New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, AUGUST 7.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4488, 7 August 1875, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, AUGUST 7.

Those who listened to the Financial Statement on Friday week, must have been disappointed with the speech of Major Atkinson, when moving the second reading of the Abolition of Provinces Bill last night. It certainly was not what the House and the country had a right to expect as the exposition of a great policy, which has engaged the attention of the public more than any other matter during the last ten months. Indeed, we may truly say, that all other questions have been dwarfed beside that of Constitutional reform. Public expectation was therefore excited to the utmost to hear what Ministers had to say on the subject. The House and the galleries were full, and the Colonial Treasurer addressed a sympathetic audience. But the speech fell flat on the House. It dealt with details, rather than with principles ; and when the hon. gentleman sat down, the question, so far as exposition was concerned, remained very much as it was before he got up. Progress had been made, however. The second reading of the Bill was moved, and the measure fairly launched before the House. It is exceedingly fortunate, however, that the Abolition of Provinces Bill does not rest upon the speech of the Minister in charge of it. He did not exhaust the

subject by any means; and before the debate closes, we have little doubt that weightier arguments will be adduced in its favor. We have no doubt Ministers believe the General Assembly has the power to do what they invite it to do by this Bill; —and here, let us say, that this was by far the most telling part of Major Atkinson’s speech. And believing, as Ministers do, that it is sound policy as well as perfectly legal, their duty was clear and unmistakeable. They have scrupulously followed the line of duty, and introduced this Bill; and it is for the Legislature to give it most earnest consideration. Having already expressed an opinion in favor of the principle of the Bill, and generally also in approval of its details, we need not discuss it again at any length. Suffice it to say that the points touched on by Major Atkinson, while going through the clauses of the Bill, to some extent embraced the pith of the measure. But there are outlying principles, so to speak, which were not touched upon, but which have a most direct bearing on the question before the Legislature and the country. We think the legality point may be set aside, because, as the Colonial Treasurer said, if the opposition to the measure is based upon a technical objection of this kind, it will find little favor with the country. It is simply preposterous to say that the community is to be bound, hard and fast, by “a paper constitution,” framed for an entirely different state of things from those which now exist. The duty of the General Assembly is to decide what is best for the country at the present time, and if there be a legal impediment in the way of accomplishing it, steps can be taken to have it removed, as was done, on former occasions.

It must be gratifying to the country to have the assurance of the Colonial Treasurer that he sees no difficulty in the way of fulfilling all the pledges to municipalities and road boards. Every promise he holds out in the Financial Statement will be easily fulfilled. These are his words, and as the Colonial Treasurer speaks with the authority which special knowledge of the subject gives, we accept his assurance in good faith, and as an answer to all objections. And wo suspect this assurance will go much further towards convincing the country of the soundness of the Ministerial policy than any other portion of the hon. gentleman’s speech. Major Atkinson maintained that all the functions performed by Provincial Governments could be better and more economically performed by the General Government and road boards. This statement is susceptible of proof, but manifestly the proof does not at present exist. However, there is an undoubted saving on the estimates of provincial expenditure for the last eight months of the financial year, inasmuch as the cost of the legislative and executive branches of Provincial Government is saved. By abolishing Provincial Government its cost becomes a present saving. So far Major Atkinson was correct, and we see no reason for supposing that his general proposition is less accurate. Everything will depend upon administration, however. But it must be evident to any one conversant with public affairs, that no appreciable departmental saving can be effected during the current year. It will take the remaining eight months to organise the public service so as to absorb the provincial departments without overburdening the Civil Service, or unduly adding to its numbers. But when the Colonial Treasurer used the argument that because Provincial Government had divested itself of some of its functions, by creating boards of education, harbor boards, and road boards, it should be abolished, in our opinion he weakened his position. His argument, as we understood it, was an acknowledgment that Provincial Councils had been careful to create and set in motion the machinery of local self-government ; —that a decentralising policy had been pursued ; and that having thus recognised the right of the people to local administration and the management of their own affairs, it was not inconsistent with provincial policy to abolish the Provincial Government itself, leaving the General Government and road boards to manage public affairs. But this argument, if pushed to its logical conclusion, would be equally good as against the Central Government also. It is simply a question of time and development. However, as we have said, the merits of the measure are not affected by the arguments made use of in moving the second reading. The Bill is clear and intelligible, and will have the effect, when passed into law, of bringing the Government and the people into contact. This is the great merit of the Bill in our eyes. Hence the necessity for sweeping away the intermediate governments, which screen the Colonial Government and General Assembly from the wholesome check of public opinion. The taxing power, as the Colonial Treasurer remarked, should be the spending power. Hitherto the general and extraordinary revenue of the colony, he likewise truly said, had been distributed, not according to the requirements of the districts,, but by a gigantic scramble on the floor of the House and in the lobbies. With the abolition of Provincial Government, organised pressure of this kind could not be brought to bear upon the Government. We also concur in the opinion expressed by Major Atkinson, that the public credit will be improved on the passing of tho Bill. For that reason, if for none other, we should like to see it law.