; act of the Superintendent,. an act which in private 7 life, and ? /amongst - persons having soirie little respect for the ; sidered ;oe/ve/vy ; reverab of politej/ Mr., /Chalmers /%riwittihgly committed /an ierrbr / wheri^4i*ivDundas ; 7 made him contents^ of that fetterie#;bjp^ He should- havevrefused tb irecognise the appointineriti/ahd' told Mr. Dundas ; he must take his chance with, those who had/appli^?i^r7t]b^ appojntmentyori the strength of the^^yertiseriierit: -We do, not Ba:y;he*would/not:have got iton his; /merits, and -that wbuld have been more graceful i than Vaceeptirig it to the exclusion of all competitors,, Que of the

" fE|e c v tiyef has '-^^d^lf^^^^ \ t^js> |said, beCatob he;;icarinqt£^ a fsu^eiebtljM amiable* frairie of /jnirjd tor||htnk ■■ihe Superintendent- has = hi^ - Ruhlb^ sa^s-^that. another is about to follow hi 3 examipljay so/that, j on his return from the North, his ' "j rflSn.or''y.wi'll""-prb¥ably/-ißncl things "hbT quite so /pleasant as they lirilght .-be. t - We had begun /really' to ho j>e that the' was,passed;wheh7-the'Superiuteh-de.nt7.of Southland would/, arrogate to; himself an amount of authority 'which • 'it -was /never/ intended -he- should exercise. 7 The/ Executive y Council, ■ought to be ' sbihetriijng /rripre than, a^hairi^' and its 'members should be treated .//.with - » /certain amount of respect and ''consideration. 7 If ; the people at large Were, to. take more* interestin topics which, like the one we .have been discussing,- are 'of some public importance.;- if, in 7 short, there were a little more expression oft what is khowri'as public opinion, we should not_ run so great a risk, of seeing too /.much power -usurped. by : one A man, and. the r Pi ovince would be a great gainer by the ■-. change. It would alsobe" a step in the right direction were the Executive Council to be enlarged. Five or six members would •; riot be found too - many to "work well together.