THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 169, 24 April 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1872.

In a recent article we commented on the enormous Civil List of New Zealand, pointing out that on the 30th June, 1870, there were 1,494 officials receiving £200,000 a year. We have now before us a “ Return of appointments made in the Civil Service of New Zealand since 30th June, 1870.” This comprises 300 names, and many of these new officers it strikes us very forcibly could be done away with without any detriment to the public service. The Public Works department—a new creation —strikes us as being particularly costly. There is an Engineer-in-chief at £IOOO a year, an assistant at £BOO, and under secretary at £6OO. Two district engineers at £6OO each, one at £SOO, one at £450 ; an agentgeneral in London at £ISOO, and a staff of clerks, draughtsmen, &c. And what public works have we got for the money ? Hardly any. Some abortive attempts have been made at railway making, but as yet not a mile has-been opened in this province, and of the projected lines we don’t believe one of them will pay for very many years to come, if at all. A work which ought to have been undertaken and was well calculated to prove remunerative—a comprehensive scheme of water supply to the Thames—is yet in abeyance, awaiting a report from Mr Haughton, the well - known member of the late firm of Broad, Haughton, and Ivcddell, who certainly can know nothing at all about engineering requirements, and will have to pick up his knowledge second hand. The report of Mr Haughton on such a subject we should think was of no value whatsoever ; but, as in all probability, tha Government lias not the slightest intention of carrying out the promised water supply, it will not make much difference, but the fact of having to pay handsome salaries to useless officials, will before long press so heavily that the burden will be greater than the country can bear. The Public Works Department will have to be reduced, and the whole management of the goldfields be placed under a competent and well-paid Minister of Mines. We believe in having few Government officials, and having them well paid. In New Zealand we have a great many Government officials, —some highly paid for doing nothing, and many who really do work hard receiving beggarly salaries. This has long been complained of, but since the accession to office of the present Government, the manner in which new offices hare been created is truly startling. That a crash must take place soon is inevitable. The one million two hundred thousand loan is all spent, and the rest that is to be borrowed will soon go also. Then with a failing revenue, a pauper population of Scandinavian immigrants* a few half - finished railways carry ing half - a - dozen passengers a day, and a ton or two of potatoes and produce, the prospects of the country may be readily guessed. National bankruptcy alone can follow. Retrenchment and economy, and the judicious management of the goldfields are the only means we can look to for the redemption of this fine colony from its present financial difficulties. What is tlie actual expense of keeping up the Native Department, nobody knows. But a scarcity of coin will ere long necessitate some curtailment in that quarter. It requires no financier to prophecy what must be the end of the present reckless manner in which the Government is being carried on. Were any private individual to carry on his business in the manner in which the present Ministry is carrying on its affairs, lie would soon be in tho Bauk-

ruptcy Court, and have his certificate refused for reckless trading, if, indeed, he escaped prosecution for fraud. Private and public business must be conducted on a system based upon honesty and common care 'and prudence, and can any one say ‘that these motives are guiding the men now in power in New Zealand ? The Thames goldfield, we conceive, has been peculiarly badly treated and neglected at the hands of the present administration, and unfortunately it is not adequately represented in the Legislature. It ought, as we have stated on former occasions, to have at least two members in the House of Representatives, and in the Upper House there should be at least one member identified with the district. Winter is now close at hand, and the long promised public works are not yet undertaken. The money will soon be all gone, and the place will have to tunnel itself out of its difficulties as best it may. When Parliament next meets a rigid account should be exacted from Ministers as to the manner in which money is being wasted, and a stop put to further jobbery. Surely all the members are not medicants for place and pay ; there must some independent men amongst them who arc not muzzled by bribery, and who will speak their minds plainly. The people also whom they represent should make their voices heard, and respectfully but firmly insist upon a reform being commenced ere it be too late, The pruning knife must be vigorously applied to the tree of corruption, which has been suffered to grow tip, and one of the branches, which must be lopped off or reduced to much less than its present dimensions, is that comprised under the head of the “ Civil Service of New Zealand.”