LATEST SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 272, 22 August 1872, Page 3

LATEST SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

P«r Now Zealand Press Association. o WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Mr Stafford has moved his resolutions. He said that he felt fully the responsibility attached to the position he occupied in moving a resolution directed against the administration of the special course of policy which the present Government had initiated, and which the Legislature and country had accepted and sanctioned. If the failure had been an ordinary one, the matter would -have been less serious, but in the present circumstances failure meant disaster, and a grave disaster was impending if by the bad administration the scheme disappointed the hopes of the country, and instead of producing the expected benefits, resulted in the prostration which would be felt by future generations. More depended on the. administration of affairs now than ever before. The Legislature and country, at the invitation of the Government, had superseded the provinces in colonising operations, and it therefore became incumbent on the Government to use every exertion to make the administration successful. JTlie scheme owed its origin to the inventive genius of one member of the Ministry, who, though possessing great honesty of purpose and zeal lacked that steadiness of action, and prudent foresight, and calculation regarding details, which, in car-

rying out such a scheme, the country had a right to expect. Vogel’s career was a long list of failures. First came the hastily entered into San Francisco Mail Service ; then four other contracts within a year, ending in one less certain in. operation, and the least within the means of the colony of the whole series. By hastily making these contracts he had destroyed pending negotiations, by-commissioners in England, for an English Company able to maintain an effective service, and who would, unlike a foreign companyj have the interests of the colony at heart. In all his contracts, Vogel, had studiously disdained to be bound by the monetary limits prescribed by Parliament, and had shown that it was not safe to entrust to him any sum for any purpose with any assurance that the amount would not bo exceeded. The same administerirg vice cropped up through the whole administration. Before any necessary railway lines had been determined, before any surveys had been made, or reliable data procured, Vogel, pursuing the sensational policy which had got the better of his really useful qualities, imported an English contractor, under the assurance that one of two large alternative contracts be given him. Brogden came believing that reliable data as to surveys would be procurable, and enable him with little delay to proceed, but he found nothing on which he could rely, and not even on the engineering of the staff. Brogden’s firm had made pecuniary arrangements for large contracts, and the colony indirectly or directly have compensated them for the loss, disappointment, and delay they had experienced. Their Government, instead of anxiously and earnestly consulting the best means to remedy the deficiencies existing, and doing what saue and earnest men would, went flying away from the seat of ment—Vogel to Australia, Fox to .West Coast, and McLean to Auckland. He, however, excepted the latter from censure on this score, as duty often required Native Ministers’ absence. There was one Minister known to law, and one not known to law, and without legal functions, but both of whom seemed determined to keep anywhere but at the place where the engineers and all the data for public works were,, scattering them over the country so as" to render consultation impossible, was the Ministers’ method of remedying the grave deficiencies in carrying the public works policy into operation. The unsatisfactory character of the administration proceeded largely from this habitual absence from the seat of Government, and which not only caused delay and confusion, but involved the colony in heavy expense for extra clerical asssistance, telegraphing, &c. Ministers however, being entrusted to administer millions, seemed to think thousands a mere bagatelle. Even with all this absence the Minister of the Middle Island never visited the Nelson or Foxhill line, and saw very little of disputed lines of railway in Southland. He knew nothing of the Blenheim and Picton line. Ministers Had got the machinery of administration into such a mess that prompt action, in any matter, was impossible however necessary. The Premier had done the colony good service in past times, but the lamentable fact now was, that he was but the memory of himself. Mr Gisborne was an admirable man to manage departmental affairs, if left to that work; but Vogel lacked steadiness of purpose and power in plodding over details. He was a most able man, but required an amount of ballast which he had failed to find in his present colleagues. Mr Ormond, however great his admistrative capacity, could not publicly have done duty satisfactorily while refusing to remain at the seat of Government. Vogel’s liking for sensation, large figures, and millions had marred his public usefulness. The Government having failed by foresight to provide for difficulties, in a most suicidal manner, ignored accumulated information, survey staffs, and surveys existing in provinces, and instead of availing themselves thereof, hopelessly endeavoured hurriedly to build up rival organisations Thus, while Brogden was daily pressing for information, which could have been supplied by Provincial officers. Immigration, too, had been grossly mismanaged. Contradictory instructions had been sent to the Agent-General by Ministers scattered all over the Colony, and yet everything practically was left to the discretion of Dr Featherston. The character of the immigration was not satisfactory. He had no objection to Scandinavians, but saw no adequate provision being made for settlement of immigrants on the land, or avoiding the danger of having a mass of discontented people, devoid of means, introduced, and no employment for them. He thought those who complained of Irelaud being neglected as an immigration field was well founded. The North and South-west of Ireland could supply admirable immigrants. With respect to employment of Provincial institutions in working the policy, he meant that the whole of the machinery of the Provinces, such as engineers, surveyors, maps, roads, etc., should be taken advantage of, as well as services, advice, assistance, and any capable Superintendents willing to work harmoniously with the Government. The most rabid ultra-centralist would not object to take good advice or assistance from a Superintendent, and he saw no inconsistency with opinions always held in what he now proposed, other speakers would enter on the details of the inal-admiuistration by the Government. He would not either discuss the budget at present. Probably it would not be . necessary to do bo at all. He would simply say it showed the old practice of drafting into debt simply to carry,on the normal administration of affairs. The Government took office with a floating debt of L 276,000, which was now increased to L 610,000, being an increase of L 108,434 a year during their administration for ordinary expenses and civil service. This, although defence expenditure, had been transferred to loan, and they had enjoyed facilities which no other Government ever did of lessening the expenditure. He regarded the present position of the colony as a very grave one, and shrank from the responsibility of taking part in the future administration of affairs. He would not do so had he not been not only asked, but pressed on all sides to do so, and had felt it to be bis duty either to comply or resign his seat. He bad a profound conviction that a great crisis had arrived, and if he would not see industries paralysed and public credit endangered, the people must demand a sweeping and searching inquiry, such as it was hopeless to expect from the present Government.

GENERAL NEWS. WELLINGTON. Greville’s New Plymouth agent sends more sensational news that Tc Kooti and 600 men are at Mokau. The Government contradicts the statement. The facts are altogether distorted.

HOKITIKA. A public meeting haa passed resolutions authorising West Coast members to support no Government but one pledged to effect unification of the West Coast Goldfields this session. DUNEDIN. The following are nominated at Caversham :—James Crowe Richmond, W. A. Tolmie, and W. H. Cutten. Neither Cutten nor Tolmie would pledge themselves one way or the other. Tolmie favours separation of the two islands as the only solution to the present difficulties. Cutten would favour Mr Stafford’s motion if the Government could not guarantee a great improvement as to future administration.