The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-01 00:00:00

NEW ZEALAND.

A letter from Wellington, dated May 8, says
The province of Otago, in the Middle Island, is in
a state of incipient rebellion, and, judging from
its newspapers only, I should be safe in saying
that tv.4,z.reater exe,itctuentsxistain_lbe...aciathem
'States of America,. before the overt act of Fort
Sumter than now exis!s in this important southern
province of New Zealand. It is a conflict be-
tween the Provincial and General Governments
and originated on this wise. In 1859 or 1860
Mr. James Macandrew, a merchant of Dunedin,
the chief town in the then insignificant province
of Otago, was elected its superintendent, but in 1861
was removed from that office by the Governor, after
a careful examination of certain charges of (to
use the mild phrase now employed) pecuniary
irregularity preferred against him by the Provincial
Council. Time wore on, the goldfields were produc-
tive beyond all expectation, and Otago became one
of the most wealthy and important districts in New
Zealand, under the successive superintendencies of
Major Itiehardson, Mr. Hyde Harris, and Mr. Dick.
The discovery of gold on the west coast of the 'Middle
Island has, during the last two years, withdran
much of Otago's population, an d grea t depresswion
resulted. A few months ago, when 'Mr. Dick's
term of office was expiring, Mr. Macandrew came
forward to contest his re-election, and contestedtes
it
so successfully that he was returned by 2,260 vo
to 1,392. The cause of this popularity of Mr. Mac-
andrew's was that time had softened down the
righteous indignation against his malversatious,
they were originally called, into sympathy for the
martyr of a few pecuniary irregularities— im those who
had taken a prominent part against h in 1861
having meanwhile become politicall b
y onoxious.
Another reason, and probably the one to which
the greater influence really attached, was that Mr.
Macandrew was known to be a man of considerable
enterprise, and be was regarded as the best possible
person for pushing the province ahead.
Mr. Stafford was the Premier ho, in 1861, ad w
-
vised Governor Browne to remove Mr. Macandre
from office, under the powers expressly conferred
by the Constitutionand as
wise to Mr. Macandrew
rebut the
had taken no steps at law or other
()barges brought against him, both
in the report of
f
the official accountant and in thh e public press, i
was confidently anticipated that
lsMo tr.o di Staffssalloword would
now advise Governor Grey a
present election. Immediately after the election
(February last) the Minis! ry sent the Auditor Gene-
ral, Dr. Knight, down to Otag to
wheth re-exa
ermine
certa thin
e
accounts, with a view to ascertao in
defalcations had been made
good. Dr. Knight's re-
port was unf9vourable, yet Mr. Macandrew's return
was gAzetted—the
Governor was not advised to dis-
allow his election.
But the Government took another and most un-
wise, and in some sense tyrannical course..
There arc certain functions of government which
belong to the superintendencies by law,a and certain
ornor , a
or er
authorised others,NNi cltion
superintendents
be TedlleYgabteeirgtotot h
such other persons as to his Excellency in Council
may seem fit. These delegations have hitherto in-
-0 delea
variably been made to the superintendents of pro-
vinces ; but the Ministry resolved that these
• should not be delegated to Mr. Macandrew,
pow,cir,
that it would be dragging the Governor's honour in
the dirt, and that by thiS means his superintendency
should be rendered comparatively inoperative.
The matiagetnent of the goldfields was one of the
matters nominally in the control of the Governor,
but invariably delegated to superintendents, and
the management. of those in Otago had been
so delegated prdiOusly to Mr. Macandrew's elec-
tion. The delegation was ir however, refused
to that gentleman, and. conferred on Mr. Stafford,
as Premier, who appointed a resident agent to carry
out his instructions. Immediately this became
known in Otago the people exhibited the greatest
excitement; the Provincial Council met and deter-
mined to reward all their--goldfield officers who re-
fused to obey Mr. Bradshaw, the agent, with a
year's salary should the General Government be
found to have the power of dismissal ; and the
Volunteers, in their pretended fear that they might
be called on to act in quelling a universal riot, pro-
posed to tender their resignations .en masse, and
were only prevented by the publication of a Times
article ou Volunteer duties in reference to the Fe-
nian escapade at Chester, then just received.
Everywhere throughout the province Mr. Brad-
shaw has been obstructed, lie has had to break