The Southland Times. FRTDAY, MARCH 25, 1870.

Southland Times, Issue 1228, 25 March 1870, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRTDAY, MARCH 25, 1870.

The rumor referred to by our correspondent " Eair Play," in last issue, turns out to have besn but too well founded. When first mentioned to us, although rid worshippers of the present Executive, we could scarcely believe it capable of perpetrating the action alleged. To> suppose that a G-overnment composed of men who had ever been loudest in denouncing jobbery and corruption of kinds, should themselves stoop to participate in a questionable transaction,-seemed a libel on humanity. However Tightly their "opinions or abilities might be j esteemed, they were very generally, and very frankly, credited with a goodly portion of the honesty they were so boastful of. How lamentable it is then to find that on the very first opportunity they betray the worst features of vices they so strongly censured in others. In former days, when large transactions were frequent, G-overnment favors may havebeen more lavishly bestowed, but some little decent regard for public opinion was generally observable in the arrangements, in the pains taken to ensure secrecy. Itj has been reserved for the present administration to set public opinion aij defiance, and sacrifice barefacedly public to private interests. It matters little that the transaction in question —the leasing of the flax on the road and railway reserves between Invercargill and the Bluff—involves only a trifling amount, the principle of the act is the same; moreover, some members of the Executive have made stumbling-blocks of trifles before now. If the G-overnment felt that they had discovered a new asset, surely it was their duty, as a Government* to protect public.interests,.and if the asset was to be realised at all, it should clearly have been' sold to the highest bidder. By public tender or sale is the usual and proper method of disposing of "all Government work and property* andlkqw-an exception should have been made in this case may be surmised, but cannot be explained. It cannot be said that the lessees were the only parties likely- to i offer for the land, for several others had been enquiring after it ; neither can it be said that the singularity of the transac- | tion made the Government overlook for the moment the propriety of publicity, for tenders, we believe, were invited privately, so that one is forced to look for motives outside of " considerations for the public good." Comments the reverse of complimentary to the Executive are freely exchanged by the public, who do not scruple to declare their suspicions of some of its members occupying a double position in the- transaction. It is just possible that the disappointment experienced by some of those engaged in the flax trade may have led to a little exagIjerafcioii,- but we have heard the value -of what the Government have disposed, of for £15 stated at any sum between £100 and £350. Although neither of the figures may be correct, it is pretty evident that the public-interests have not been consulted. But even admitting the sum obtained to be the full value of the material, the manner in which the thing was done remains open to condemnation. Putting the mildest possible construction on the affair, the G-overnment have beein guilty of a glaring blunder, while, owing to circumstances already mentioned, many are disposed to regard it in a stronger light, and bestowr upon the incident a harsher title. j