The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2289, 7 September 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1870.

Wb do not suppose that anyone will be surprised that Mr Macandreav’s motion for a loan was not carried in the House of Representatives, although few in the Province will be satisfied with the arguments against it urged by the Colonial Treasurer. We have before pointed out that the Pox and Vogel scheme has effectually done what Mr Stafford tried in vain to effect; it has placed the whole of the great public works of the Colony under the control of the General Government. Whether this will prove beneficial or detrimental to the interests of this Province, will depend very much upon the electors themselves. One conclusion is, however, inevitable, that the influence of the Provincial Council is much curtailed, and events are rapidly tending towards a reorganisation of the Constitution. Whether this is to take place by the direct action of the Legislature, or by a process of absorption by the larger Provinces, we will not venture to predict. The attention of our leading men should be directed in either case to such an arrangement as will give to the Pi*ovince the Aveight and influence its wealth and population demand. The fault avc find Avith the opposition to this loan is, that much that was proposed to be effected by it was not included in the Government scheme, and cannot now be done. Neither can we agree Avith the doctrine

laid tWn by the Colonial Treasurer) that “ there should be some self-sacrifice “ on the part of the wealthy Provinces « in favor of those Provinces not so “ favorably situated.” This doctrine appears to us to be unreasonable and absurd. It is founded upon a misconception of social and political duty, and can only lead to injustice and misapI propriation of revenue. The notion underlying it is that the Colony has a common interest, and that thereto! e there should be a common fund out of which those who work and those who work not—those who have paid high prices for property, and those who have got it for nearly nothing—should alike be supported. It is a sort of political Fourierism. The difficulty that New Zealand has labored under hitherto, both as regards government and development, is having been colonised from different centres, and by people with different ideas. This absence of a common system has led to the establishment of a number of little settlements on different parts of its coast pitched at random, and having no connection with each other. Unlike most Colonies, therefore, population instead of diverging from a centre, by which means community of interest would have been preserved, tends to converge towards a point of absorbing influence. But various existing interests have in the latter case to be merged into one, and herein lies the difficulty and danger of injustice. Otago has natural advantages, which, although only very partially developed, have induced the settlement of an industrious population. Its people have invested money, established manufactures, and given to property in the Province a value through their labors which that in some other Provinces will not be worth for many years to come. In order still further to develop the resources of the Province, they require certain works to be done, the execution of which will add to its population-supporting power. To such waste of money as that proposed on the Oamaru Dock, it is fair to object; but on the whole, the proposed appropriation of the loan was on reproductive works. And what is the answer of the Government I —“ You shall not “ have it. We will make your rail- “ way ; but as for the other works to “ be done, you may wait until we have “ spent some of the revenue, borrowed “ upon the credit of your riches, upon “ a Province or Provinces possessing “ neither credit nor riches.” It is a perpetuation and expansion of the system that has been complained of so long, of taxing Otago, and spending the revenue raised in it elsewhere. If a reasonable probability could be shewn that such Colonial prosperity could be secured by the process proposed, as would add more to the material wealth of the Province advancing the money than could be gained by local expenditure, there might bo some grounds for such a plan. But this cannot be. Diffusion of means in government as in. commerce is commonly a source of weakness. Concentration is strength. It is far better to aid in the develojiment of a large and powerful community, than to waste energy and money in endeavoring to foster a sickly nursling. The growth of the one proves the value of its natural resources; the weakness of the other is a sign that there is nothing about it to attract population. The proposal of the Government to spend the money of the rich upon those who are poor, is to create an artificial prosperity, which, according to our present knowledge of the resources of weak Provinces, will not be maintained nor recoup the cost.