The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1870

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2134, 9 March 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1870

Two seats are now vacant for the representation of Electoral Districts in Otago in the House of Representatives, and it becomes a serious question who shall be returned. Since the last election great changes have taken place. There were then two parties diametrically opposed to each other on vital principles of Colonial policy. There was the great centralist party whose object was to do away with Provincial Councils, and to place all matters requiring parliamentary action under the General Assembly ; and the Provincial party, who claimed for every province the right to rule over its own territory and its own revenues. With a singular perversity and blindness to the material interests of the Province, several districts elected men of known centralist politics. There are always those who through the habit of looking crookedly at social or political matters, or who through becoming biassed in sundry ways, blinded by self-interest or perhaps through contempt for the judgment of their neighbors, pride themselves on their superior wisdom and show it by acting in opposition to them. Occasionally the electors of outlying districts imagine themselves neglected by the Provincial authorities, and attempt political suicide by sending representatives to advocate separate and independent existences. Fortunately for New Zealand, centralismhas been put on its trial, and is found wanting. Its results have been disastrous in the extreme. Itsfirststeps were witnessed in the New Provinces Act. Great were to be the results when large slices of territory were cut off from the original divisions and placed under separate Governments. But what has been the consequence % Instead of those golden advantages that were anticipated, the small Provinces have become dependents for help upon the General Assembly, and only last session the present Government intimated that it would be much better for them to repent and become reconciled to the parents they had forsaken. The hollowness of the centralist theory has received a further illustration in that mongrel institution the County of Westland. On account of the peculiarity of its circumstances, it presented a fair field for trial of the county system. Once part of the Province of Canterbury, through the discovery of gold, from a desert wilderness, it suddenly became transformed into a populous and busy district. There is no reason to think that the Provincial Council of Canterbury was unequal to its governance ; but it was a long way from the seat of Government, and the usual jealousy respecting local influence soon manifested itself. The Stafford Ministry nursed the discontent, and took the County of Westland under its immediate patronage. Three short years have elapsed since the divorce from Canterbury took place. Men devoted to the Stafford Government were sent to represent it in Parliament, and being men of mark amongst the working thousands there, one if not two are members of the County Council also. Perhaps in the whole course of Colonial history a more signal failure cannot be found than the County system, as seen there. Southland got into difficulties; but that was because its Government entered upon schemes of improvement without knowing where the funds were to come from. They were like a king who went to war without counting the cost. Marlborough is in difficulties, because the cost of Government absorbs the small amount of revenue that falls to its share. But Westland presents a picture of financial disorder and peculation unparalleled. Men have been appointed to offices of trust who have embezzled its revenue; printers have been engaged who have been permitted to make unheard of charges for their work ; and Mr Harrison defends his vote for paying himself, as one of the members of the County Council, by putting forth his patriotism in a new form. He tells the people that they ought to be much obliged to him for devoting his time and energies for their special benefit at so low a salary as he appropriates to himself ; for although it is true he is a politician by profession, the pay is so poor that he could make twenty times as much were he to turn his attention to something else. Otago too, has been plagued with politicians by profession, who in the first session of the present House of Representatives paralysed the influence of Otago, by doing the bidding of the Ministry. The fear is, that in the dearth of agitation on any great question, mere indifferentism may step in and promote the election of men who ■will not work harmoniously witli the Representatives of Otago. Mr Stafford is now in opposition, but he

has a strong party of good tacticians to back him. It is a truism that nothing succeeds like success, and the present Ministry have success to point to. Their war policy has proved thus far a success. Wo have yet to learn how far their linancial policy has succeeded ; but oven if more expensive than was anticipated, it is impossible to be so wasteful and extravagant as that rushed into at the close of "the Stafford Administration ; and since we hear nothing of organic changes in the Constitution, we presume Provincialism will be allowed to develop itself into a form that will naturally grow out of it, a.s the interests of the Provinces become more closely amalgamated. The great point to bo aimed at is therefore the election of men who will work in harmony with tlie present Otago members, to whose united influence is in great measure owing the position of the present Government. Professional politicians of the Harrison stamp may then see their interest in supporting a Ministry whoso official position will only become the more stable in proportion to the success that attends their measures.