The Globe. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1874.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 98, 23 September 1874, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1874.

Although we are of opinion that the opponents of provincialism have not made their case clear, we are far from maintaining that provincial administration in this province, has been satisfactory to the majority of the inhabitants. This is especially the case with reference to the treatment of the municipalities by the Government. While the Road Board districts have had large sums lavished upon them, the claims of the towns have been treated with undisguised contempt. During the last session of the Provincial Council, it is true, that a few paltry thousands were voted for division amongst the four municipalities of the province, but when wo turn to the enormous grants made to the various Eoad Boards, the injustice of the action of the Council becomes evident. Had those votes been made in proportion to the land fund raised in the district, we should have had less to complain of. But while old-settled road districts, in which not an acre of Crown land has been sold for years, received thousands, the largest Road Board in the province—the city of Christchurch—obtained only a few hundreds. Why should the Heathcote, Avon, Lincoln, Ellesmere, and other old-settled districts receive hnndreds for every pound granted to the City of Christchurch. It we remember rightly, Dr Turnbull called the attention of the Council, at its last sitting, to this question, but his appeal was scarcely listened to. We have reason to hope that the municipalities will receive very different treatment during the next session of the Council. The Province’s ex tremity is the City’s opportunity. If the Council shows a willingness to deal out even-handed justice to all parts of the province, to both towns, and the country districts, the conservative spirit of the province

may assert itself, and rise to resist the hasty and immature proposals to upset the existing order of things. But we give the Provincial Government fair warning, that the municipalities must receivevery different treatment to what they have hitherto obtained, or their inhabitants may be tempted to declare in favor of Mr Vogel's untried scheme, in the hope that in the general upturning of existing institutions, they may obtain something in the general scramble. «. The success achieved by the New Zealand Insurance Company during its career must be exceedingly gratifying to all who, like ourselves, teel an interest in the progress of purely colonial institutions. Starting as it did, strictly a colonial undertaking, having no large London proprietary to absorb its profits into another channel, the figures given of the business done by it, since its commencement, show that its career has been one of uninterrupted success. It is now proposed, in order to further extend its operations, to increase the capital to one million, and, looking to what has been done in the past, it is only fair to hope for it a still greater increase of business in the future. Its success is the more noteworthy, as it was at the time of its starting, we believe the first colonial —that is New Zealand —undertaking of any magnitude, and affords a proof of what can be done by colonially managed and owned companies, when their affairs are prudently and wisely conducted.