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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 32

(7). His Honor the Superintendent to the Hon. the Premier. Province of Otago, New Zealand. Superintendent's Office, Dunedin 31st May, 1876

(7). His Honor the Superintendent to the Hon. the Premier. Province of Otago, New Zealand. Superintendent's Office, Dunedin

Sir,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 25th May, 1876. I cannot say I am surprised that you desire to bring this correspondence to a conclusion. Nothing but a painful sense of duty and responsibility would have led me to engage in such a political controversy, not of my seeking, and I much regret that your last letter should have rendered it necessary for me to write again. It is, however, satisfactory to think that our correspondence has afforded you an opportunity of placing before the people much information which it was desirable they should possess—information which hitherto has not been so explicitly stated, and which, I am glad to say, has confirmed, in the grounds of their opposition to your present policy, those who, like myself, desire to check the growth in New Zealand of a despotic Centralism.

At the same time, I cannot but regret that in the heat of a political controversy you should have been betrayed into attacking any Provincial Government officer. In your letter of 3rd May you did not, as you now do, confine your criticisms to engineers at present, or very lately, in the Provincial service. You said you thought Otago had suffered from the "want of engineering skill." I pointed out that this was a slur upon the competency of all engineers that had been in the Provincial service. Your last letter makes matters worse. You are condemning unheard men who have to rely upon their professional reputation for their employment, and this on an ex parte report, unknown to them and unknown to their employers.

Although the light branch railways now being constructed in this Province, chiefly out of revenue, at a cost not more than that of metalled roads, may not find favour in the eyes of Colonial engineers, they will, I venture to predict, be highly prized by those who have to pay for them, and will be an immense boon to many important districts. They will also add greatly to the success of the main lines. If the Colonial Govern- page 33 merit has been furnished by its officers with reports on the Otago light branch railways, you would be conferring a favour upon the Provincial Government were yon to send me copies of such reports, so that the engineers attacked might have an opportunity of defending themselves.

As to the waste lands administration, I observe that your only objection now to the proposed sale of which you lately disapproved, is that there was no competition allowed—an assumption which cannot he reconciled with the fact that there was more than one application for the same land. It would appear that your Government has no objection to the creation of vast private estates. The method of dealing with the Native lands, to which I must not particularly allude, abundantly proves that. The real question is, Did the Provincial Government take the best means of getting the highest price for the land open for sale? I assert that they did, and should be glad to hear on what information you express a contrary opinion. That the means adopted were not unusual, my letter to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary shows, and when the provisions of the Otago Waste Lands Act are remembered, I again assert that if the land had been offered at auction at 10s. an acre, the Government would not have obtained 20s. for the blocks opened.

As to your method of dealing with the Waste Lands Board in the exercise of their quasi-judicial functions I am surprised that the Colonial Government should have adopted, to my mind, the apparently unbecoming position of sending persons to interview the members prior to their performance of such functions. In fairness to the members it seems to me that the telegrams you received from Dunedin in reference to their "supposed feelings" should be published, as I cannot but feel that they have been placed in a painful and peculiarly embarrassing position.

You have sent, as an appendix to your letter, certain extracts from a correspondence that has passed between the Hon. the Colonial Secretary and myself. I cannot see, however, what bearing this has upon the question at issue. On 24th April you asked me to state the data on which the estimated revenue of the current half-year was made up. I replied that the estimate was based upon the extent of new Hundreds which were being placed in the market. Had I used the words "largely based" I should have been more correct and the horns of a dilemma which you attempt to impale me on would have been absent.

It is perhaps to be regretted that all the correspondence which has passed between the General and Provincial Governments during the past 12 months has not yet been published. Were this done it would serve to enlighten the people of Otago as to the great difficulties which the Provincial Government has laboured under in administering the affairs of the Province.

