Occasional Notes.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 91, 6 April 1876, Page 6

Occasional Notes.

By " Colonus."

THE PREMIER'S SPEECH,

The Government project, as set forth by Sir Julius Yog*el in his speech at Wanganui, to whatever extent it may or may not be acceptable to the people, is undoubtedly more comprehensible and thorough-going* than the scheme enunciated during 1 last session of Parliament. Sir Julius proposes to at once divide thy country into counties, without any regard to the existing* boundaries of Provinces. Road Board?, it appears, nre to exist with, but to be independent of County Boards. This measure, if carried out, will undoubtedly destroy provincialism root and branch. It was at one time suggested that the administrative, though not legislative powers, of the Provincial Councils should continue to be exercised by elected Boards of Works for each Province, but the Government scheme as sketched by Sir Julius, ignores anything of the sort. If the country adopts this scheme ol Sir Julius, it will amount doubtless to an expression of opinion that provincialism is an evil rather than a good, for the effect of the measure will be, not to have a vestige of the old pi-ovincialirsm remaining. Notwithstanding* anything" Sir Julius may assert to the contrary, there can be no doubt that the scheme, if adopted, will be a glorious victory for centralism; for by it all legislative and general admin- strative power will be centred in the Houses of Assembly and the General Government for the time being. By proposing a measure of this sort, the Premier has adopted a very, bold course, for the proposal is of a most revolutionary character. Of course it remains yet to be seen whether the General Assembly, which must be considered to express the will of the whole nation, will adopt or not the Government scheme. In Otago ancl Auckland, in which Provinces there appenrs to exist a large amount of feeling in favor of provincialism, the Government scheme of Sir Julius will probably prove very distasteful; but it is not easy to see how these provinces can resist the will of the nation in general, as exposed in the General Assembly, whatever that may be. In his speech, Sir Julius admits that the abolition of the Provinces is simply the result of financial pressure, but it may be very doubtful whether financial pressure alone -i-s a good and sufficient reason for such an organic change. It is certainly remarkable that Canterbury, which stands ; much in the same position as Otago, should be in favor of abolition. It has, however, been said, I believe - , that the runholding interest is mcrj powerful in Canterbury than in Otago, and that more popular representatives are returned to the Assembly in Oiago than in Canterbury. I have heard it asserted that though the House of Representatives should be in favor of a repeal of the Abolition Act of last session, the Upper House would forbid the repeal. It is, however, utterly absurd and preposterous to suppose for a moment that an assembly of mere nominees of the Governor can be-allowed to nullify the will of the nation as expressed in the House of Representatives. The Upper House has certain powers and functions which it may beneficially exercise and perform, but as regards a great measure of this sort it must at onco succumb to the Lower House. Surely a number of nominees are not to forbid the nation from living under such form of Government as it chooses to adopt What will be the effect ofthe Premier's scheme on all provincial Acts and Ordinances— r Waste Lands Acts and the rest ? It will have the effect of nullifying these to a considerable extent, and involve the necessity for the recon-

struction of a large mass of legislation. As to the education endowments of Otago, if this scheme is carried out, the only way of securing the same to the Province would seem to be the making of the Education Board a Corporation, and then Crown granting the endowed lands to it. I observe the '.Southern Mercur} 7 ,' in an article in which it forcibly draws attention to the delay which is taking place at present, in regard to taking advantage of the' opportunity of the runholders' leases falling in to open up land for settlement, says the opening up of land is a matter quite distinct from abolition and of more consequence; but it seems to me abolition will have a good deal to do with land supply for the people. Our Provincial Government has exhibited a strong inclination to appropriate land for settlement, and it seems very doubtful whether those who will have the power of dealing with the waste lands when the Provinces are abolished, will be as ready to en-

courage settlement, nnd withstand land monopoly. 1 think the country should be extremely cautious before it adopts this scheme of Sir Julius Yogel. In concluding his speech, Sir Julius Yogel said he thought the change would benefit* the", whole country. Before he introduced a measure which entirely sweeps away provincialism, the Premier should have been quite certain that the change would be beneficial. It is utterly absurd to make a great revo-lutionary-change in the form of government ofa country till the desire for the change is universal among the people, or next thing to it.