The Evening Star FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3837, 11 June 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 1875.

Governor Browne in 1856 was frightened that the system of elective Superintendents would gradually lead to a state of politics having its end in the absorption by the Provincial authorities of the practical government of the Colony. Though the cause he ascribed for what he looked forward to may he considered to be erroneous, no doubt much that he anticipated has been the case. His remedy for the evil, as communicated to the then Secretary for State, was the appointment of a LieutenantGovernor at Auckland, and nominee Superintendents elsewhere. In those days, Southern Provinces were not elements of serious consideration. What could be more applicable to the present day than the following; —“All expenditure authorised by the General Assembly is viewed with great jealousy by the Provincial Councils, because the money spent under its sanction is withdrawn from the surplus to be divided among the and is a diminution of that power which is consequent upon the command of money. This is one of the many causes which induce the partisans of Provincial independence to desire to abridge the power of the General Assembly, and, as they themselves say, to assimilate the government of New Zealand to that of the Onited States still more than it is at present. , . . .. . Should these opinions be adopted—which, as a majority of the members of the General Assembly belong also to the Provincial Councils, is very possible—New Zealand will be divided into six insignificant Colonies, each having an elective officer with the powers of governor - in - chief as Governor, and a Council irresponsible except to their own constituents ; because, though they will still be restricted from legislating on certain subjects by the Constitution Act, the evasion of that Act has been tacitly permitted in more instances than one, and its injunctions can only be enforced by the General Government, whose powers to do so will have been rendered imperative by the realisation of the views above alluded to. * Or let us take another short passage, very applicable just now when we hear so much of justice to Southland, justice to Oamaru, &c,, and know what such justice means;—“ The disposal of funds and all patronage are for the time being in their (Superintendents’) hands, 'and those of two or three (Governor Browne never dreamt of seven) persons, who, form their ‘ Executive Councils, and they are bound by various interests to favor the party to which they owe their election to office, and from which they hope or expect reelection at a future period; so that a majority, once established, has frequent opportunities of increasing its own strength at the expense of its opponents, and the effect is similar to that in the ÜBi‘'.d States, where almost every question that ansis is viewed in a party light. ... a. II power is unquestionably iu the hauls of the Executive members of the party iu the ascendant, .and the consequent discontent of the minority is in some places very great. Appeal to their opponents is not likely to be attended with

success, and lienee an amount of local bitterness and ill-will which exceeds what is usual elsewhere.” The same defects or evils are liable to arise in' the Colonial Legislature as well as r in the Provincial Councils, but not,to the same extent. The different Provinces, through their representatives in the Assembly, act ns a check upon one another, and the disposal of funds does not become the line dividing party from party, ill-will and bitterness must spring up in every representative House, but when such elements of discord arise from differences upon legislative measures, and not upon spending of money, the evil may be considered to be of small moment, if not to be an actual benefit.