The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, JULY 23,1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3750, 23 July 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, JULY 23,1883.

The argument always advanced against a return to Provincialism is that before tho days of Abolition the outlying district* were neglected. It has been asserted over and over again that Provincialism was the embodiment of Centralism, and that no parts of the colony but the chief towns benefited from that form of government. During any debate in the House that_ may occur on the decentralisation of tho existing system some member may bo to declare that " I am a settler in an outlying district, and therefore I cannot favor any proposal for a return to Provincialism." But how much better off are outlying districts under Centralism ? Under the old Constitution the colony had been built up so that, when the public works and immigration policy was initiated, we were enabled to incur an indebtedness amounting to over twenty millions sterling. Undor Centralism our credit has almost been exhausted, and, while getting deeper and deeper into debt every year, we have less and less to show for the expenditure. Sir G. S. Whitmore's motion in the Legislative Council on Friday showed how little practical good has been done to outlying districts under Centralism. Ho moved, "That in view of the near completion of tho Public Works schemo as contemplated when the Public Works and Immigration policy was initiated, the Government should endeavor to promote tho well-being of districts which havo received no benefit from that policy, and in which railways are not intended to be built, by constructing or assisting to construct those necessary arterial communications without which those districts cannot develop their resources, or in facilitating tho shipment of produce by harbor improvements." In moving the motion standing in his name, ho reminded the Council that nearly all the works undertaken under tho scheme of 1870 had been nearly nil of them completed, ami the money had been nearly all spent. He could state, without fear of contradiction, speaking for a portion of tho North Island, that money had been spent in certain favored districts, whilst tho remainder of the districts —less than half of the island — had not had one ponny spent upon them. The colony was now sending annually £3,000,000, tho amount of interest on the various loans, out of the country to pay foreign creditors. Was it fair, he asked, that at least half of tho North Island was compelled to bear its share of this enormous burden of taxation without receiving tho slightest advantago in exchange. In some portions of the colony littlo packs of wool were carried down on horses hundreds of mile* ; and settlers on the East Coast, from Napier to Tauranga, had no ports, and were compelled to ship tho wool and produce on board ship, whenever they could get one to run in, in an open roadstead. There wae not oven a telegraphic service afforded to the uoor settlers from Opotiki to Gisborne, and they only had a mail service once a fortnight, and yofc they had to bear their slur* of the burden of a loan of

which they never had, and never would have, the outlay of a ying-lc shilling- expended in their districts. It was indeed hard that whereas the settlers on a little strip of the West Coast were sitting in their arm-chair owing to tho expenditure of public money in their districts, their brethren on the East Coast wore compelled to squat on the ground. Ho felt convinced if these settlers ho referred to received some little assistance from the Government they would not only cheerfully contribute to bearing the burdon of taxation, but it should be borne in mind, would contribute largely towards the material progress and prosperity of the colony. He thought that the settlers of mountainous and otherwise almost inaccessible country, whether north or south, should bo put in a position to bring their products to market, not only as a matter of fair ylny, but also as a matter of public policy whereby the colony would be benefited. He thought that it was the bounden duty of the Government to ascertain what measures could bo adopted to benefit settlers who were at present not enjoying any facilities for transporting goods. He did not ask in their behalf that expensive works should be undertaken, but he did think some effort should bo made to give them relief. In reply the Premier reminded tho Council that for the next two years the borrowing - powers of the colony would be limited, but when it was practicable so to do the Government would not nea-leot the outlying districts. His sympathies invariably had been on the side of sparsely populated districts, but he would remind hon. gentlemen that the Government were powerless to devote any of the present loan to enable them to carry out tho policy which had been indicated by Sir G. Whitmore, nn to do ro would bo to create a breach of faith with the public creditor, whose money had been borrowed for specific purposes. He would not oppose the motion, but ho desired to warn hon. members that there would be no chance of tho Government assisting the districts referred to until the three years guaranteed by the country, during- which they would not borrow any more money, had expired.

Mr J. T. T>lee has been appointed a member of the Hawko's Bay Waste Lands Board. Letters of naturalisation have been issued to Anders Frcdsbcrg, the yoimger, of Ormondvillc. In the room of the late Mr R. Stuart the Governor has appointed Mr Hoi'ace Baker io be a School Commissioner under the Education Reserves Act That Mr W. Colenso still takes an aetivo interest in educational matters is proved by his having sent a letter to Mr Hill expressing his pleasure at the result of the pupil teacher's examination, and asking that 7 pupil teachers whom he named should be requested to choose each some literary or scientific work valnc for an amount specified. Our morning contemporary was therefore in error in stating that Mr Colenso had presented the pupil teachers wi;h money. In our advertising columns this day will be found the prospectus of nhc proposed Gisbornc Gas Company, which is being floated for the purpose of supplying a long felt want in that boroujrh. The promoters hare already secured a desirable site for the works, and it is anticipated, on reliable data, that the proposed business will commence with a demand calculated to onsure success. Mr W. G. Motley is the local broker, from whom shares, and any information required, may be obtained. The Minister for Public "Works has made the following alterations to the scale of charges <m the Napici- section of STew Zealand railways in Class X : —""White-pine timber consigned from saw-milln to Napier for shipment direct to Australian ports will be charged 25 per cent, less than the rates for timber for transhipment; minimum rate, -/8 per 100 superficial feet. Consignments to this port for transhipment to Australia will be charged the same rate, upon a statutory declaration being furnished, such declaration being made under the Justices of the Peace Act, 1882, sections 233 and 234, in the form proscribed." Mr Weaver, the new borer from America, whose services have been engaged by the Southern Gross Petroleum Company, was a through passenger yesterday for Gisborne. Mr Weaver landed, and was interviewed by some of the shareholders. From Mr Wearer's conversation it was gathered that it was more than likely a bore would have to be driven some 1,200 feet before a good flow was obtained. From what ho had heard of tlio Poverty Bay country he was inclined to think it resembled California more than Pennsylvania. In California they have obtained splendid flows of oil after piercing the papa rock and getting on to the sandstone

We notice that a commencment has onco more been made of the most objectionable practice of the removal of offensive matter and other rubbish from private dwellings, by private people, to the beach beyond the town boundary. Thore is a by-law in reference to this subject, which we trust will be rigorously enforced. The beach beyond the boundary of the borough is within the jurisdiction of tho Harbor Board, and it is to be hoped, for the sake of tho health of tho whole community, that body will prevent tho creation of a nuisance. By paying , attention to tho quibbles raised by counsel the Resident Magistrate has, apparently, established a fear in tho mind of the Corporation that its by-laws cannot be enforced. An appeal to the Minister of Justice might relieve anxiety on the subject, and two or three judgments, with full penalties attached, might also convince residents that regulations framed for the public safety cannot be broken with impunity.

The stories about Sarah Bernhardt are mostly calumnies. Those who know her are high in their laudation of her character, just as those who are familiar with tho virtues of Wolfe's Schnapps.— [Advt. ]