The Evening Star TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1872

Evening Star, Issue 2947, 30 July 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1872

Until a full exposition of the resolutions arrived at by the caucus on Saturday is before us, it is impossible to pronounce an opinion upon the merits and demerits of the’new scheme announced in our telegrams. There can be no doubt that a general impression prevails that a better system of supervision might be adopted than that which has lately grown up, of appointing Resident Ministers for each island. The evident tendency of that system is to ignore altogether the Provincial authorities, and to sot up two independent local Executives. The new move is really by a side wind to revive the fading powers of Provincialism. We do not gather from the tone of the telegram that the Government are absolutely opposed to all concession of the sort. We hardly think it would be altogether advisable with the light of past experience before them. Before appointing the Resident Minister for the Middle Island, they were much perplexed as to choice. It is no easy matter to confer an appointment of that character upon one who enjoys the confidence of all the Provinces. He is looked upon with jealousy by the Superintendent and Executive of the Province to which he belongs, because of the superior powers conferred upon him. He is regarded with (Hutruot \>y n large section of the inhabitants ; for a prophet is not witnont honor, save in his own country, and amongst his own kin. Other Provinces are discontented because of the fancied slight put upon them of not selecting the Minister from among their own members. They look upon it that no person is so impartial as not to be biassed more or less in favor of those who elected him, and with whose interests his own is identified ; and thus, however able a Resident Minister may be, his position is not altogether an enviable one. He stands above local authorities, but isolated from them. So far as we can gather from our meagre telegrams the organisation is intended to act as a check upon this quasi autocracy ; to pull down one man and put half-a-dozen in his place. Whether the work will or will not be better done may well be questioned. It seems to us that there is much to be said in favor of such a system, while on the other hand much can be urged in oj(position to it. One point should not lie lost sight of; the Superintendents ask to become aijeuts of the General Governments, for their respective Provinces, This system well worked, instead of weakening might strengthen the hands of a skilful Executive. It by no means follows that the central Government under such a system would be bound by the decisions of a Provincial Council. Should the Provincial Council and the General Government differ in opinion as to the advisability of certain measures for carrying out the Public Works and Immigration Scheme, the Superintendent, as agent of the higher power would be required to act in opposition to his own Council, To refuse to carry out his instructions would paralyze the whole affair. It would therefore be absolutely necessary for the General Government to possess some discretionary power in the matter in order to ensure the faithful carryingout of those measures that the General Assembly had deemed necessary. We should think this will be the extent to which their opposition will be carried. On other grounds the plan proposed possesses the manifest advantages of strengthening the hands of a central Government, by placing in its power the means of widening its basis of support. As agents of the General Government, the influence of Superintendents would be exerted in support of the measures of the Government. They would become more intimately identified with it, and more im-

mediately under its control. It is quite possible that they might, through their intimate connection with the Government, exert a reflex influence upon it j and that this might lead to a more complete identification of Provincial with Colonial interests. If so, a great point would be gained and the way paved for the ultimate abolition of Provincial Councils. Apparently what the Executive demur to is, delegating their powers to the Superintendent, lost their plans may haply be made; ducks and drakes of by the Councils. We confess we have not seen such a display of ability in our Council as to lead us to imagine that cither immigration or public works would be carried out better under its dispensations than under the control of the General Government. For years nothing was done in the construction of railways, while immigration had ceased; and there is every reason to think, had not the General Government taken them in hand, they would have been yet untouched. That the present system is capable of improvement no one will doubt, and very possibly something in that direction may grow out of this movement.