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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4403, 30 April 1875, Page 2

The announcement that Mr. Seymour, M.H.R. for Wairau, had resigned his seat is at least premature. The Provincial Council is now in session, and the hon. gentleman will: meet his constituents afterwards, and submit the question to them. This course, it will be remembered, was recently taken by Mr. Francis, ex-Preraier of Victoria; his constituents requested him not to resign, and for a short time he acquiesced; but on reflection he thought it would be a selfish act on his part to permit their respect for himself to operate to their prejudice, as it would have done if he had practically disfranchised them, and he resigned. A more recent example may be quoted in New Zealand. When Mr. Fox, ex-Premier of this colony, resolved to visit Europe, many of his constituents requested him not to resign, but he likewise felt that, on the eve of great constitutional changes, it would be unfair to deprive the electors of Rangitikei of a- voice in shaping the Constitution, and he resigned. The spirit with which the seat thus vacated was contested, proves conclusively that Mr. Fox acted wisely in resigning: It is not for us to interpose between the electors of Wairau and Mr. Seymour, their member, because we feel certain that he will be guided entirely by strict principles of duly. We simply mention two cases in point, as bearing directly on tho question which, Mr. Seymour intends submitting to his constituents. Taking a • Constitutional view of the

case, we may add that a constituency has no right to grant its member leave of absence. Suppose a call of the House were made—a by no means unlikely contingency—in what position would a member be who had simply obtained leave of absence from his constituents 1

" The Official Handbook of New Zealand," is reviewed at considerable length by the Illustrated London News, which speaks in terms of praise of the publication. The review occupies nearly a page of the Illustrated News. It embodies all the leading points in the Handbook. The details are introduced by the following remarks :—" The enterprising Prime Minister of our most promising Australasian colony, who has just arrived in Loudon to arrange some business of his Government, is the editor of this interesting volume. It consists of a series of descriptive and statistical papers, by twenty different hands, upon the actual condition of Now Zealand, and of its nine several provinces. This subject is likely to engage before long, a large share of public attention, not only because the attractions of that country for British emigrants, since the complete pacification of the Maori tribes, are more generally acknowleged than a few years ago, but further because of its geographical, commercial, and political relations to the nearest Polynesian groups inviting the touch of Christian civilisation. It has been reserved for the present Government of New Zealand, in a project lately brought before its Legislative Assembly, to set forth the practicability of such comprehensive and systematic dealings with the thousand isles of the South Pacific Ocean as may save them from the mischiefs inflicted by lawless and licentious adventure. That proposal, whenever and in whatever shape it may hereafter be revived, will be of an importance to the whole Empire, indeed to the world, likely to be enhanced by the recent accomplishment, through other agency, of the annexation of the Fiji Islands. At the last monthly meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute, when the late Governor of New Zealand was present, testimony was frankly borne, in the speeches of gentlemen representing other colonies, to the statesmanlike foresight and breadth of Mr. Vogel's conception. It may certainly be predicted that New Zealand will at least divide with New South Wales and Queensland the mighty task of reaching out to the far scattered insular peoples of the South Sea, to whom the bles : sings of Christianity have on former occasions been offered, the protecting reign of British law, the beneficial spread of our trafno and industry. The centenary of Captain Cook's chief maritime discoveries in that region has been worthily though unconsciously celebrated by the acts which we hail as an effectual pledge of this result. But New Zealand in itself, not looking beyond the extent of its principal two islands, which is just equal to that of Great Britain and Ireland, contains resources and presents advantages, now diligently improved by a constructive policy of singular boldness, which must soon, command notice throughout the world. This collection, therefore, by Mr. Vogel, of authentic reports and essays upon the affairs of the colony in several aspects and departments, and upon the different conditions of its various provinces, is a very opportune publication. A mere outline of its contents may here be attempted for the guidance of the inquiring reader." After' going through the volume with, great care, the review concludes with the following words :—"The entire work, to which Mr. Vogel supplies a judicious introductory chapter, seems worthy of New Zealand, in some respects the most interesting example of British colonial enterprise, and of the vigorous growth of our social life upon the remotest Bhores."

Eraser's Magazine for March contains "a rejoinder on the debts of New Zealand," addressed to the editor, by Mr. Charles Fellowes. It occupies nine pages of the magazine, and adds nothing new to the question at issue. The editor closes the correspondence, giving two letters to Mr. Fellowes and one to Mr. Vogel. We understand, however, that the latter gentleman did' hot intend to take any further notice of the detractor of the colony, with the welfare " of which, he says,' he is • inseparably, bound up. It is noteworthy, that Mr. Fellowes quotes Sir David Monro's absurd speech at Waikouaiti, on the railway policy, as reported in the Otago Daily Times, March Ist, 1873 ; and a letter of the Auckland correspondent of the same newspaper, published in its summary edition for Em-ope, August 3,1874, in which the alleged failing credit of the colony, and non-productiveness of the public works expenditure, are paraded for the purpose of depreciating New Zealand securities on the London Stock Exchange. Our space does not admit of going further into this subject to-day.