The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3996, 15 December 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1875.

The time has arrived when the electors of Dunedin must make up their minds on th° choice of representatives. Mr Wales will cot again offer his services, so that Mr Reynolds, our old and tried member, who, we have no doubt, will again ba elected, will have to be associated with two new colleagues. Although, for some time back, no fcreat interest was manifested in public matters by the inhabitants of tho City, the torpor is thrown off, and a number of candidates have announced their desire to be elected. Unluckily, however respectable as citizens, the public reputation as politicians of some of them will nob justify their being supported. If ever there was a time ia tho history of New Zealand when, more than another, men of sound principles aud more than ordinary business talent f'were required in the legislature that time is the present. The sad mistakes made by past Parliaments which ltd to war and crippled tho resources of the Colour, are a solemn warning to every voter to elect men whoso prin iples are in accordance with those Ministers, who, wdh a rare combination of courage and prudence, grappled with apparently increasing difficulties, aud turned the adverse tide of events into a prosperous current. It might be imagined that such a retrospective glance is unnecessary, as everyone is now convinced that their policy must be continued. Unluckily, everybody is not convinced. Many new comers are not sufficiently acquainted with the facta of the last ave years to be ablo to compare tho present with the past; and anion* the opponents of the Ministry are who ] 7 r *>« d to persuade the public that, although their measures have succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectations of their supporters, they ought to have ruined the country. That they have not is a political sin many members of the Opposition cannot forgive; so as ruin seems iurtber eft than ever, they are continually postponing tho period when it is to take place. AccoidiiM to Opposition doctrines it vughc to bavo taken place when tho laat portion of the railway loan was neede«. It was predicted that > ew Zca and would before that time have exhausted its credit, and that the railway scheme could noi ha completed. Up to last session it was confidently affirmed that heavy additional taxation would be needed to pay the interest on loans, as it wai said the railways would not pay working expenses. Experience confutes this error. We can hardly imagice that any one would rejoice in the fulli ment of a prediction of evil, yet tho persiste.it efforts made to supersede the ministers of progress, and to p.!t in their places men !who from the first mooting of the Pubic Works Schcuio endeavored to prevent Us adoption, would justify such a conclusion. Foiled in their fact oui schemes they have not abandoned thtir obstruc iveness, but have adopted dif fer*ut tactics. The fashion now ia to decry tho Ministry for extravagance. Wo do not doubt there is a possibility of saving in thu cost of government. No ouo denies that. The Honorable r dward lUciiardson made no secret of tho matter, but plainly said much rm-ht be B.IV d wore the country rid of the I Pmvm ml system. Mr Stout anl His Honor Mr Macasdrkw claim support of their theories on tho ground of saving. Tne question we once put to Mr STou/in our columns, requesting him to explain how the country would lose by saving .£32,OQi) a-year -thecostof i rovincia i«m—was not merely a joke. It has been atfirm.-dthat Provincialism is the cheapest form of government. We take leave to challenge the Provincial party to the proof. Provincialism must bo probed into if we would knowito cost. o small part or. the debt of the Colony is Provincial. «t has contracted loans in uta«o amounting to ±1,405,026. We ask what there in to show for this immense amount. We should like to know how this money baa been spent, but _ no mciintry in searching into Provincial r wr<lu ) v » y f nal led us" to unravel the mystery. Mr Iv.'.\o.\>:dkv.\v'B similo, that his buporintouden's'iip Las been spent n an endeavor to spread a limited quantity ®f butter over an unlimited quantity of bread, is tbe best answer th-.t can be ; but themais of the butter wa« wasted before hia time. l v o doubt many useful works hr.ve beenconstnictcdai.dinonymilesocroadsmade; but we venture to affinii that full one-h;.lf the money has been f ittcred away on works that are not reproductive, or badly done, or purely local. Nor must tho price that has be#n paid for the loans be Half!

a million of money wns borrowed in 1882 at six per cent, iutereat, but only £455,000 waß received for a nominal loan of LSO-'.OOO-that is to say, a p-envum of nine percent, was given for the money, and £Q interest anuually is payable on £9l. Had such a bargain been made by the General Government of this day, the Colony would have rung with in lignation from South to North. It ia very easy.to make random assertions respecting the judicious spreading of the butter, and without specitic statistics, wb*ch we find it impossible to obtain, au assertion on one side may be held equally valid with a counter-state-meat; but it would be very instructive if bis_ Honor _ or.. Mr Stout, each of whom claims-such advantages fcr Provincialism, would show what has been the gain of borrowing at two per cent, higher than the General Government; and they might also state what amount of the loans may be consi lered reproductive ; what was spent on the parposas for which it was borrowo.i ; what was spent on other purposes than professedly designed; and what was thrown away in order to propitiate some discontented Provincial district. That word "eoonomiso •' is a good election cry. We fully believe that not only our own but all governments cost more than they ought; but that, taking into consideration the price the Provinces havo paid for money, the heavy of administration compared with the revenue to be disbursed, and the wasteful manner in which loins have been spent, the most expensive system has been the Provuicial.