The Evening Star MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4141, 5 June 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1876.

•As wo stated on Satuisday, his Honor the Superintendent ha £ replied to Sir Julius Vggel, ancl ; t bat reply has apr peared in the morn iaig journals, together with well-digested leaders, show-

ing that the letter, if not the leaders based upon it, was ready for issue as soon as decency would permit. As a reply to Sir Julius Yogel the letter is not worth comment, for it mainly re iterates charges against the Premier not justified by his memoranda, and which a very few days will prove to be utterly groundless. We regret much that so mistaken a course has been adopted by our Provincial Executive—for his Honor is but their mouthpiece. If all were strictly true that Mr Macandrew asserts, it would have been wiser to have reserved his explanations and charges until he had opportunity of giving them telling effect in the House of Representatives, than placing them before the country with the selfevident intention of creating a blind political agitation in Otago. He has - chosen a course, and thus far has failed to create agitation, although he has had the aid of two morning journals, each bent upon bidding for popularity, and fancying they are at last in the way of gaining it. Opposed in other respects, they unite in fulsome flattery of the Superintendent. Each vies with the other in discovering some feature to be admired in his correspondence, not even suspected, we should imagine, by hifnself. One finds out that his reply to Sir Julius’s explanatory note is “crushing,” and claims with him superior penetration to those who are miscalled “Centralists.” The other journal, that seems to have had the advantage of a more cultivated pen—probably because better able to pay has found out that the “ weekly. gun: has been fired, and Mr Mac an drew has once more expressed himself with that fulness and terrible hardness in which he is so skilled.” Very good for an opening simile; but the hardest strokes are not always successful in battering down, a barrier when they are badly aimed; and we are inclined, to think it will be shown that Mr Macandrew, like Sir George Grey, has been amusing himself and the country by battling with ghosts of his own raising. Nor should we covet the covert condemnation under the guise of commendation, implied in conducting the correspondence “cun ningly,” as asserted by the 1 Daily Times.’ Cunning is not an attribute that is usually considered desirable in a Briton. It may suit a Maori, or North American Indian, or .some semi-bar-barian who aims to achieve by stratagem what he cannot effect by straightforward means. We question much whether Mr Macandrew will feel compliniented by the imputation. The ‘ Daily Times * pretends to great sympathy with the Civil servants.. It suits its purpose now, as it has before suited its purpose, to hound worthy officials to difficulty or the grave; but whatever the * Daily Times ’ or Mr Macandrew may say about the “ Provincial lines” for the purpose of controversy, there is not much difficulty in proving the truth of what Sir Julius Vggel stated. Let inquiry be made in Southland, and every jvord he has uttered will be'found substantiated. Unskilfulness and waste of money in executing the Provincial Government contracts are matters of notoriety, and the local Press is subjected to a legally enforced silence regarding them. The ‘ Daily Times ’ compliments the Superintendent on his skill as an executioner “ for the ingenious way in which he has impaled Sir Julius Yogel.” Yery good for a toady : but wait a bit —the thrust may be found to have been harmless through the point of the spear having been turned the wrong way. Many a savage demonstration passes very harmlessly when men are merely vaporing at each other at a distance. It is at close quarters where the battle is sorest, and we wait the revelation of the session before passing judgment upon the- subject matter in dispute. The Provincialists are very complacently contemplating the prowess of their combatant. We shall be sorry but not surprised to see him “hoist with his own petard.” On one point even the ‘ Daily Times’ chips out from its newly-adopted idol. Even that journal cannot see with him that Otago should be made a separate Colony. We feel surprised at, that, because it misses so excellent a chanoe of proclaiming “we said so,” should such a remote contingency ever occur. We think this departure from its customary policy a mistake on its part. No journal in the world has so much right to say “We told our readers,’* or “ we predicted long ago,” or “ we wrrote so and so some months since,’ and. “ so it has come to pass” as the ‘ Daily Times.’ With perfect truth, whether one event comes to pass or its opposite, forecast may be claimed, seeing that one day one course is advocated or predicted and shortly after a run in another direction. In this instance it has condemned separation from the Colony-—• we presume, therefore, that-it is, at least at present, deemed as impossible as it would be unwise. This phantom Utopia of Mr Macandrew’s is as unsubstantial as many other of the ghosts he is battling for And against. Many of the evils he denounces do not exist, wlitl© many more are common to all forms of government, and fall with less TrUight on society when emanating from one parliament than when multiplied by ten—as in New Zealand under Provincialism. We do not expect that whatever the General Governme nt proposes will meet the complete ap probation; of anyone. Like the Grecian picture, every beauty \\ ill havte its admirer in one critio, its censor in ai lother; but

whatever is to be proposed, the wiser course is to wait before condemning. So far the General Government’s measures have conduced to Colonial prosperity beyond what Provincialism could possibly have effected. Although denounced by a few, the many .have approved. It is found that changes are needful to secure the full benefit of what has been begun, apd unity of purpose on the part of the Colony, not separation of interest, is requisite. To this end the efforts of all should be directed, instead of wasting power by attempting to, destroy each other’s pqrsonal influence and reputation.