CENTRALISM AND PROVINCIALISM.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 466, 1 April 1867, Page 3

CENTRALISM AND PROVINCIALISM.

(Southern Cross.) There is abundant evidence that Mr Stalford’s Government means to abolish Provincial institutions in tbe coming session, if possible. It is announced in a recent issue of the Wellington Advertiser, which is said to reflect the opinions of tbe Government, that such •an attempt will be made. The article to v/hich \T6 refer where, and it is worth perusal. The question now is, not whether Provincial institutions are good in theory, but whether they have perfected their worrv. juOGiCiug at it in this light which is the only practical view of the question, we should say that Provincial institutions have not yet accomplished that for which they were established. Their w»rk is rather enlarging upon the Provinces than decreasing. This

will appear to any one who gives the subject the least consideration. They will find that the General Government is nothing else than a hugely cumbrous and expensive machine for the eollec tion and disbursement of revenue. The real practical work of government is left to the Provinces; the General Government simply interposes delays and checks, and absorbs two-thirds vf iuc revenue of the country in the operation. country interferes seriously with business. The delays and uncertainty connected with every transection in which a reference is necessary to the seat of Government, are in themselves sufficient to condemn the system ; and were any other British community than ours subjected to such treatment, summary and effectual measures of reform would be adopted. We appeal to anyone who has had dealings with the Government since the new system of Treasury payments came into operation, to say whether or not that sysdoes not practically enable the Go vemraent at Wellington to evade payment of their accounts for four, six, or eight months, in many cases inflicting serious loss to men in husi ness. Centralism means a continuance of this system of evasion, which is as costly from its circumlocution as it is dishonest in principle. Then, again, the necessity of sending all documents to be stamped in Wellington, under a penalty, imposes pecuniary burdens on the people in excess of the stamp duty. Moreover, it involes delays, aud the possible loss of important documents, for which the Government is not by any means responsible. Indeed it would almost appear as if the Treasury regulations and the Stamp Act had been framed with a view to find employment for the host of placemen who are pensioned on the country, aud at the same time to place every hindrance that ingenuity could invent la the way of completing business transactions.

The same remarks apply to the is sue of Grown Grants. We are certain we are within the murk when we say that the delays—the uncalled-for delays—that have taken place hi the issue of Crown grants from Wellington, have ruined scores of struggling men in Auckland, and seriously emnarrassed many more. A T o one can possibly conceive the number of instances in which heavy loss in money—sometimes ruinous loss—has beeu inflicted from this cause. And the effect does not end with the individual, it is felt by the community at large. On this account great tracts of country iu this Province are to-day unimproved, which would otherwise have been paruaily cultivated, adding to the permanent wealth of the Colony and the stability of our settlement. From this cause much misery, hardship, and individual suffering have beeu inflicted; and so long as the system of Centralism, such as we And it prevails iuNew Zealand, so long will these abuses continue.

No doubt the Wellington Advertiser prefers Centralism to Provincialism. The preference is natural. Who would prefer famine to plenty, indigence to opulence, “hard times” to prosperity ? Now, we do not wish any harm to Wellington, still less so [to our contemporary; but we desire that other places in the Colony shall have a share of the good things of this life, more especially when these happen to be purchased with their own money. We do not envy Wellington, and would not have her pay one shilling towards the government in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, or any other Province. But we want iter to live on her own resources, and not boast of an artificial prosperity, by draining the other settlements of their revenue, to spend it in her streets in maintaining an army of officials ten times too numerous for the real public work of the country. Therefore, for the present we prefer Provincialism, We would reduce the General Government very considerably. We would shear it of its unfair proportions. It is admitted on all hands that it has grown out of all proportion to public requirement. Sir biafford admits tins fact; so also does his organ, the Advertiser. But do we see signs of retrenchment ? By no means. A Civil Service commissioner was appointed, the commissioners being chosen from

amongst the noble army of officials; and of course the report was in every

respect satisfactory. The civil servants were to be placed on a better footin'? as to oav and pension -■ that was all. AMr Spence was brought from Melbourne to act on the commission, and as his office has since been abolished by the Victorian Government, Mr Stafford has had to make a place lor him here. So we nnti that Mr bpence and Mr Gisborne have been sent on a tour to examine the officers of the Government at every sea-port on literary and scientific subjects. This duty will occupy the examiners several months, and the pay and travelling allowance included will cost the country two or three thousand pounds. This done, we are told another commission will be brought out from England to enquire whether the noble army might not be reduced 1 Such is the proposal of the Government ; and of course, it is all with a view to retrenchment. The Colony is thus being fooled into a bellif that the Government is iu earnest; whereas it is only patent that the intention is to increase rather than reduce expenditure.

So long as Centralism continues, there will be no hope for a thorough retrenchment. The General Assembly has become as corrupt as the Fxecu live. Members would appear to be legislating with a view to finding situations for themselves or friends, and not for the public good. Since the advent of Mr Stafford to office, the system of corruption has been perfected, and if all the rumors we hear turn out truo, we should not he surprised to find that before the close ol the present Parliament, three-fourths of the members who were returned at the last general election will have re tired from the active arena of politics to life-billets, under the Government. This is a sad but a melancholy truth. Mr Stafford appeared, when leader ol the opposition in 1865, as a purist; but it would seem that he was insincere. The number of public officers having seats in Parliament has increased since then ; uiul place and pay have been showered on others. Perhaps it was imperative on Mr Stafford: to bribe his opponents, and increase the number of his followers, by such means ; but the country lias suffered iu reputation and money. The tone of political morality has been lowered. The General Assembly has ceased to he respected. “Lobbying” of the worst kind has become an “ institution” in Wellington; and any Government that desires to retain office, whilst the seat of Government remains there, must be prepared to continue the present system.

The cure mr ail this is to strengthen Provincialism, until such time as the Colony has been so far advanced, ami the means of communication so well perfected, that the political and commercial capital may be chosen by general consent. At present, it is idle to call Wellington the capital of New Zealand. It is a small community, far behind several of its rivals iu wealth, population, and trade; and counot pretend to give a metropolitan tone to colonial doiitics. But on account of its obscurity it is the better fitted to be the centre of intrigue and a hot bed of jobbery. The breath cl a wholesome public opininiou never raffles its stagnant pool of corruption, it is the interest of its inhabitants to conserve the existing system; and hence no voice is raised against it iu the Wellington press, whose venality was unblushingly proclaimed last session, and through whose culpable neglect, failing to receive a bribe, the! country was kept iu ignorance of the progress and scope of the legislation.