The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1872.

Dunstan Times, Issue 525, 10 May 1872, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1872.

iptneath the Rule of Men entirely just the pen is .mightier than the sword

It is nut often we indulge in prophecy, or venture to predict what course of action such erratic bodies ns Provincial Councils or General Assemblies in New Zealand may pursue, but noticing the signs of tbetimesthrough the section of the colonial press which is allied to the firm of Reid, Stafford and Co., we may conclude that the divided adherents of Provincialism will combine together at our next meeting of the Assembly, and strive by their union to emharass the action of the present ministry. There arc some men who never know when a machine becomes superseded by approved appliances; who-considor that ■fathers’ and grandfathers’ the most sapient and trustworthy men to revere and follow; who laugh and ignore sanatory science, and secretly reg -t the stage coach and the biano’dily mail period; and consider poni i go and scones the most proper am. na ritions food for infants, their servants, and mankind in general. . Such men never become inventors—they have no “go ” in them, they prefer their women to knit their own hose, their servantsto dwell in bothies, or similar abominations—if Scotchmen cast lingering eyes on the garb of tlie Gael and the morality and the practices of the border thieves—at home resist innovation or change—abroad ignore commerce and subside into agricultural pursuits,. and by habit, education, and instinct become in the present strife of our political parlies, Provincialists. Now the home and hot-bed of Provincialism is, and lias been Otago. Other provinces have not been composed of such essentially provincial materials, as what this province has been—and is hardly too much to say that if the irruption of Vandalism into tins praying and fishing settlement consequent on gold

discoveries hall not taken jilace, probably not even James Mncaudrew would have had the hardihood to propose the abolition of a Provincial form of Government, and substitute a cen tral and uniform one in its stead The “ Witness” or the “First Church” would have been more assailable institutions Canterbury is also Provincial in its tendencies, but from ’other causes. In the mother country there are heart-burnings, sores, and grievances centuries old ; that neither the progress of civilisation, or the lapse of time have been able to assuage, cauterise, or remove. They are called indifferently Protestantism, Presbyterianism, Puritanism, Methodism, find many other “ isms ” that diseased humanity is supposed to he heir to. To perpetuate two .of these grievances, Presbyterianism and the i fiuirch of England, the provinces of Otago and Canterbury were founded, but the English Church settlement was taken under ' the protection of our British aristocracy as a place of refuge for its redundant scions. Laige sums of money lias been spent lavishly dry them growing wool and grain; they have always considered their blood more blue and their manners bette’- than that of their elder colonial brotherhood ; their province has been called the “ Patrician Pro winceand these Eton and Rugby colouists;still view strangers from “the other side” suspiciously, as though they either had the mark of the branding iron on their persons or their ticket-of-leave in their pocket. Such a community must certainly possess a provincial bins—their education and habits impelling them. Hence it will he s»en that these two provinces have the power of organising a compact body, who may agree —recalcitrant though its component parts may be —to fetter the Government in its centralising programme, and perpetuate the parish system, under the form of Provincial Government. Apart from this influence, however, strong adherents will be found voting with it from various causes We know men in'public life who believe in what they term political consistency, and prefer it either to their reputation or to the public weal. There are members of the House who are personal enemies of the members of the Ministry, and prefer the manifestation of this enmity to what is known as the general good; while most of .the Superintendents of tho Provinces and Provincial Secrefarms, who, a<= a rule, have seats and followings in the Assembly, are unwilling to lose their means of livelihood, see public works and Crown lands depart from their rule and dispensation, to find themselves again thrust into that privacy of life from which had they not emerged the Colony would have been benefited. Although it is the general opinion in New Zealand that Provincial Governments should be abolished, it will be thus seen varied and powerful interests and followings are arrayed against such an expedient reform. It is not improbable that, on dliis question, the Ministry may find it difficult to secure u majority, and be compelled, either to do imperfectly what should be done thoroughly, or appeal to the constituences to support them in their right and righteous work of abolishing Provincial Government entirely.