The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1868. DOES HAWKE’S BAY WISH TO COME UNDER THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT?

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 63, 16 March 1868, Page 67

The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1868. DOES HAWKE’S BAY WISH TO COME UNDER THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT?

“ Hawkd’s Bay desires to come under the General Governmentshe has exhausted her land fund, and is wise enough to know that without a land fund a Province cannot exist: She lakes time by the forelock, wishing to retire with credit to herself.”—Mr Carleton in the Auckland. Provincial Council .

Mr Carleton 5 s speech in the Provincial Council of ’Auckland has at length 'been 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 r#st. <£ lfj” he said, “the Colony is to be treated as a whole you cannot starve one limb, and whether Auckland be rich or poor her necessary Establishments will be paid for out of, the consolidated revenue of the /Colony.” Auckland : has, as is: only too well known, virtually become bankrupt, while certain provinces in the South

are in a comparatively prosperous condition, and' he plainly—rather too his intention of wrecking provincialism if possible in order that. Auckland might “go shares ” with : Otago and Canterbury in. their prosperity. The Otago Daily Times thus treats of the matter : Now let the people of this province, and indeed of the whole Island, weigh well these words. They mean 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 the good things going. ,“ If the colony, is to be treated as a whole, you cannot starxe one limb,” is as fair a text as c'luldbc selected on which to preach a common right on behalf of the whole colony to the separate land funds of the provinces. Let the centralists of this Island and of this province understand what they arc doing. . The moment the provincial barriers are broken down, each part of the colony will urge an equal claim on what the colony has to give. The work of all the years that have gone will be as nothing; their wifi 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 of the richer, is it to be supposed by sensible men, that when the 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 garotter, after rendering his victim senseless would abstain from rifling his pockets, as that the majority of those who from seMsh 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 biHeting the poorer provinces upon their more prosperous neighbours. It is to be feared that such a daring proposal of spoliation will do more to cause division amongst the upholders of a colonial policy than all the arguments of, their adversaries. We must, however, remember that Mr Carleton is a sort of Ishmael among politicians—his hand against every man, and every man’s hand against him—and that the views which he puts forward are only those of an independent member who represents no party. We cannot think that the House of Representatives will throw honesty to the winds, and lend a favourable ear to Carletonism, nor can we believe that the upholders of an honest colonial policy will look upon the strange proposal of the member of the Bay of jslands as having any thing in common with their views. .

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 ■ Government, while she can do so with <f 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 are pretty fairly represented in our columns. In fact, in making such a statement he has wandered far from the facts of the case, and we hesitate not to say that Hawke’s Bay does not 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 iso than is the General Government;' and, what is yet more to the point; they are more under the immediate cbntroi 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 Pfbvincialism be swallowed up in the .General Government.