The Globe. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1875.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 449, 22 November 1875, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1875.

The address, recently issued in the shape of a pamphlet, by Mr Macandrew to the people of Otago is the expression of one of New Zealand’s ablest politicians on the great question of the day. Mr Macandrew is. of course, wedded to Provincialism, and he would, if it were possible, sweep away the Colonial Legislature, and retain the Provincial Councils. He brings forward numerous charges against the general administration of the Government, and declares, amongst other statements, that each immigrant introduced now costs the colony £2l 10s per head, or £6 more than was the case when this department was under the superintendence of the Provincial Government of Otago. He reiterates the cry that the land revenue will go go into the general chest, and that the provinces from which it is drawn will not receive any fair share of this income back again. His principal idea of the manner in which the sum in question will be appropriated, is that it will be applied towards deficiencies in every part of the colony. Though he expects the Otago Railways to be a source of revenue, he predicts that certain other lines, known to him as political lines, will not pay expenses, and argues that in this case the land fund of Otago will be drawn upon to pay the necessary deficit. He will not, and cannot believe in the good faith of the Colonial Legislature, as far as the “ rights and interests of “ particular provinces are concerned,” and calls such a belief a folly. He then proceeds to deplore that the fact that the Abolition of the Provinces is supported by the squatters, and charges them with giving their votes to the Government in the hope that they may be able to obtain a renewal

of i heir .e.is. s on biiter terms from a Colonial instead of a Provincial Legislature. This is an accusation which appears to us to be totally unjust, and for which there has never been advanced a single argument. But it is a good cry for the obtaining the votes of the small farmers, who are only too ready to believe everything that is evil of the pastoral interest. He then proceeds to argue that if any of the provinces are in a state of impecuniosity it is not through the extravagance of the provincial administration, but in consequence of the Colonial Parliament having absorbed the revenue to keep up the Legislature at Wellington on a scale of unparalleled extravagance. Mr Macandrew then propounds his scheme for the future Government of New Zealand. This may be briefly summed up as separation. The old cry is revived, and the same arguments which were once fatal to it can be used again now. It appears to us certain that such a separation as Mr Macandrew proposes would never receive the necessary assent. It is idle to suppose that with a country of the size of New Zealand, and the daily increasing facilities of communication between the different centres of population, two distinct Governments are required. Mr Macandrew leans to the opinion that two provinces would be sufficient for each island. This means that the Southern portion of this island would still be under the sway of a Council elected from Otago, and thus the gain experienced by having some of the South Canterbury land fund to dispose of, would fall into the hands of Mr Macandrew and his party. All the Southern portion of the island is rich, but the Northern part is as badly off as are some of the North Island provinces, and according to the Scheme propounded, Canterbury would be the principal sufferer. We should prefer the tender mercies of the Colonial Legislature.