New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4835, 20 September 1876, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20.

It was not to have been expected that Mr. Macandrew would be either argumentative or convincing last night. Ho had to show that cogent reasons existed why Otago should be exempted from the operations of the Abolition Act, and this, it is evident, constituted an utterly hopeless task. For it is a manifest impossibility to prove that on any principle of justice the Abolition Act of last session should be repealed, which to affirm Mr. Macandkew’s motion (would be practically to do. But from a sentimental point of view Mr. Macandrew’s speech was admirable. He was pleading a wrong cause, one which is utterly opposed to the interests of tho colony, yet the complete sincerity of the man, the manner in which tho narrower patriotism which has made him look to Otago first, and Now Zealand afterwards, animated him in a faith mistaken yet honestly entertained, could not but command a certain degree of admiration. This showed indeed for how much of evil provincialism is in some senses responsible. It is clear that had it not been for tho existence of a form of government which made such statesmen as Mr. Macandrew, gentlemen like him would

now be the foremost patriots in New Zealand, instead of merely exhibiting that narrow devotion to a district which would willingly sacrifice every other district in the country to. the interests of its own. Major Atkinson put the matter fairly when he pointed out how difficult it was to answer a speech like that of Mr. Macamdeew, which contained neither fact nor argument, but was merely an expression of mistaken sentiment. We regret that having given the speeches of Mr. Macandrew and the Premier at some length, we have been compelled in our report elsewhere to curtail that of Sir George Geey, for it was a specimen of such bombastic rhodomontade, that to have reported it in full would have been quite sufficient to show the windy bore which the leader of the Opposition really is, and as which he is now regarded by all sensible men in the House. In more than one instance when he intended to be telling he -was simply laughable. He professed horror at the bold tone of Major Atkinson’s speech, yet admired Mr. Macandrbw’s distinct threat of armed resistance, and even, amidst no little mirth, went in for a similar threat on his own account. He was a marked contrast to Mr. Macandrew however: the feeling of the one was real, that of the other was but assumed. The former spoke like the sincere advocate of a cause, the other used the transparent and assumed emotions of an indifferent actor. The burden of the cry from all the Otago members was an eminently selfish one. It was—“ Let Otago decide whether provincial institutions are to continue within her boundaries.” That is not the way in which the question should be looked at. The real point at issue was this—New Zealand has decided upon abolition; shall one district in the colony dictate to New Zealand ?