In reference to the Estimates forwarded to the Colonial Government under the provisions of the Provincial Appropriation Extension Act, let the treatment which the Provincial Government has met with be an illustration in this matter the Colonial Government insisted upon a position page 34 which ultimately they had to abandon—a position, as I was advised, in violation of law. They attempted to assume the functions of the Provincial Council—a body which, in consequence of their action could not be convened. I need not point out to you that the Provincial Appropriation Act provides for the Governor approving of the estimates of revenue only, and that his Excellency has not to determine which road is to be formed or which bridge built. The Assembly, although bent on Abolition, felt that such a function could not be so well performed as by the Superintendents and Executives of Provinces. And notwithstanding this, I forwarded the Estimates of Expenditure, as the Provincial Government of Otago had nothing to conceal, and in the hope that this might have led to the Estimates of Revenue being more speedily approved of. Revenue estimates were forwarded on April 13, and as yet have not been returned approved. The result has been much public inconvenience, as other telegrams not referred to in the appendix to your letter will disclose.

I abstained in my former letters from casting any reflection on the administration of the Colonial Government, as you apparently considered such out of place in this correspondence. As to the labyrinth of the Provincial Government estimates of revenue and expenditure through which the Colonial Government can find no path, it is only another illustration of the evil of governing from a distance. Had the Provincial Council been in session the Appropriation Ordinance could have become law without half the delay that has occurred; and I can only add that my advisers feel that though the action of the Waste Lands Board and your Government would place them in a difficulty, they could not well reduce the estimates of expenditure, as the sales of special-value land cowards the end of the six months might make up the deficiency. If, however, the land revenue does not come up to expectation means have been taken to keep the expenditure within the revenue.

I concur with you that there exists in Otago a Colonial pride and spirit in which I have always shared, and which influenced me in opposing a dismemberment of the Colony years ago when that policy was by none more warmly advocated than by yourself. But in common with the people in Otago, I feel that New Zealand cannot become great by creating a centralised administration, and that the true interests of both islands and of their respective sub-divisions is to cherish within each the greatest amount of self-reliance. If you think that there can be no such local government as 1 advocate without involving different Customs duties, you altogether misunderstand me. No doubt were Otago an independent Colony its aim would be to make all its ports free. I for one, however, have no desire to see the Province separated from the rest of the Colony unless it is absolutely driven to that course as the only means of preserving its entity, and of holding its own. All it requires, as I take it, is a fair field and no favor. It wants nothing for itself which it is not willing to concede to the other portions of the Colony—namely, the management of its page 35 own local affairs, and the disposal of its own revenue within its own borders, excepting so much as may be required for purely federal purposes. The allusion to the Border Duties question is not in point in so far as I am concerned. Surely there may be an agreement as to Customs tariffs between separate Colonies, such as have existed between different kingdoms.

You express your hope that as the proposed measures assume shape and form my objections will cease. You will excuse me for saying that I am at a loss to comprehend this. In your former letters we were led to believe that all details had been arranged, and that nothing was required to secure such becoming law but the submitting them to Parliament. I pointed out that you-proposals might not be sanctioned. From what you say it appears that you have agreed to abolish the Constitution of the Colony, and that what is to take its place has not assumed shape and form. I confess that this is to my mind somewhat perplexing. Can it be that the Colonial Government is now becoming aware of the difficulties which beset its path, and that what was sketched in your former letters may have to assume a shape and form unlike that which you then detailed!'

You say that you cannot see any breach of faith to Otago in the proposal to repeal the salutary provisions of the Immigration and Public Works Act in reference to the liabilities of those Provinces within which railways are constructed. If this be so then I apprehend it will be no breach of faith next year to repeal any Act which may be passed this year to localise the land revenue 1 fear that in placing faith in Acts of the Colonial Parliament the people have been heretofore too confiding, and I for one am determined not again to err in that direction.

And now, in conclusion, let me say that if even by an ejaculatory remark I have said anything distasteful, I trust you will forgive me, as my duty to this Province has constrained me most reluctantly to continue this correspondence. I yet hope to see the Colonial Parliament granting to Otago that which she has a right to demand—namely, that the Province shall be governed as its people desire. Should, however, this be denied, I am not singular in believing that the progress of the Colony will receive a heavy blow, and great discouragement, which will be' most injurious. The uncertainty even now which exists as to what the next scheme of the Central Government may be is creating an uneasy feeling throughout the community, which you need not be told is highly detrimental to the progress of the Colony.

I have, &c.,

James MacAndrew,

Superintendent of Otago. The Honorable the Premier, Wellington.