COLONIAL PARTY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 21, 17 June 1871, Page 16

COLONIAL PARTY.

It is interesting to notice how the policy of that annus mirabilis 1870 has fought its way to general acceptance during the recess, and how, day by day, the most deep seated prejudices are melting before it At first, the " Colonial party, as they were called, predicted its breakdown, because in. its administration Provincial Governments were asked to cooperate. Their opinions, expressed at various times and places, may be considered as " fossilised" in the remarks of Mr Bunny in the House:—" He trusted the Government would see the necessity of making it a colonial work, and banishing anything of a provincial nature from it. If they wished to leave their mark on the history of New Zealand—a mark that would be a glory and a credit to themselves-they would guard their steps by carrying out what he would call a colonial policy: they would not be carried away by Otago, Canterbury, or any province, but by carrying out those large colonial works, they would leave a mark upon this country which would be a glory to them, and a credit to the House." The colony can now judge whether the course recommended has been faithfully carried out during the recess. Have the "Colonial Government been carried away by terburv, or any other province?" To answer this question, it is evident that we must have before us a case in which the Colonial Government have been carrvin<* out this policy in a province where the Government have been doin« their utmost to oppose it. Such a case we actually find in the province of Otago, where, it will be remembered, in ISeVthe Colonial Government, formed of this very " Colonial party," were ignoininiously" carried away" before the current of popular opinion then running in favor of the Superintendent. As this case is peculiarly instructive, and specially interesting at the present time to the people of Wellington, we make no apology for again referring to it. In the acts passed last session, the General Government took power to construct a railway from Dunedin to the Clutha. The Provincial Government (the Superintendent alone dissenting) emboldened by a resolution passed in the Provincial Council by a large majority, openly resisted what they called " the interference of the General Government." They saw in it " an invasion of the rights of Provincial Councils." They proclaimed defiance to the last extremity. They invoked " the spirits of the mailed barons of Runnymede," and were only prevented from offering to " stain the heather"-rather than surrender, by the fact that there was no heather to stain. Meeting after meeting was held, in which members of the Provincial Executive indulged in the most awful (we were going to say ludicrous) threats against the General Government. The memory of 1867 was appealed to, somewhat inconsistently,by Mr Donald Reid, who then supported the Colonial party ; and Otago was urged with the most frantic eloquence to " look after her own rights," and not " be robbed by Wellington." To heal this " imminent and deadly breach," the Hon. Mr Vogel, as best acquainted with any local questions that might arise, was despatched by the Ministry, to try and make this* infuriated party listen to reason. Him they would not at first permit even to speak; and when he had succeeded in gaining a hearing they were still as obstinate as ever. As the toper, whom an anxious wife tried to decoy from the tavern, replied, " Anything in reason, Judy; but go home I wont;" so this faction replied, " We will do anything "for the advancement of our province, but we won't allow you to construct our railways." What did the Colonial Government then do? Did they draw back from the position they had taken up, and seek, like the Government of 1867, to cover their retreat by a clumsy manoeuvre ? Did they keepup,liketheir predecessors, an irritating agitation, and inflict an unnecessary expense on the recusant province? No; they simply advertised for tenders, and commenced the construction of the railway on better terms than the .Provincial Government could Command ! The General Government, so far from being " carried away" by the Provincial, actually, in spite of all their opposition, began a railway, whose earthworks could be seen from the very Council Chamber where they had valorously declared their intention to die,

rather than surrender. The views of the Government were admirably summed up in a sentence which cost Mr Macandrew his election for the Clutha : " Perish provincialism, if it interferes with a colonising policy." As we remarked on Monday, these colonial vie fvs have at last triumphed—the Hon. Mr Bell's amendment on Mr Reid's motion having been virtually adopted, and without a division. Henceforth, no one can have any doubt that, so long as the present Ministry holds office, if a pro vince stands in the way of any colonial work, the work will proceed, come what consequences may, to the recalcitrant province. As no ministry has ever propounded a more truly colonial policy; so no ministry has so successfully vindicated the supremacy of the Colonial Government.

But while the Government policy and administration are thus colonial, it does not follow (and we think Mr Bunny himself will now agree with us) that the success of both depends "on banishing everything of a provincial nature from it." 'The letter of the Colonial Secretary, reprinted elsewhere, and the memorandum to the General Government appended to the Superintendent's speech, very clearly show that the very opposite is the case. The Provincial Secretary of Wellington will, we trust, be a living refutation of his own hasty utterance. His colleague, the Provineial Treasurer., has had the honor of inaugurating the new era of colonial immigration, °by acting as a provincial officer in settling the first batch of immigrants on the lauds of the province. From the present executive we augur better things than to suppose they must needs be " banished" as being " provincial" to insure the success of the colonial policy. On the contrary, we think that they will be able, because of their several provincial offices, greatly to assist in giving it a fair trial. The work of colonisation is now, for the first time, set beiore the colony, and all existing institutions must either forward it or be set aside. Where "anything provincial" helps forward this work, let us retain it: but until it has shown itself obstructive or antagonistic, let us not foolishly talk of " banishing it." It is astonishing how easily many questions settle themselves by "a little wholesome neglect." The Ministry supported by the colonial party, by insidious and irritating attacks'on provincialism, succeeded only in provoking an antagonism between the local and central legislatures ; while aMinistry of provincialists, disregarding altogether this question ©f provincial ism, by a policy of colonisation, has succeeded in securing its complete and permanent solution. From this time forth, the phrase " anything provincial" no longer means anything objectionable. If the hon. member for Wairarapa has still any lingering doubts, the Provincial Secretary of Wellington will be able to set them at rest!