PROVINCIALISM.

Evening Star, Issue 3777, 2 April 1875, Page 2

PROVINCIALISM.

The following is the concluding part of Mr M’Glashan’s letter What is called the compact of 1858 was a contract; fin.°r l ? ax ? finable consideration derived by the North laland, the land fund of the Middle become Provincial estate, and, whether right or wrong, I agree with you that It should not be broken on the grounds advocated by our rattier unscrupulous friends in the North, and mu ?f bighergrounds that it at al should be considered. When the compact was entered into, it was generally believed by the North that they had out-generalled the South" and had the beat of the bantam. Matters having turned out differently, a greedy cry was got up, and in 1868 reflations were brought into the House of Assembly to rewind the compact, andnotably it was supported by the members of the Northern Provinces, that occasion, however, that just and honorable I?*®, Williamson. Superintendent of Auckland, declared from his place in the House. that it was a morally binding compact, and most be maintained.’* .1 also say that it was morally binding, but I do not; saythat itmuaTbe maintained; and it is to this I wish to draw your attention more particularly, as herein consists the omission, not intentionally on your part, to which I Imvo previously alluded What 1 wish to convey is this: that although it be morally binding on po L h parties, if the one party is agreeable to withdraw from it and tile other acquiesces in the arrangement, why not let us in tbo South do so, if it conbe mown that we will not be losers in the transaction f w x^ 18 iu ?? GB w bole pith of my statement, tbo your argument a weak one," and that tiie millions of acres of land in the North Istond and now being acquired, wodld be a better estate than that of the South tslaTid. and ! am prepared to give my reasons for so believing. I certainly promised to give statistics to prove my ewe, but these I am not yet in possession of, and probably I will be unable to give enabled to ask for a return to be laid on the table of the House of Assembly. I willhowever, by-and-bye, state a few facts for your conBideration. There can be no doubt that the lands of “i® Prov ? nGlal ®>tate, but I believe also that the lands no w being acquired in the North are riso Provincial estate, and heroinitis that wo differ. You say “whatever has since been obtained has been purchased by the Colony with funds from the common stock, and to all intents and purposes has become Colonial property.” No doubt lands at various time up till now have been purchased with funds out of the common stock, hut this has been re-charged against the Provinces. In 1873, when the vote of L 500.000 was passed for the purchase of Nstave lands, the conditions attached to it were that it would form a charge against the Provinces under certain circumstances. If lam wrong in thisinv argument falls to the ground, and I eay“* peccavi* it on the other hand I am right, to quote your own words and apply them to yonrself, “This simple business principle seems to have been overlooked by our talentededitorial friend (‘editorial S£j£S who my, perhaps, now see that he did not look far enough when he objected to our, views on grounds so untenable.

statement, isra, in relation to pnblie works says, "With reroeot to the Provinces of the Middle Island, the .Government propose to take blocks of land, the pro--1)6 solely applicable to the railway UabUitiea of the particular Province, Jtc,” In the Worth Island a pteeisely similar practice cannot be adopted, because so large a portion of the land is at present in the hands of N&tfres, therefore the Government propose to meet this difficulty by providing for the, purchase of large bloeks of Natives may. prove prepared to southern; and it is intended that two-thirds of all the lands so purchased shaU be set apart as security for railways noon terms wimflai- to those to be an. £ fit ** ddlQ WbL it “borne S mihd thattiiese reserves will pass to purposes excluwvoly Provincial, I think that setting apart snhh lands mil not be considered a hardship; ft should also ho borne in mind that we do not propose to dopnve the Provinces of all interest in the railway reserves j for it will he provided that 16 per cent, of the proceeds shall he payable to the Provincial loan account to bo available in payment of Provincial works. He further says that the Loan Bill «h.u i include provision for £>660,000 on account of the purchase of Native lands. Again, in the Financial Statement of 187-t, tile Hon Mr Vogel, referring to proposals of the previous year and above quoted, says " subsequently the Government, consented to the adoption of a different course. The representatives of the Middle Island Provinces, or some of them, objected to settang apart their lands as railway reserves or as special securtties; they preferred adopting a course which would place the Provinces of the North tnUnd in possession of a landed estate." The Government accepted the change, although it Involved the completion of railways out of borrowed money, and stated that so great and desirable a result would be attained by placing the Provinces of the North Island In possession of an estate, from the prooeedg of which similar happy results might be achieved os had been achieved in the Middle Island.” Prom the above quotations I think you must see that the position you have taken up la untenable. It is a different matter to say " let well alono," and I am not disposed to cavil at that, provided we see that the land fund is devoted more fairly than it haa been in the ,past. I maintain that the work of the Provincial Councils can be equally well, if not better done by local bodies now that the country is being opened up by railways. In fact, a county system is what I consider desirable to teke the place of the present Provincialism, which is becoming cumbrous and expensive, and I may also say obstructive, to the good govern

■MafßswSfmtaed On this sebteet of local gOTemment by counties I was modi struck Jyispaech dahTerei by Mr Munro, memberfac Marsden—an old Nora Sooti&n. Hegires hiseiueribatons there, anfalthoaghmoch “• -hm. m^SSSSS to thf! Tslu , e of ®.toa of th. tiro **? that the most of our good lan4 , ui Otago, and Canterbury hu toffl ap.Tt^twinforms me that the SK/SS 1 0t *B<> do « 3 not amount to SOO.OOO Si do "J pastoral lands yieldim* a u , £ nd \ b / for tbs fnturs, the rtill y b? lai f . H On U th« o , *S diol °S ,ly i W °^ d VfiJrtJS year that gotiated for lancbin n#extent* l^ 011 *- 0f aoreß, H * “y* ** “ estate o/tids wv.J n * d * *f d doubt goon increasing. mate bufcw orihe land or o& ® u * thia: that many of our lMdin» that tho North the premier Island of the two and bear a far larger Middle Island wftb h%Z* re r’ I'*a coincide. To tome, I find our worthy Superintendent on ope occasion—“ Look at Taranaki: it has millions worth, of timber alone,” and all I say. that be fact, timrede a property that would gettOT th ° Middle Island put tot v have trespassed Irfo&r too much on your patience: L^L e,^ 0 7 ev * r ' attempted to show that the view I ®*? r 2*? 6d to you was •worthy of: some consideration: T ■»“ n «V that if the Northern to the id» to dissolve the compact of lose, tuat we can, without burden to Our oonacieace, ■?, rovi J ??d always that wo see that the Middle Island will not be losers by the transaction. As far as possible we Should endeavor to destroy all eartbutnings and jealousies, and only compete .in g?J£?S I believe Ne* Zea&nd is «Si- k to f power if united, and can in its progress by Provincial squabbles and jealousies with the General Geven-