THE DEBATE ON THE EXECUTIVE BILL AND ITS TENDENCY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 108, 9 May 1871, Page 4

THE DEBATE ON THE EXECUTIVE BILL AND ITS TENDENCY.

To The Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail. SiR-r-Will you allow me a short space in your journal for a few observations on the above subject. I must first of all premise that it is not my intention to follow, up your humorous correspondent's, " Aunt Sally," view of the subject, or to adopt the calm resignation of your contemporary the Colonist, "So mote it be." A listener to the debate throughout, I came to the conclusion that, judging from its tone, and the pull-down ability of the principal leaders, tbe time , was fast approaching when all these paraphernalia of a Parliament with a Ministry or Executive, Speaker, Gazette, and a Superintendent — who, judging by the Standing Orders, is to be treated as a sovereign, — will cease to have an existence, and I am the more convinced that this is a correct view of the subject by the observations of men of ability who visit New Zealand, the critical remarks of a foreign press, aud the impossibility of discovering ,in any other country a Government Aso expensive and cumbersome. Why, its existence would not be tolerated for a single year if it had to be supported by direct taxation, thus proving that it must be wrong in principle. I am notsingula'r'or eccentric in my views which are held by thousands throughout the colony, and the subject is forced upon the attention of every man who devotes a thought to the welfare of the country, and who is capable of taking a plain . common sense of such questions, as may be brought under his notice. That the timefhf now come when the Government of tjie country must be more adapted to the wants of the people and their circumstances, by reducing the enormous cost so as to equalise; revenue and expenditure, is, perfectly clear, and; I would ask, Is it not now possible.tp carry on the Government' of the colony from a centre, substituting 1 Municipal Councils with large I powers' for 1 'towns and allowing the Country districts; to ibe managed by Road Boards with, great fac^ities jfor^opening up' the waste jandd, for occupation in the out districts. , ; Such, , a„, pj|gn would be rendered more simple by the allocation < of the revenue „,i n ..proportion' ; to the: population, introduce^ by t|.e General Government. The larger and important/ ; -works, such • . . ias , ; ; rail v^ayts^ / &c., r< wq^dj-ol, coursej.be undertaken by the General Government. As to the impreßßiops. that exist r with^ respec^ Jo 9Jir, .foi*cb ; ofjG.o.vernme*ia.-ilan4 '<&"$ repr^fch *-#§ [: are laboring juu der, . I xj,uote from a work! called " Greater .Britain " by C. W. Dilke, p248:-_. ( '• '-;•'• ; " The 5 divisiofct itfto r proVinces *wa's-ai fl one time necessary from tbe fao_ that the

settlements were historically distinct, and physically cut off frorri each other by the inpenetrability of the i>ush, and the absence of all roai's; JjjjSHhe barriers are now surmounted, MH(rno sufficient reason ' can be found fbj«eepii : *g up ten cabinets and two l«ffisj(_f_|es for a population of only 2OO,OoDsoui. Such is the costliness of the provincial system aud of Maori wars, that the taxation of the: New Zealanders is nine times as heavy as. that of their brother colonislts^ in Canada." I believe these views are hlld by more than half of the present members of the Provincial Councils. Why not then affirm the principle by resolution ? Then, as the snipe writer ..says on Colonial Democracy, p 323 :— " the most singular, perhaps, of the spectacles presented by colonial politics during my visit was that, of the Victorian Upper ' House going deliberately into, cotnmit tee to consider its constitution, with the view of introducing a bill for its own reform, or to meditate, its enemies said, upon self destruction." Unless reform iv the Expenditure and administration of the Government both local and general, is combined with the prosperity that will accompany the expenditure of the large loans the future of the colony will be deplorable. The only real! objection against ■ doing away with ihe Provincial Government is that the General Government have mismanaged afFuirs, and thaU-ffe moneys raised by taxation will be uu*fa*ffiy speotfas regards the smaller pr&vimev, therefore before condemning our institutions we must be assured that whffi is to take their place shall be morj^aeeeptable. I maintain that one of thflo_dvanfa-_es to be derived from such a fllfange would be that men's minds would^e directed to the one Governments and not be distracted as by the present double system, under which the advocate, of one put the blame upon that to which by interest or otherwise they are opposed. We have our associations, scientific and otherwise, but what is wanted, and that quickly, is a reform association composed of men who can put aside their party views and feelings iv order that^the^cplony may be saved from impending ruinY I am yours, &c, PUBLICOLA. - '~ :