THE SITUATION.

Evening Star, Issue 3200, 23 May 1873, Page 2

THE SITUATION.

OPINIONS OF THE PROVINCIAL PRESS.

The idea as to what is and what is not constitutional, appears to be very vague in the minds of a good number of our Provincial Councillors. A more miserable exhibition of weakness of intellect and want of knowledge of the “fitness of things ” has never before been paraded before the world, than is presented in the proceedings of the Otago Provincial Council, as enacted during the last foitnight. Ah regards the future, what is to be done is the grave question; and it may not be amiss to review the past, particularly respecting the six years enjoyed by Mr Macandrew as Superintendent (We use the word “enjoyed” politically, in its conventional sense ■; we imagine that so far as his Honor is concerned, it is out of place, considering all the badgering he has had.) We last week suggested a movement which, if made, would, we believe, bear good fruit; but we have seen no sign of public agitation, save that which restricts itself to the corners of the streets, and which, consequently, is not fruitful for good, but rather the reverse. It appears that the Superintendent has taken a determined stand, inasmuch as he has refused to accept as his advisers the gentlemen named by Mr Donald Reid. An attempt has been made to cast it in his Honor’s teeth, that he would not accept the services of any gentlemen led by Mr Reid; bnt this insinuation mupt be false, as want of courage has never yet been named as one of his Honor’s failings ; and as the Superintendent sent for Mr Reid to form an Executive, granted him several interviews, and gave him an abundance of time, the accusation that Mr Reid’s presence as a member of the proposed Executive was specially distasteful to his Honor is absurd upon the face of it. . . 1 Shortly after his defeat {for the Superintendency in 1871] Mr Reid succeeded in obtaining the position of leader of' the Provincial Executive, and there we find him doing all and everything in his power to thwart the real progress of the Province; in a word, the open enemy of the striving settler, and the avowed friend and backer of the grasping capitalist. This position Mr Reid retained until he was dismissed by the Superintendent (Mr Reid, true to his character, having refused to resign). His Honor then appointed-as he was most undoubtedly empowered by the Constitution to do—another Executive, composed of gentlemen who have ever since, as we last week remarked, conducted the business entrusted to them faithfully and well Mr Reid lias managed to upset this Executive by dragging in his train a number of the members of the Council, fully two-thirds of whom would be rejected were they now to go to their constituents, and hence the reason why they kick against the idea of a dissolution. His Honor boldly invites a dissolution, knowing well that the Province will endorse his acts, re-seat him, and unseat a large proportion of the malcontents who now oppose and thwarc his Honor’s administration. Much as we oppose Provincialism, and warmly as we advocate its abolition, so long as it exists, we will uphold its proper and serviceable administration. This can never be carried out so long as a parcel of men, such as appear now to form the majority of the Council; aie allowed to' disturb and prevent the progress of public business, in order to secure to themselvee a few more day*’

nayment at- rato-unknown to most of them, save when the Council is in session. When will the public take this matter-into its own hands, and agitate for the abolition of such a ruinous state of thines? Should the Council be dissolved, we shall, prior to the elections, speak pretty plainly, and shall not bo afraid to use and refer to names with a very considerable amount of freedom. “ Measures not men,” is our motto, and however much we may respect some men in private capacities, if we find them occupying, or attempting to occupy places for which they are unfit, we shall not spare them. His Honor has since prorogued the Council, and thus with a firm hand asserted his authority. That the dissolution will be granted, we have not the smallest doubt, although the Opposition arc doing their utmost to induce the Acting Governor not to grant it. We do not see what other course his Honor could, under the have adopted, unless he was content to submit to be made a cypher of. —Tmpeka Times. ’ Perhaps a dissolution is the only way of getting out of the difficulty: that is, if more correct notions as to tho position of the Superintendent and the Council, in relation to each other, have any chance of resulting from a dissolution, although that there is such a chance we entirely fail to see. Both Mr Macandrew and Mr Roid are almost certain to be re-electoc.: the former as Superintendent, and the latter as Councillor, once more. And how the recurrence of a similar state of things t© that which has produced this crisis is to be guaranteed against m the future is a question very difficult, we take it, to be answered. A dissolution will, after all, let no now light in upon the matter. But if Mr Reid can do no more for the Province in the matter of an Executive than he has promised us, out of the materials in the present Council, then a dissolution was never more needed. He has taken a week to effect even so much. And in the meantime, all the worthy Councillors get a pound a day—less one farthing—and are doing nothing for it. If the Governor could only give an order that Mr Macandrew’s Tokomairiro lunatic asylum scheme be applied to the Council; that the schemer be constituted warder-in-chief and theoretical planner, and that Mr Reid have the management of the practical fanning, what a blessing it would be for the Province ! Even then the two would never agree ; but their disagreements would costless. —Cromwell Argus.