PUBLIC OPINION.

Evening Star, Issue 3807, 7 May 1875, Page 2

PUBLIC OPINION.

THE ABOLITION QUESTION,

lb seems impossible to Mr Maoandrbw that any mode of local self-government oan exist except that of Provincialism, He is alike dead to ’ the experience of his own Colony, and to the lessons taught us by Ofur neighbors. He cannot see that Road Boards and Municipal Councils would have existed, with ample powers, bad there never been suoh a thing as the Provincial form of Government. He considers that, with the abolition of Provincialism, their abolition for aught but the power to work evil, wonld ensue. He is unable to understand that, of all forms <)f Centralism, Provincial Government is, in some respects, the most aggravated—that it agglomerates in a oity the influence and the revenue which should be at the disposal of separate districts. And finally and worat of all, he measures the corn of all others by the experience of his own bushel; he attributes to the ptpnfe of the remaining Provinces of Now Zealand the same selfishness and jealousy which ’he wrongly gives the people of Otago credit lor ; and argues that we here must look tofthe most narrow-minded policy, else we shell be at the mercy of our neighbors. Wo can assure Mr M acandrew that, though'we- tire as steadfast perhaps as he in the present maintenance of Provincialism in Otago, we are ready to recognise the necessity for its abolition elsewhere, and also the fastcoming future in which it will cease amongst us. We can also assure him that by his mode of reasoning he has placed dangerous and powerful weapons in the hands of his and our opponents, and that, when the time comes, he will not find the free and generous community over which he is Superintendent, bis supporters in a policy worthy of the. most ignorant inhabitant of the pettiest Little Pedlington,— 1 Bruce Herald.’ j Though we are not prepared afi onoe to vote for the abolition of the Provinces, we most unhesitatingly can say that if the time shbnld come when we must choose between placing the power in the bands of the General Government, or handing the resources of the Province over to the Provincial authorities, we should certainly choose the former—choosing the latter would bs simply jumping out of the frying-pan into the lire, and though Mr Maoandrew may play that tune with great skill and address, we object to dance to it. We have learned at too heavy a cost to understand the value of the tender mercies of Provincial Executives. . . . Otago is a mere name, a sentiment, as far as we are concerned, and if we are to “persistently aim at” a change, Mr Macandrew may bo sure that it will rather be in the direction of an appropriation of funds by the Colonial Legislature than of any increasad control on the part of Dunedin. From the former the district has been able to obtain some justice, but by the latte? it has simply 'been sucked dry and wen ignored.—‘North Otago Times.’