SECRET EXPENSES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 174, 28 July 1876, Page 7

SECRET EXPENSES.

Considerable sensation has leen created lately by the publication of a book in Italy by Luigi Zini, formerly a Prefect of this kingdom. It contains startling revelations on the administration in Italy. He has a chapter on secret expenses. A. few of the items will amuse you. He writes, " Let no one sneer. I write with my eyes upon certain ancient autographs, in which I can read — ' Employes' — under this — ' Writers of correspondence, and their monthly remunerations' — here follows a line of eight or ten names; one has opposite it 100 francs, another 80, and then a humble scribbler 60. Farther on — 'Non-employes' — and they are eleven, who receive varied stipends, averaging from 100 to 500 francs monthly, excepting a poor excleric, who received the charity of 50 francs ; and a foreign party received the figure of 2000 francs. Another chapter begins 'Journals at the disposal of the Minisiry, with monthly retributions,' and here the eye wanders over a lot of native]and foreign names, which are credited with 230, 500, 1000, and as high as 2000 francs monthly. Then follow ' Journals with correspondents paid by the Government.' Other journals are credited with 'extraordinary remtinerations." Signor Zini, ex-Prefect, has a chapter on " Secret Agents," and he writes : " Not a few elegant and educated young men lived among you (Italians), knew you, professed themselves your friends, and made a show of endorsing your sentiments and your aspirations, just to get possession of your secrets and divulge them. Many serious and sober persons appeared suddenly, presented by some one, insinuating themselves everywhere, trying to enlist sympathy and. win confidence. They came suddenly/suddenly they disappeared. They often spoke of their own affairs, but no one knew them intimately. Sometimes they surprised you, because words sometimes escaped incautiously, in an unguarded moment. You were deftly surrounded by the evil 3of the secreb police ! Secret agents, paid by the Ministry of the Interior, covered — and still cover — Italy like a leprosy. No province was free from it. I have the list of them all, their names and qualifications." We always suspected as much. It was in this manner then that the Government of Italy moved that powerful agent in modern politics, public opinion. Correspondents, foreign and native, leaderwriters, secret police ! These are the exponents of public opinion in Italy. I leave comments to the reader. I On the 19th iust., the Roman patricians were received at the Vatican. They congratulated his Holiness on the anniversary (April 12th) of his return from Gaeta and his wonderful escape at i the Church of St. Agnes extra micros, where the floor gave way, and ! himself and suite were precipitated down; into the basement withi out the slightest injury to any one. — * C. Standard/