The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1874.

Dunstan Times, Issue 645, 28 August 1874, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1874.

Beneath the Rule of ilon entirely just the penis mightier than the sword.

It seems scarcely possible that the once redoubtable champion of Provincialism should have been one of the first to overthrow it; yet, such is the case, and we find the Honorable the Premier, who, some six short years ago, when Provincial Treasurer of Otago, sotting at defiance the General Government, when it refused the “delegated powers” fo Mr Macandrew, now that he has become Premier of the Colony waging a war of extirmiuation with his “ old love.” That, Provincialism is rotten to the core in the North Island provinces, there can be no mannei of doubt, and since that dual system of government has grown so decrepid and unable to stand upon its legs, except by the support of the Colonial Government, it was high time that it should be abolished. Every year the North Island Provinces have been compelled to fall back upon the general revenue of the Colony for support, and every year they have squandered thousands by their mismanagement, and it could not be expected that the General Government would continue helping them with money without having some voice in its expenditure. The honorable the Premier, although representing Auckland, was not slow to perceive this, and he possessed the boldness to strike at the root of the Upas tree that was poisoning the land with its pestiferous breath How that he has succeeded in his measure, and how the “ hydra-headed old monster ” succumbed with scarcely a show of resistance to his wily assailant may be best guessed when at the last, and when tire final crisis had arrived gave up the ghost by forty-one votes against sixteen. None but a bold determined man would Irave brought forward such a motion, and impossible as it appeared at first of being carried, before the man who knew how and when to urge his opportunity, what, was always considered as an overwhelming opposition, melted like snow before the summer’s sun. The carrying of this measure proves Mr Vogel to be a statesman of

the first order, and his success must be accepted as a tribute to his genius We had scarcely believed that so sweeping a reform would have been brought to an issue this Session of Parliament, the thing was of such portentious meaning, not only to the people of the North Island, but to those of the South, while tons at so great a distance from the scene of strife, to bring about so radical a change in so short a space of time appeared hasty and impolitic. But, looking closely into affairs, and taking into account the feeble resistance offered at the final struggle, it only goes to prove how rotten is the system of Piovincialism, and how strongly public opinion is setting itself against its further perpetuation. That, a similar measure which has just been initiated in respect to the North Island will extend itself to the South there can be little to doubt, but, the South Island Provinces are as yet strong and vigorous and self supporting. more particularly in the case of Otago and Canterbury, while there politically exists no present need for such a sweeping reform. Still at the same time public opinion is fast becoming opposed to Provincialism, and if the revenues could be satisfactorily apportioned, the change to one Government ioreach of the two Islands, or one whole Government for the entire Colony would be freely accepted. In these d >ys of telegraphs, when distance is comparatively aim ihilated, and with every reasonable certainty that, the two Islands will shortly be linked together by the iron bonds of a railway, the petty and worse than parish vestry system, for what is mistaken for local self government by means of Provincial Councils is opposed to common sense. That Provincialism is centralism in its worst form, what better evidence have we than the enormous amount of money lavished upon Dunedin, ami the little doles begrudgingly laid out in up-country districts. Provincialism is costly, wasteful, and ineffective, and tends to array one class against each other, when they should otherwise be uni ted as a common whole. As “ coming events cast their shadows before them,” so the spectre raised up in the North, looks down with freezing breath upon the yet unslain monster in the South. The carrying of Mr Vogel’s resolutions for the abolition of the North Island Provinces has sounded the death knell of Provincialism, and their being given practical effect to at the next session of the Assembly may bo considered as certain, notwithstanding that a general election intervenes