The Evening Star TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4286, 21 November 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1876.

When the present political excitement has subsided, Centralists and Provincialists will, we fancy, unite to consider the question of where the Seat of Government is henceforth to be; and, if at Wellington, upon what terms. The fundamental change in the Constitution which has just been effected will entail numerous alterations of a more or less important character, in order that the machine of State may work quite smoothly ; and shis is one of them. It will take some time to accomplish, and it may be thought prudent to make trial changes before a final adjustment is brought about. Mr Thomson's motion for holding the next session of the Assembly at Dunedin, indicates one direction in which reform is likely to move. In explaining the object of his resolution, Mr Thomson said it was not intended to affirm the principle " that the General Assembly should be a peripatetic body, meeting one year in one centre of the population, and another year in another centre of population ; but his motion meant that, considering the circumstances of the Colony, it was desirable that the General Assembly should occasionally meet in some of the large centres of population." The arguments which he used in its support were similar to those already urged by us, namely, that an occasional change of this sort would enable the members to become practically acquainted with the various parts of the Colony, which knowledge is more necessary to them now than it was before, by reason of the large amount of local legislation which has just been thrown upon their hands; that the Assembly would, for the time, be relieved from the unwholesome influences surrounding it at Wellington ; that it was unfair to the Auckland and Otago members that they should be required to live in a place so distant from their homes as Wellington for a considerable portion of each year; that it would bring the Assembly within view of the general public* and secure better newspaper reportsgsof its proceedings than were now published; that Dunedin possessed every accommodation; and the expense of removal w&uld be comparatively light. Mr Thomson also* dilated upon the unhealthiness of Wellington, in which he was supported by the sybaritic |Mr Manders, who complained bitterly about "the unpleasant smells which prevailed there." MrMANDEBS, however, voted against the motion, chiefly as it appeared, on the ground of expense, although, with some incongruity, he expressed the opinion, that, "in future sessions, the Government might very properly place the steamer Hinemoa at the disposal of ihon. members during the session, in order t'bat they might be able to go on excuvsion trips; for it was very necessary for

their constituents' sake that they should have good health." We wonder he did not propose that a Cremorne should be established in the neighborhood of Queen Char* lotto's Sound and maintained at the publio expense, so that the members might take weekly trips there in the Hinemoa, and come back to Wellington every Tuesday morning like giants refreshed. Still a little allowance must be made for these representatives of the interior, who are accustomed to live amid so much luxury that they must feel the hardships of a three or four months' sojourn at Wellington very acutely. We can only administer to thom the consolation contained in Horace's verse (slightly altered), '' Dalce et decorum est pro palria jmtiri. " .On the other side of the question involved in the resolution, the Premier cut a very poor figure. He said but little, and what he did say was embraced in this remark: "He submitted that the whole' argument (of Mr Thomson) amounted to nothing more than that it would be nice to have the next session of the General Assembly held in Dunedin." With a majority at his back, the Premier could afford to treat the matter with indifference} but when the question comes up again, as it assuredly will, better cause will have to be shown why the General Assembly should not occasionally meet elsewhere than at Wellington, otherwise public opinion will demand that it should so meet.

There is a marked difference between this proposal and the removal of the Seat of Government from Wellington. The questi ras are separate and distinct, and the adoption of one course does not necessarily entail the adoption of the other. Nevertheless, we apprehend that both will have to be weighed at the proper time. The Seat of Government has hitherto been retained at Wellington more from a general indisposition to disturb the status quo than from any conviction that Wellington was the best place for the purpose. Auckland has, not unnaturally, been grumbling ever since she was deprived of the honor and profit of being the Seat of Government, and has always been on the lookout for a chance to recover it again; but Dunedin has never seriously contemplated being made the political capital of the Colony, and Christchurch has indulged in still fewer hopes on the subject. We are not prepared to advocate now that the Seat of Government should be removed from its present quarters; but we think that the terms upon which it should remain there might well be defined. When Wellington was first made the capital, the General Government was a small affair to what it is now, and the devolving of the whole business of the country upon its shoulders, with the natural growth of the Colony in population, will cause it to assunae still greater magnitude in the future. There is no precise data to go upon, and only a guess can be ventured, but, in one way and another, the Government establishment is probably worth a quarter of a million sterling a year to Wellington, besides the increased value which it gives to property in the city, with the honor and glory of being the capital of New Zealand thrown in. For these substantial benefits, Wellington gives the Colony absolutely nothing in return. Nor has she any claim upon its consideration. Her inhabitants are not more virtuous or talented than other people; nor has she at any period made peculiar sacrifices for the public good. Her merits are that she {assesses an excellent harbor in a central ocality. But Picton also possesses an excellent harbor in a central locality; while her climate is better, and the town could be converted into a purely political one, in connection with which there would be many advantages. Then, Nelson is conveniently situated enough, and if her harbor is not quite so fine as Wellington's, it is at any rate sufficiently good for all practical purposes. That Nelson is a pleasant place of residence is known to everybody ; while her climate is as much superior to that of Wellington as the climate of Naples is to that of Nova Zembla. Why should not the Seat of Government be removed to Picton or Nelson ? It seems to us that Wellington ought to pay a handsome contribution to the public exchequer for all the advantages she gets. If the Seat of Government is to remain where it is, a proper business arrangement should be made, so that the bargain may not be, as it is now, all on one side. 'lt would be well worth the while of the large propertyholders of Dunedin to guarantee the payment to the Government of 1.10,000 a year for a certain term, on condition that Dunedin should be constituted the capital; and the people of Christchurch or Auckland would doubtless be willing to pay handsomely for the same privilege. We have no desire to deprive Wellington of her present honors, but we protest against the Colony bestowing all and getting nothiDg.