The Colony’s Financial Position. 93 
House of Commons was unable fairly and squarely to exercise before the 
unhappy and perverse Stuarts were got out of the way. 
Whether the colony is doing well or ill it will ever become the electives to 
be vigilant as to expenditure. There is ever a tendency for this to increase, 
markedly so in the days of seeming plenty. Heads of Departments are human, 
and it is but natural that they should think highly of their departments and 
desire to see them spick and span and going forward with maximum efficiency. 
It is for the electives to keep strict watch and ward over extravagance. This is 
not always easy, for as a general rule the head of a department is persistent 
in this matter of expenditure. He will wrestle with you all night for form’g 
sake, but at the breaking of day he will put the hollow of your thigh out 
of joint with a touch. Impar congressus Achilli. 
