The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1875.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 58, 30 October 1875, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1875.

The parliamentary session just closed has 1 een one of tho most important in results, that has been held since a constitution was granted to New Zealand, and, despite the opposition of a number of political Rip Van Winkles, chief amongst them Ex-Governor Grey, an ■overwhelming majority of both Houses of the Assembly have resolved on marching with the times and sweeping away administrative machinery, useful and necessary in its day, but now antiquated, cumbrous, expensive, and us dess, in tho shape of Provincial institutions. _ As every one, who had watched tho signs Provincialism'"was sealed, somewhat So be regretted that any compromise was made, and that the Government did not adhere to their originally expressed intentions, in lieu of giving what in point of fact will bo another years lease of existence to provinces, as such. The vain hope the Opposition hug, as to the Assembly’s verdict being reversed, after the election, is only another illustration of bow drowning men will cling to straws, for assm-edly tho abolition majority in the next Parliament will bo larger than that of the past. A new cry is about to be got up by tho acknowledged Provincial loaders,, one of Insular Separation, or in other words for the consolidation of tho various provinces in each island, and tho establishment of two large, instead of nine small ones. It is further proposed by them that those States, as they maybe almost termed, shall be thoroughly independent of each other, and of a Federal Government—which is included in the scheme—in all respects, save and. except in relation to fiscal laws, and subjects specially and equally affecting* tho whole colony. This project, they hope, will find favor in the eyes of 1 both tho defeated Provincial band, and also with many of the constituencies in the Middle Island, ns in that portion of the colony the largest landed estate remains. The pretext is that no confidence can bo placed in the Government of this or future time, as far as the retention of the land fund in the various districts' goes, and that should it bo taken away, injustice would be done to them without any equivalent being afforded. This is pure moonshine, of course, but it will, we have uo doubt, be sufficient to blind a great many electors, so there is every probability that the Insular Separation party, as we understand they have dubbed themselves,, will run the whole hog abolitionists very close in the south, even if they do not succeed in securing a majority in Canterbury and Otago. That faith must be kept with the abolished provinces in relation to their land fund there cannot be a doubt; indeed, many of the staunchest supporters of tho Government would at once turn round, did they think “mala tides” possible in this direction. Security can easily be taken in coming legislation, before absolute abolition be accomplished, to insure against any present or future breach of the kind, and the cry raised is a mere bogy, held up aloft by Sir George Grey and party to frighten fools with. They will make the best use of tbeir scarecrow probably with some measure of success, and they have, or will have, it is said, some substantial metallic reasons at their, call, to bo distributed without stint at tho approaching general eleciion. The organisation of such a confederacy, backed by funds to a largo amount, is

no canard, Imt a substantial fact, and tlic political trinity, composed of Urey, Rollc.ston, and Macamhvw are already marshalling their tore’s tor the tray. They have confessed del ait in tit” first instance, but hope to rally their forces and obtain recruits behind the Insular Separation entrenchments that they are so busily constructing. Though in all probability they will not be altogether disappointed in expecting some a c *ssionsit is quite certain that thus • will not be nu nerous enough to turn the scale when the new Parliament assembles. A great many, indeed we believe cum half of the s-or ■ and odd who oppos’d the abolition proposals, will see Wellington no more in the character of repres mtalives, and their plae s will be filled bv supporters of the Vh> v■ • r ll ni.■ nt policy. Even admitting that the new faith, of which Grey and (Jo. are I he expoiiu 1 rs, finds favour in the eyes of some, these are, not likely to be numerous enou.h to replace such oi (be late, minority as will be relegated to private li : e, and give a majority in addition. The Insular Separation ticket :s now the last card in the Provincial hand, and will not go down, no matter how well buttered it may be. 1.1- people of the colony are sick of Provincialism, l'iid aiv not likely to tolerate it in a larger and more aggravated form. The absurdity of having three Legislatures, two Provincial and one Federal, to rule over considerably less than half a million oj people, must be apparent to any but monomaniacs of the Grey stamp or those, like Maeandrew and Kolleston, who, from interested motives, desire to maintain the existing state of tilings, On abolition being accomplished, these gentlemen sink into comparative insignificance,instead of being dictators almost in their respective provinces. They naturally cling to the traditions and institutions of the past, from which their power is derived, ami will fight hard for their maintenance, even in a modified form. There is however no danger of llieirnpsetting the verdict the Assembly lias arrived at, and that the, people will heartily endorse it, when the time comes, there cannot be the least question, the machinations of the Insular beparaionists notwithstanding.