The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1883. POLITICAL ECONOMY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1127, 28 July 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1883. POLITICAL ECONOMY.

In a play written some years ago in England, when Mr Lowe wanted to tax matches, tho difference between political and social economy was defined as follows :—" Social economy is the spending of a shilling to save a pound, and political economy is the spending of a pound to save a shilling-" Some of the doings of the present Government seem to us to partake very much of the latter kind of economy. We need not go out of the district for an nor go beyond the dismissal #f the fcii.t-p Inspector to show that the economy at present carried »n is of a peculiar kind, Mr Macdonald has been Sheep Inspector of South Canterbury for the last eight years, and during that time he has discharged his duties to the satisfaction of everyone. No complaints have been lodged against hira, and there

was no reason whatever for getting rid of his services, The excuse given by the Government for dismissing him was that he was now too old to either ride, drive, or walk. Everyone who knows Mr Macdonald—and some Members of the Government must know him well—must admit that he is just as well able to do either of these things now as he was ten years ago. And what makes matters worse is that the gentleman who is about to succead him is said to be every day as old as Mr Macdonald, while his knowledge of the district is limited to passing through it occasionally, Is it not obvious, therefore, that it was not the good of the district the Government took into consideration when they made this arrangement ? Is it not quite clear that they wanted a billet for the gentleman they have appointed, and hit upon the one in question as the most suitable ? But Mr Macdonald had done his duty so well, that his friends were as numerous as his acquaintances, and the result was that pressure was brought to bear on the Government to reinstate him in his position. The Government could not do so. It would be too weak to go back on what they had done, and so they hit upon the plan of giving him L 375 compensation. This is L 375 absolutely thrown away. Mr Macdonald is now as well able to perform his duties as ever he was, and instead of giving him this money he ought to have been alloived to continue in the position he has occupied and earn it. Of course L 375 is not much here or there, but a straw shows how the wind blows. If the Government are not faithful in little things they will not be in larger transactions. Of course we do not begrudge Mr Macdonald what he has got; we wish it were twice as much, for he has well earned it. What we complain of is that this money should be p;iven an ay for nothing, while Mr Macdonald was willing and able to discharge his duties to the satisfaction of the sheepowners of the district. As the matter stands now Mr Macdonald receives compensation while another man receives the salary attached to the position, so that a double salary will be paid, And worse than all, the new fiheep Inspector is an old man who in a few years will have to be superannuated also, and of course another compensation must be given to him. It is no wonder this colony is in debt while such is the economy practised by the Government.