PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3196, 19 May 1873, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

To the Editor,

Sir, — If anything were wanted to show the advisability of the Superintendent to demand from his Excellency the Governor a dissolution, the conduct of the councillors themselves would afford ample reasons. In-. stead of the Council as at present constituted being an aid to legislation, it is a positive drag. Nothing seems to go down unless the member so far forgets good sense and good breeding as to vilify the honorable member who is unfortunate enough to differ from him. It is more like a school for slander than a representative Assembly. I make bold to say that two-thirds of the time occupied in speech-making has been' taken up by so-called honorable members vilifying their opponents. It seems to me monstrous that the Superintendent, who has been elected by the majority of the Province, should be so situated as to be snubbed by a set of ignorant narrow-minded men. In justice to himself, and in the true interests of the Province, he is bound to ask for a dissolution. It would be the greatest irony to say that the majority of the Council represent* the intelligence of the Province. Let us calmly consider the matter, and see how it stands. With the exception of Messrs Reid, Stout, _ and Cutten, 1 d'fy anyone to name an intelligent politician amongst the Opposition. Some may say there is Dr Menzies, but let them consider for a moment what a mess he made of the Province of Southland, and their opinion of him as a politician is bound to come down to the very lowest ebb. The minority in this instance really represents the intelligence of the country. It consists of such men as Turnbull, Tolmie, Reynolds, Bathgate, M'Lean, and Dr Webster, who will compare favorably with the talent that can be mustered from the other side. It is simply ridiculous for us to expect any good from our present Superintendent, if he is hampered by adviser* that haye not only no sympathy with, but a positive aversion to his measures. It would be much better were we to elect a Superintendent that would work in harmony with his advisers. If the Superintendent is wrong in his present action, Hie country will have an opportunity of telling him most unmistakeably that it disapproves of his conduct, by electing another. The Superintendent takes a manly stand when he shows that he is willing to be judged by the people. If the Opposition have equal confidence in the jurtice of their cause, by all means let them put the matter to the test of the electors. Working men are beginning to find the benefit of the progressive measures initiated, and I believe that is the real reason why the slow-going coaches are afraid to face the electors. The truth is that there are members in the present Opposition who could not write a decent letter on the most ordinary topic, without showing to the highest degree thdr thorough ignorance of the Queen’s English. I trust the electors next time will see the propriety of electing men who are possessed of at least ordinary intelligence. There are members of the Council who may no doubt be kind and well-meaning men in the family circle, but who are so utterly devoid (k intelligence that they could not for the life of them give an intelligent opinion ijpop any subject. Talking about the constitutional point afc issue, js just the same as if you were talking, tp then* ‘in an unknown tongue. They have not the remotest idea of constitutional history, and they are too ignorant to know their ignorance. Personal animosity has been too much indulged in for us ever to expect that a respectable coalition is at all likely to be formed. Far better it will bo for the good of the Province if a dissolution should take place, as the electors will have an opportunity of electing intelligent men instead of the old wives that at present represent some of the country district?, and who, possessing no minds of their own, are led like lambs to the slaughter whenever and wherever their clodf • cratic leader may choose to point the way. Let us have no more of this burlesque of representative and responsible government. We have paid too dearly for it in the past, to wish to try it any more in the future. Let intellicence be the order of the day, and the Province is bound to go ahead.—l am, Ac., Alpua. Dunedin, May 17.