THE PROVINCIAL SYSTEM.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 102, 15 February 1868, Page 6

THE PROVINCIAL SYSTEM.

Sie David Moneo, the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives, the other daydelivered a lengthy address to the Committee of the Financial Eeform League, in favor of the abolition of the provinces, and the substitution of—nothing in particular—in their room; neither does he show any benefit that would accrue, beyond the doubtful one of placing into the hands of the General Government a greater amount of power which, from their antecedents, people who consider the question in all its bearings will not be disposed to grant. The good that would result from the surrender of such powers of local self-government as the provinces possess would not be felt in any monetary saving, for Sir David Monro (as Mr. Curtis, the Superintendent, did on a former occasion) admits that there would probably be no saving at all, while there would certainly be an increase of burdens by the imposition of more local taxation.

In fact, he acknowledges that there would not be any particular direct benefit, but there would be great and manifold indirect benefits; and while the expectant auditor was waiting to hear of what these benefits were to consist, the lecturer faded into generalities, and failed to point out any tangible good that would follow the destruction of the provincial system. We are no such lovers of the provinces as to be blind to their faults and shortcomings ; and while we advise the remedying of these, and the reduction of some of the pomp and circumstance which surround their action, yet we cannot help connecting Sir David Monro and others of his way of thinking very closely with the growth and fostering of such e*fils as are connected with the system. This we shall take occasion to notice when go more fully into the various branches of argument which Sir David Monro, with what we cannot but deem a good deal of temerity, has undertaken to raise.— Colonist.