The Evening Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3891, 13 August 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1875.

Judging by the report of the speeches in Parliament on the Abolition question, thei'e is very little to be said against the measure. Scarcely one \ opponent has succeeded in inventing an argument based upon facts. There have been the poetic fancies of Sir I G-kopge Grey; the miserable platitudes ; ot Mr Thomson, member for the Clntlia; the finanei-tl blunders of the member for Bruce, Mr Mlrray; and the sarcasm of Mr Reid. We doubt ; whether Mr Stout, if the chosen of Oav(>i sh;j.m, will be in time to ornament the debate with a tirade against nomineeism, real or imaginary. At any rate, he would be a tower of strength to a patty that gives such abundant evidence of intellectual weakness. The tactics of the Opposition, too, an* of the naost trivial character. It is really matter for surprise to find so many men who have been chosen because of their imagined superiority ©f judgment and business aptitude, reiterating statements disproved year by year by’ the stern logic of facts. It was asserted years ago that additional taxation would be needed to pay the interest on the loans for public works and immigration. Although the soundest financiers on the first discussion of the scheme, pointed out the reproductive character of both, and that adult immigration would recoup itself in three years, while railway revenue would be available as soon as workable portions of each line were completed, cautious men or poor arithmeticians were excusable in being slow to apprehend. Men for instance like Mr Murray are to be pitied when they fail to understand that the large revenue received through ad valorem duties, although the goods are lightly taxed com pared with some articles of necessity, only proves they were undertaxed befo re. Men like Mr Thomson, of the Clm bha, ai*e to be pitied for their spaniel-like! fawning upon idols, and their instinctive horror of sound principles when proposed by opponents. Had Mr vfford been Prime Minister, with what alacrity Mr Thomson would have supported the Abolition scheme, ’out co ming from the Vogel Ministry—horrn'de ! His VoGKL-phobia has proved strong er than his admiration of Mr Stafford. Unfortunately, whether the fault lies in diseased imagination, as in fclir George Grey ; nervous apprehension, as in Mr Reeves ; fll-oonceived notions of political econo my and blundering finance, as in Mr I Murray; or VipGEL-phobia,

as in Mr Thomson, the damaging feature is that their votes count against a measure. It is more difficult to assign reasons for the adverse action of Mr Reid and Mr Macandrew. Both of those men are shrewd. Yet Mr Reid, some years ago so ardent a supporter of Mr Stafford, has severed the connection, and chosen to stand opposed to him in a scheme similar in spirit to that which once was proposed by him. Mr Reid cannot excuse himself by asserting that Mr Stafford has changed. Circumstances have so altered, that many who seven years ago opposed Mr Stafford’s County and Road Board Scheme are quite prepared to support the less elaborate measure proposed by the Government. In the South matters have not materially changed: they have developed. Separation from the North, insular or financial, has been long felt to be a necessity. Had that been adopted, inevitably the Colony would have been resolved into two Provinces, and all the South Island Provinces merged into one. Mr Macandrew himself supported this view, although it involved a virtual abolition of Provincial institutions. Even that comprehensive measure could only have been considered temporary—not final. It could be regarded only as a means of throwing off the burden if Northern beggary, and that ultimately there would be unity. At that ■ ime the obstructiveuess of the Provinces to the comprehensive scheme of public works had not been felt. It bad not been experienced that oneness of government was necessary to carry out Colonial measures of improvement. Metalled roads could be made, bridges over streams built, aud public buildings erected by local governments. Universality was not needed for them. They could also, if administrators had the brains, introduce a limited number of immigrants, so as to keep wages down, and have their sheep tended and their fields ploughed as cheaply aS possible. But when some Provinces had spent all their money and begun a raid upon those that had property left; when it was foun J that division is weakness, and only by union can a comprehensive and payable scheme of internal communication, calculated to open, up the country and confer comforts and full remuneration to a large population be carried out, it became plain that Provincial Governments were a hindrance rather than a help to development. We regret, therefore, that so clear-sighted a man as Mr Macandrew should be found in the ranks of an Opposition, the, weakness of which is shown through no scheme, good, bad, or indifferent, as a substitute fur the Abolition Bill being brought forward.