The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 503, 29 August 1857, Page 5

The Lyttelton Times.

Saturday, August 29. The news from Auckland by the last mail is a strange mixture of the painful and the ludicrous. The contemptible character of Auckland party warfare is calculated to throw discredit upon the whole colony. If the Southerns could afford to look on at what Auckland calls "its politics" without any other feeling than that of pity and contempt, it would be well for them; but, unfortunately, the disproportionate power of Auckland in the General Assembly is still a fact; and the numbers of the representatives of that province weigh down the interests of the settlements, which are fast becoming ashamed of their northern neighbour. Is.it riot worthy of the consideration of Auckland partizans, whether petty party triumphs are not rather dearly bought at the expense of the fair fame of their province, at the expense, in a measure, of the fair fame of the Colony ? Australian papers have of late commented severely upon the Auckland Council scenes, as though that Council were the Assembly of.New Zealand Representatives. Strangers cannot be expected to understand the complicated machinery of our Constitution: one* of the very small parts is often taken for the not very large whole.

Such as Auckland is at present, let us consider the .estimate taken by itself of its power. . In alluding, to the conduct of the General Government respecting the non-dis-solution of the Provincial Council, and suggesting probable causes for such conduct, the" Auckland Examiner" makes use of such; expressions as the following:

Should Governor Browne dissolve the Council at this crisis it will be under penalties no sane politician would like to incur. Governor Browne cannot desire to compromise the General Government. Auckland progress members can, at any time after, the General Assembly meets, upset the General Government coach. Unless Stafford is ambitious to dissolve his own ministry he will take care not to offend the Auckland members, of whom at least seven are so disgusted with Mr. Williamson that any attempt by any minister to snatch him from well merited perdition they will resent as political crime and personal insult. Yes, progress members can at pleasure dispose of the Stafford or any other now possible Ministry. By according a dissolution, the General Government breaks with the progress party; by refusing a dissolution they secure its support.

The sentences given above in italics are tolerably startling. Are they true ? And, if they are, is there any wonder in our being somewhat sensitive as to the disgrace brought upon so 'important a .portion of the constituency of New Zealand ? Another important question arises upon this consideration. Is it right that Auckland should be allowed to remain the seat of Government? Has the question not become one on which the credit of the colony, as well as its general convenience, is at stake ? Will not the probably rapid increase in the numbers of Southern settlers consequent upon the Nelson diggings give us a right and a power to alter the representation in such a manner as to prevent our being in the power of a province which has shown itself so unworthy to lead us ?

It is to be hoped that for its own sake the more sensible men of Auckland will put a stop to the proceedings which have induced us to make these comments. The Southern settlers have been from lthe first anxious to co-operate with Auckland, and have hoped that, when they had settled down under the new Constitution, the largest constituency would set an example to the rest of New Zealand.Jßut for four years bad hasbeen gradually becoming worse, till at last a most absurd climax has been attained. Having elected a Superintendent totally unfitted for his post, and with a Council like a bear garden, Auckland is only useful, politically speaking, as a warning not likely to be overlooked.

The last occurrences in that province are briefly as follows. The Electoral Roll was found to be so incorrigibly corrupt, that the two members with the one seat between

them determined not to be the cause of a general election involving personation and bribery in its worst forms. They therefore resigned. As this course showed a clear way out of the difficulty, the General Government declined to dissolve the Council as Superintendent Williamson wished. On finding that his importunities were vain, this worthy has issued two writs, one for each resignation, thus perpetuating the dilemma, and providing deliberately for a repetition of the disgraceful scenes at the last session of the Council. As it will he even more difficult for the Council to decide between the two members now to be elected than between the two former disputants, there will be probably no course left for the General Government but to dissolve the Council. If Auckland does not then show its sense of the position in which it has been placed by the conduct of the Superintendent and the factious of both its parties, we despair of ever seeing that province assume a creditable position amongst the settlements of New Zealand.