THE NELSON PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 735, 10 November 1870, Page 2

THE NELSON PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT.

(To the Editor of the Westport Times.)

Sib, There was in vogue a few years ago a system of education which compelled the taught to believe, unquestioningly, the dicta of the teacher. That system seems to be still in full working order on the sunny side of the dividing range, at least in political mattera. The Nelson and Cobden railway ticket has twice returned Mr Curtis to the position of chief public officer in the Province, although he is at last compelled to admit its impractability. It seems to be a lucky chance for his system that the European war broke out at this juncture. Mr Curtis's ignorance of the people dsvelling on this side of the Province, can be his only excuse for attempting to force this antiquated system on us, as he tried to do on "Wednesday evening, or perhaps it has become a part of that stupid Provincial administration which grinds so sorely on goldfields' inhibitants. However, this may be, this clever little man assayed valiantly to thrust down our throats an array of carefully prepared but doubtful figures, sufficient, no doubt, to lull into calm repose any number of people without those inherent qualities—energy and enterprise—but when viewed by those lights, it requires no great amount of penetration to see at once they are deceptive. Tor three years and a half past, he has put down the sum of £88,200 under the heading ' Departmental,' —I presume he means by that the salaries of three wardens, their clerks, say six surveyors, and twelve policemen; amounting, in round numbers, to about 20,000, which would leave £08,200 for red tape and prodigal wastefulness. For the same period for roads, the modest sum of £85,100 is put down. Now the only roads made on the Coast would cost, in round numbers, £20,000, which leaves £05,100 for keeping in repair the 500 miles of road '-Mr Curtis talks about, but which he could neither find nor tell where they are to be found.

£26,250, the proportion of general expenses for 3J- years is a stiff item, _k»x± .»« proportion according to population, taxation or representation; this last is the true arrangement by which all taxation ought to he proportioned. In every country that claims to be free all have a right to he represented in the political institutions of the country, in proportion to the taxes which they pay, and his Honor seems to have forgotten that according to the Constitution Act we are illegally debarred from equal representation with the " Identity," therefore, by implication we are illegal iy taxed. The idea of placing the expense? of working the coal-mines of the Brunner to the debit of the mining population, seems, on the face of it, about as just as if we expee'ed tie "Identity" to pay for the working of the gold mines. But, whether they escape such imposition through their virtues, laziness, or political influence his Honor ought to be called on to explain. Sir, although we roam about so much more than seoms desirable to his Honor, the fitness for bis positiou ought to depend on his intimate acquaintance with the circumstances and requirements of every portion of the Province. Knowing, how very little reliance is to be placed on figures lumped together, merely for the purpose of swelling out an amount, and being fully aware that figures will prove anything, if cunningly handled, we may look upon his speech as no justification of his conduct past, or of his ability to govern properly in the future. We pray look on his trip to the goldfields as he looks on it himself —as a sheer loss of time ; and until he can show how every item of the £200,000 (not reckoning the coalfields items) has been spent during the last three and a half years, we must still believe that it either was not spent at all, or that it has been squandered away through the incompetency of MrCurtis and his favorites, who seem to lack that enemy and enterprise which he deplores in the "Identity" in whose hands he and we, and the interests of the Colony are bound to fall together without one statesman willing to avert the doom.

Abound the Corneb Caledonian Terrace, Nov. 9.