The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1875.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 282, 19 June 1875, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1875.

We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

The absence of the Premier at the approaching meeting of Parliament, will, doubtless, throw the Ministry into a state of utter confusion, and bring about a crisis which would not, probably, happen were he present. At the time of Mr. Vogel’s departure for Europe, it was not, of course, thought (save, perhaps, by himself) that he would be unable to meet the House at its annual session. Contingencies, however, in the lives of Cabinet Ministers, cannot always be foreseen, any more than those that thwart the doings of humbler men. But in view of this fact—considering theprominentpositionMr. Vogeloccupies, and the important duties, that devolve upon him as head of the Government--! t may well beheld by thecountry to be injudicious, to say the least, for him to undertake such a journey, even allowing that the urgency of his mission demanded it; which, we think, cannot be maintained. Premiers of other colonies, do not run off to London whenever they have a loan to contract, but simply entrust the negotiation of it to responsible and duly accredited agent’, whose special function it is to transact (amongst other things) the financial business of the colony they represent. A man holding the reins of responsible Government, and, especially a Government composed, for the most part, of such weak elements as ours is, ought not to jeopardise public affairs through their prolonged absence from head quarters. Mr. Vogel and his colleagues may find this out when they again confront the House of Representatives, and it is desirable that this should be so. It is quite time that that gentleman’s ardour and inordinate love of the luxury of travelling, and being lionised, should be cooled a little. The expenses attending these journeyiugs to the other side of the world in quest of money —so long borne, and liberally paid by the colony —are simply enormous; the facility with which they are voted in Parliament affords a ready excuse for their repetition, and makes the desire to enjoy the further luxury of the popularity which they create, ahnost irresistible. As it would be unwise to proceed to the consideration of the Abolition Resolutions—which must be regarded as the principal business of the session —in the absence of the Premier who introduced them, the Ministry, will, possibly, take shelter under a wise alternative, and advise the Governor to dissolve Parliataent, and leave the ab initio discussion of the Resolutions to the new House. In the meantime, the country will have a favorable opportunity of pronouncing upon them, as they stand—although that has been pretty well done already—as, also, upon the advisability of expanding them so as to embrace the Provinces of the South Island as well as those of the North Island. Such a step would, perhaps, be the more advisable, as the candidates for election would know the exact “ ticket ” which they must pledge themselves to support; and the various constituencies would have a further advantage in being able to analyse the principles of local machinery which the Government must first of all propose in lieu of the Provincial Institutions sought to be abolished. This is the great point to which the attention of the electors should be earnestly directed. We have not strongly pronounced in favor of a blind, pot-luck abolition of the Provinces. All alteration is not, necessarily, improvement, and we counsel caution, accordingly ; for, although it is manifestly essential that a form of local Government, now effete, should give place to one more in consonance yvith the progress of the country, it would be unwise to a degree not to be well satisfied, before its acceptance, with that which is to take its place—to let go our hold <?f one rope before we get possession of another. Therefore, we think it quite upon the cards that instead of precipitating the Abolition question this session, the Government will lay their policy for the future administration of Provincial affairs, before the House, without bringing it to an issue, and go to the country upon that, aud the Abolition question together.