The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1877.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 61, 16 February 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1877.

Shortly after the termination of the last Session of our colonial Parliament, an Assembly of Delegates met in Dunedin under the tifle of the " Otago Convention." It was composed of some members of the Otago Provincial Council, and delegates from various public bodies, such *" as the Road Boards and Municipalities. Yet, although its form of constitution took such a wide range, yet it by no means represented the opinion of the people of Otago, or even of those bodies that had the _ privilege of electing members to seats in the Convention, inasmuch as several of them declined to avail themselves of their privilege, and refused to send delegates. The object of this Assembly was to serve as a check to the progress of abolition ; it was to be a sort of preserving angel, " to stand between the " living and the dead until the plague "was stayed," and then to gather together, build up and strengthen the remnants of Provincialism, until a fabric should arise more glorious and perfect than the one that had just been demolished. Its proceeding's were looked upon with a considerable amount of interest in Dunedin, and the reports of those proceedings occupied daily, several columns of the Otaga journals. Outside Otago, but comparatively little interest was manifested. Men looked upon the Convention, as a sort of harmlees playing at Parliament, a proceeding which,''whilst it served to amuse those engaged in it, could do no possible harm to the general public. Still the Convention was looked upon with a certain amount of respect. Its rroceedings whilst allowing great freedom of debate were nevertheless characterized by order and decorum, and it aimed id accomplishing a legitimate end by the employment of legitimate means. At length the Convention came to an end, having adopted a petition to the Government, praying that the Abolition Act might be disallowed, and chosen no less personages than Sir George Grey, the

late Superintendent of Auckland, and Mr. Macandrew, the late Superintendent of Otago, as delegates to proceed Home, in order to lay their grievances before the Imperial authorities, and if necessary, to carry them to the foot of the throne. This was the state of matters some months since. All then was full of hope and confidence. Now, alas! matters are changed, the " fine gold has become dim," and hope and confidence have given place to fear and trembling. Instead of vigorous and determined action, it has been resolved, Micawber-like, to " wait for something to turn up." On Saturday the Council of Convention met, and after deploring that the state of Sir George Grey's health prevented his mission to Europe, passed a resolution to the effect, that the petition which was to have been presented by him and Mr. Macandrew should be sent Home to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The Council however resolved to continue as an organization in order to watch and endeavour to thwart the efforts of the Centralists. And this is the end of all the river of words, the wilderness of talk, which was a distinguishing feature in the Otago Convention. Parturint monies nasitur ridiculus mus. If the state of Sir George Grey's health —which we deeply regret —be such as to preclude him from going Home with the petition, why could not Mr. Macandrew have undertaken the task single-handed ? That gentleman from his knowledge and experience would have been a host in himself, and to coolly ignore his existence, as the Council of the Otago Convention appears to have done, seems very like throwing water upon a drowning rat. Meanwhile, although the. Council of the Otago Convention may still exist as an organization, the sun still shines, the majority of the County Councils in New Zealand are giving signs of vigorous life, and one Road Board, Waimatc, has, in accordance with the will of the ratepayers, become absorbed in the County Council.