Auckland Provincial Government Gazette. 163r

(19c.)
Auckland, 27th March, 1876.
Hon. Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G., M.G.A.,
Wellington.

I am glad my letter of the 6th has reached you. A duplicate had been despatched. He who wishes to be wise should never shrink from instruction. As you think your figures would be so instructive, my duty to this province requires me to consider them. You had, therefore, better be good enough to send them. But one difficulty with many others here, believe we are entitled to more than is carried to our credit; that the present extravagant expenditure ought to be very largely reduced; and we further believe that this expenditure we think so unconstitutionally extravagant is in many respects not only without benefit to us, but even most seriously injurious to our interests, and that it has brought, and will yet bring, great evils upon us, especially in the Native Department. Remember that the fraudulent issue of miners’ rights at Ohinemuri, which gave a great shock to public credit and confidence, and must have seriously injured the Thames district, was rendered possible by the unconstitutionally conducted payment of General Government employees from public funds. The sight of figures to prove what large sums have been thus expended on us to our injury, as we think, and which we are to be forced to repay from taxation must, therefore, be distressing. The Superintendent cannot consult the Royal Instructions to the Governor as a guide for his own conduct. The Royal Instructions are drawn up in the department of the Secretary of State in London, with the intention of promoting the welfare of Her Majesty’s subjects. They can neither make, unmake, or explain the laws; and it is the duty of the Superintendent to administer the law as it is written, and explained by the local Courts. The Governor should, of course, obey the Royal Instructions in so far as they relate to matters lawful. The Superintendent knows nothing of them, and cannot look to them as guides. The independence of action thus secured to the Superintendent by law was necessary for the protection and security of the people of this province, and he must jealously guard it. You will find that this is not, as you think it, an idle question, but one which, where illegal and unconstitutional proceedings are followed with regard to this province, must lead to important results. For the future I shall address all my letters connected with matters referred to in the Constitution Act to the Governor, as he is the only officer I know in connection with that law. I think that after what you have said, a Royal Commission should be at once applied for, to determine whether abuses of the powers of the Crown have not taken place in this colony in dealings with the confiscated lands, and the acquisition of public or of native lands for themselves, or private persons, by officers entrusted with those powers, and the influence which springs from them, as also in other respects. Such an inquiry will probably lead to the modification of the Royal Instructions to Governors. The interests of the Empire at large appear to require this, as persons not really responsible to the Crown should not be allowed to exercise, or perhaps misuse, its powers, especially if in these respects they are not responsible, or are only remotely so, to the local Legislature.

G. GREY.

(17c)
Wellington, 23rd March, 1876.
His Honor Sir George Grey,
Auckland.

I abstain from sending you the figures I mentioned, as your Honor requests me not to send them, although, in my opinion, they would prove very instructive both to yourself and the Province. If your Honor recalled to mind the Royal Instructions to Governors, you would have no difficulty in understanding the relations which members of the Executive bear to the Governor, and therefore to Superintendents. However the point raised by your Honor seems to be entirely idle, as is shown by the fact of this correspondence, and by your being perfectly aware that it is not usual for Superintendents to correspond with the Governor direct. I hope that this closes the correspondence, and am glad your Honor sees no objections to this, as I think that after what you have said, a Royal Commission should be at once applied for, to determine whether abuses of the powers of the Crown have not taken place in this colony in dealings with the confiscated lands, and the acquisition of public or of native lands for themselves, or private persons, by officers entrusted with those powers, and the influence which springs from them, as also in other respects. Such an inquiry will probably lead to the modification of the Royal Instructions to Governors. The interests of the Empire at large appear to require this, as persons not really responsible to the Crown should not be allowed to exercise, or perhaps misuse, its powers, especially if in these respects they are not responsible, or are only remotely so, to the local Legislature.

JULIUS VOGEL.

(18c.)
Wellington, 25th March, 1876.
His Honor Sir George Grey,
Auckland.

Your Honor’s letter, covering Memo. by Provincial Treasurer, has reached.

JULIUS VOGEL.

(20c.)
Government Buildings,
Wellington, 28th March, 1876.
His Honor Sir George Grey,
Auckland.

Your Honor’s telegram has occasioned me much amusement. I can’t treat it seriously. The remark