The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1883. A New Legislative Capital.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1028, 22 August 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1883. A New Legislative Capital.

If Mr Bathgate had given previous evidence that he is possessed of the slightest grain of humor, we should have been justified in considering that the motion he brought forward on Friday last was intended as a huge joke. But absolutely ridiculous as the suggestion was, there is no reason to believe that it was not promulgated in all seriousness. Experience has taught us to expect that the question of the advisability of removing the seat of Government from Wellington will be discussed at some time during every session, and we are far from saying that sound argument could not be used in favor of a change being made. The great objection, however, is on the score of the expense which would be incurred in altering the present state of things, and the House appears to have made up its mind that this is insuperable, and has consequently always summarily dismissed the matter as impracticable. The member for Roslyn is nothing if not original: precedent is a word that has no meaning for him, but he fairly surpassed himself in this instance. Probably the only other member of the Legislature to whom sud;h a notion could have occurred is Ihe Hon Mr Chamberlin, who may be considered as the prototype of Mr Bathgate in the Upper House. Each of these gentlemen has much in common. Both are, no doubt, actuated by the best intentions, but they are/ continually bringing forward motions that only serve to excite the risibility I of their fellow members. While the.

one takes a kindly interest in the welfare of youthful votaries of the narcotic weed and asks for statistics in connection with barmaids, the other tries to hasten the arrival of the millennium by introducing measures to abolish debt. It was therefore not expected that anything practical could be suggested by Mr Bathgate, but even those who knew him best must have been astonished at the absurdity of his latest fad. What the member for Roslyn advocated was that the Government should purchase 2,000 acres of land at some place on the main trunk line of railway in the Middle Island, within an easy distance of a centre of population. Here might be formed a sort of Legislative Paradise, where the representatives of the people could do their work without being disturbed, and be able to take their ease in parks and gardens laid out for the purpose. Another advantage foreseen by Mr Bathgate, should his Utopian dream be 'realised, would be that members could leave their Parliamentary duties on Friday night for their homes, returning on Tuesday, thus being able to transact any private business they might desire. Of course this would only apply to the South Island representatives, but the fact that the Northern members are in a minority is sufficient for Mr Bathgate to consider that their convenience is a matter of little moment. As to the expense to be incurred in carrying out this alteration, that is treated in a light and airy way characteristic of those politicians who see no difficulty in bringing to a satisfactory conclusion any idea they may take it into their heads to bring forward, A vote of 00,000 is deemed to be sufficient for the purchase of the land and the erection r of offices, while it is estimated that building sections for forming a Government township might be sold so as to secure half a million of profit. It would be idle to enquire how Mr Bathgate arrived at these figures, as a man of his poetical temperament is not likely to be bound down by the ordinary rules that govern the practical financier. Warming with his subject, this enthusiastic member proceeded to point out the dangers that threatened Wellington on • account of that city being on the coast, should a hostile fleet come to our shores. Terrible as such a calamity would be, we do not think that the prospect of the possibility of such an occurrence as that imagined by the member for Roslyn is sufficient for the colony to remove the legislators to some inland nook, sheltered by earthworks, which in the piping times of peace could be used as recreation grounds for the people, and should trouble arise would serve as entrenchments for a defending force of Armed Constabulary, And yet, ludicrous as the motion was, we find that it was only rejected by a majority of four votes. The discussion was so short that it is impossible to say what motives actuated most of those who agreed with Mr Bathgate. It would be a poor compliment to their intelligence to suppose that they believed that such an idea was in any way practical. Mr Thomson’s reason for giving it support appears to have been a dislike to Wellington, because he could not obtain enough fresh air to cool his heated brain after undergoing so much heavy toil, while Mr MoNTGOMERYfrankIy said that he would vote in favor ot the proposal simply because he thought that members on the Opposition side of the House should support one another. This we take to mean that the member for Roslyn’s eccentricities must be pandered to because he represents a vote, and for this reason any motion of his will be supported no matter how absurd it may be. That the discussion was a waste of time will generally be conceded, but at least it shows us that party feeling, as it is understood by the member for Akaroa, is quite sufficient to induce the Opposition to support a motion that their opinions condemn.