Hawke's Bay Times. MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1868. DOES HAWKE’S BAY WISH TO COME UNDER THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT ?

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 560, 16 March 1868, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times.

MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1868. DOES HAWKE’S BAY WISH TO COME UNDER THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT ?

Nutlius addict us jurare in verba magistri.

“ Hawke’s Bay desires (o come under the General Government; she has exhausted her land fund, and is wise enough to know that without a laud fund a Province cannot exist. She takes time by the forelock, wishing to retire with credit to herself.”—Mr Carlctun hi the Auckland Provincial Counnl. Mn Caiileton's speech in the Provincial Council of Auckland has at length jheen pretty well canvassed throughout ; the Colony. It will be remembered that |he recommended Auckland to retire from the federation as the shortest method of breaking up the whole Provincial system, and applying the surplus funds of some parts of the Colony to the needs of the rest. “If,” he said, “the Colony is to be treated as a whole you cannot starve one limb, and whether Auckland he licli or poor her necessary establishjihents will be paid for out of the conSsolidatcd revenue of the Colony.” j Auckland has, as is only too well I known, virtually become bankrupt, j while certain provinces in the South are in a comparatively prosperous condition, and he plainly—rather too plainly—showedhis intention of wrecking provincialism if possible in order that Auckland might “go shares” with Otago and Canterbury in their prosperity. The Otago Daily Times j thus treats of the matter : ; Xow let the people of this province, and indeed Jofl he whole Island, weigh well these words. They ;m-,in no slight burden in the future. Certain of 'the provinces must continue poor, he contends, \whilst they remain provinces; but do .away with ; provincial distinctions, and they become parts }of the whole colony, entitled to a share in all tne good things going. “If the colony, is to be treated as a whole, yon cannot star Ac one limb,” is as fair |a text as c mid be selected on which to preach a common right on behalf of the whole colony to the ; separate land funds of the provinces. Let the centralhis of this Island and of this province under|stand what they are doing. The moment the provincial harriers arc broken down, each part of the i colony will urge an equal claim on what the colony I has to give. The work of all the years that have I gone will be as nothing ; their will be no halting point. If Provincialism has been and is, threatened, on account of the anxiety of the poorer parts |of the colony to participate in the gifts ol the richer, iis it to be supposed by sensible men, that when jtko threats are fulfilled, and the provinces swept away, there will be any hesitation to seek the fruits, or any means of withholding them P As well suppose that the garofter, after rendering his victim senseless would abstain from rifling his pockets, as that the majority of those who from selfish motives, are seeking to upset Provincialism will hesitate, if they succeed, to lay their hands on the spoils. The Nelson Examiner also in a recent issue adverts to the subject as follows: Mr Carleton openly advocates billeting the poorer provinces upon their more prosperous neighbours. It is to be feared that such a daring : proposal of spoliation will do inure to cause division amongst the upholders of a colonial policy than all the arguments of their adversaries. We I must, however, remember that Mr Carleton is a | sort of Ishmael among politicians—his hand j against every man, and every man’s hand against • him—and that the views which he puts forward ■arc only those of an independent member who represents no party. We cannot think that the 1 House of Representatives will throw honesty to the winds, and lend a favourable ear to Carletonjism, nor can we believe that the upholders of an i honest colonial policy will look npon the strange I proposal of the member of the Bay of Islands as , having any thing in common with their views. i So far our southern contemporaries ; | but we wish more particularly to note what Mr Carleton says concerning our

own Province. Where did he learn that Hawke’s Bay, “ having exhausted her land fund,” and being fearful of approaching poverty, has come to wish to retire under the General Govern-

ment, while she can do so with “ credit ” ? Certainly not from the columns of either of the local journals ; and we

flatter ourselves that the wishes and opinions of the Hawke’s Bay public pretty fairlv in our

columns. In fact, in making such u statement he has wandered far from the facts of the case, ami we hesitate not to say that Hawke’s Bay does net' desire to come under the General Government. Whether it would be better or worse for her to throw her revenue into, and take her administrative expenses from, a general fund, we shall not stay to enquire. We know that she does not wish to do so, and that is answer sufficient.

Extravagant as we admit Provincial Governments to be, they are still much less so than is the General Government ; and, what is yet more to the point, they are more under the immediate control of the people than is the General Government. This control, feeble though it may be, the people do not wish to lose, as most certainly they would if Provincialism be swallowed up in the General Government