Decay of Provincial Institutions.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 79, 16 May 1871, Page 7

Decay of Provincial Institutions.

the «Brnce Standard' of May 6th has an able article on this subject, from which Ve extract the following:— "The newly-elected Superintendent of Wellington, Mr Pitzhefbert, has given forth no uncertain sound of his opinions on the present financial system and policy of the Colony and its Provinces. He has said that a persistence in the present system must result in bringing the Colony into a state of hopeless insolvency. He will go to the Assembly charged with a mission to introduce a wiser and more prudent policy in finance. We do not learn that he includes in his purpose the 'remodelling of Provincial Institution's. The relations of the General Government and the Provincial Governments were never before on so unsatisfactory a footing as they have drifted into under the rule of a Ministry professedly favourable to the maintenance of the Provincial form of Governtrent. It was thought by many wellwishers to the prosperity of the Colony that some measure would have been introduced into last Assembly to modify or abrogate Provincial Institutions, so that the Government of this small Colony could "have been conducted more economically. The General Government lias for years past been gradually but surely encroaching on the powers and privileges of Provincial Councils, and by the grand scheme for colonization and public works sketched out fey IVtr Vogel a still greater stride has been made in the direction of rendering these institutions a mere shadow. It will be impossible, at this stage of our history as a Colony, to restore Provincial institutions to their former state, and as it seems likely that the General Assembly is still further to lessen their sphere of usefulness, it becomes a question whether they should continue to be nominally a part of the Government of the country, when their influence and powers are taken away by what is called the superior Legislature? We are strong advocates for local self-govern-ment, and should be sorry to see all government centralised in Wellington; but we believe, and we are supported in our belief by a very large part of the community, that Provincial Councils and Governments are by far too grand, too large, and expensive in present circumstance. They require reduction and modification. WilLany sane man assort that for the transaction of the public business of Otago it is necessary there should be forty-Five members of the Provincial Council 1 ... If our land laws, public works, immigration and education are all to be under the control of the General Govornment hereafter, we ask where is the necessity of perpetuating the Provincial system in all its pristine glory and icenca ? ts there no reformer amongst all of our newly-elected members of Council, who will, like Mr Fitzherbprt, go to the Council with the set purpose of introducing a change into the system that ia looked upon as extravagant, and absurd 1"