Our Auckland Letter.

Thames Star, Volume XXI, Issue 3780, 8 February 1881, Page 2

Our Auckland Letter.

(PBOM OUB OWN COEEESFONDENT.)

Auckland, Yesterday. THE THAMES CONSTITUENCY.

There is a rumor, and, so far as I can learn, a well grounded one, that Sir Geo. Grey will stand for a Christchurch constituency when the general elections come round. In that case your electorate will have to be on the look out for a suitable successor to your senior member. It was also reported that Mr Sheehan would be a candidate for the Riding constituency, but this is only vague rumor, and entirely devoid of any credibility. Ido not think that Mr Sheehan would forsake such an important district as the Thames, especially looking at the handsome manner in which both Sir Geo. Grey end himself were returned unopposed at the last general elections. Mr Seymour Thorne George, the sitting member for Rodney, stands so well with all sections of his district that I believe it is impossible for anyone to contest the seat against him to a successful issue.

THE AUCKLAND COLLEGE AND G-RAMMAE SCHOOL. The Nelson Wesleyan Conference and the Auckland College and Grammar School business have been a perfect Godsend for the morning and evening papers. The lengthy telegraphic intelligence published in connection with the former seemed to be of such immense importance that one thought another diplomatic conference between Lord Beaconsfield and the Emperor of Germany had been going on. This was what struck me when I read the telegrahic summaries from "special correspondents," " our own corpondents," "a correspondent," which have daily appeared in both the Herald and the evening journal.

The Auckland College and Grammar School now stands on an entirely different footing. The present editor of the Herald knows very little about the past career of this Educational Institution, and must of course depend upon A.G.H. for his' tips, whilst the gushing * we' of the Star knows all about it from one point of view. To understand really how the cat jumps, to use a generally accepted expression, your readers must recollect that in 1869, Mr McCrae, the present headmaster had a private school, that in the following year, his brother-in-law, Mr T. B. Gillies was elected superintendent, and that the Rev. Dr Kind who holds high honours from Trinity College, Dublin, got what may vulgarly be termed the • sack,' and Mr McCrae stepped into his shoes with an increase of salary, and that up to the recent action of Mr Fenton, he was de facto, the looked upon ruler of the Auckland College and Grammar School and the Board of Governors also, for owing to the composition of the Board for a number of years, tbe Scotch element was so strong, that Mr McCrae could simply do as he liked, and to his credit be it said, he did it. It would of course be outside o*f my sphere to attribute any motives to two such independent journals, but this much maybe said, that the reasons which actuate the publication of such diametrically opposite opinions in both newspapers are well-known to most of the old residents, and no matter wliat the respective editors may write, a change in the headmastership of the Auckland College and Grammar School is inevitable. To put it briefly, there is a destiny which shapes our ends, rough hew them how we may, and Mr Farquhar McCrae's present destiny is to " go-"

THE TWO ADDITIONAL CIVIL SEBYICE COMMISSIONS, Messrs Seed and Batkin, the two Special Commissioners appointed to see what further reductions and amalgamations can be carried out in the various Government departments in this provincial district, have returned from the nothern ports, after doing very little and enjoying a number of nice holidays. Both of the gentlemen are now following their placid enquiries into the Auckland office of the Public Service, and God only knows when they will find it convenient to bring their enquiries to a close. These Commissions are an absolute farce, and will end in no practical good. Mr Batkin has defined duties as Audit Commissioner to perform at Wellington, and one is at a loss to know how he can be abseut from his post attending to local matters which would be far more cheaply and satisfactorily performed by a departmental head in Auckland, thoroughly acquainted with every office in Auckland, and whose recommendations would be of far greater importance, not only for Ministerial action, but for the information of Parliament. The same remark applies to Mr Seed, the Inspector and Secretary of Customs. I hear the Commission intends visiting, amongst other places, Waiwera ; possibly their duties, will end there. If they do go, no doubt they will have a little hot water, but I apprehend it will be only the forerunner of them getting into hotter water when the House meets, and their labours are contrasted with the enormous expanses which are sure to be consequent on their "arduous labours."

ANOTHER IMPOETATION. The continuous Ministry have landed the colony into further unnecessary expense by introducing an InspectorGeneral of Pensions in the person of Capt. Hulme. Dr Skae, the InspectorGeneral of Lunatic Asylums was to reform and remodel our insane institutions, but his efforts have been pronounced a failure, and in turn, I fear, the same conclusions will be ratified so far as the chief officer of our prisons is concerned. One is naturally forced to asked when will these importations end, and what will be the total useless cost of high sounding officials. It makes one almost wish to be out of this over-taxed colony, when its contributes find a Ministry in office presiding over its affairs who know or care as little for the welfare of its inhabitants as a negro cares for the amount of England's national debt. The next move on the Ministerial board, no doubt, will be to send home for an Inspector-General for imbeciles, sick and destitute, neglected and orphan children, and other state departments, and wind up grandly in reselecting another Capt. Campbell Walker as Inspector-General of New Zealand forests.