The Southland Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1864.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 27, 2 August 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1864.

In our last issue we stated that the Superintendent, being driven into a corner by the Council, would, endeavor to weary it out by constant adjournments on the plea of insufficient time to prepare the estimates., The handling the Provincial Treasurer got on Friday evening, however, seems to have rendered an alteration of tactics advisable; so on Saturday evening that gentleman brings down the new estimates, and His Honor sends a message, the substance of which is : — " As you have rejected the resolutions submitted by the Provincial Treasurer, and which were calculated to facilitate our obtaining a loan to relieve our present difficulties, and have thereby taken the responsibility of the situation on yourselves, jierhaps you will be good enougli to devise some other mode of escape." If not a fair and straightforward move, it is at least an ingenious way of shifting the onus from his own shoulders, which might have succeeded in misleading the public, had it not been so clearly and emphatically combated and rebutted by the Council during the discussion of ike message. Supposing His Honor is not sincere in the belief he expresses that in these resolutions is contained the panacea for our particular disease, (and in justice to his intellect we must suppose this to be the case) we are inclined to think he might have found some more plausible scheme, one which did not carry absurdity on the face of it. This scheme is a remedy devised for a disease requiring immediate treatment, and will brook no delay. What are its elements for' accomplishing this? These resolutions pi-opose three things. First, that the G-eneral Assembly should be called together to pass an Act conferring the Colonial guarantee on Provincial loans hitherto contracted. Secondly, that Provincial loans should be consolidated, and made directly chai-geable on the Co.ony, and Thirdly, that a general loan should be raised, to meet the future requirements of the various Provinces, which loan should be allocated by Commissioners, to be appointed "on some equitable basis, the extent of available territory, or other resources in each, appearing to be a fair and reasonable one." As regards the first, viz., the reason why the Governor should call together the Assembly at once, is the necessity of obtaining the Coldnial guarantee for the Provincial Loans. Why he should not do so, the relative positions of Sir George Grey and the General Assembly since the receipt of Mr. Cardwell's last despatch. The Duke of Newcastle having thrown the responsibility of Native affairs upon the Colonial Ministiy, and 'the General Assembly at its last session having accepted it, and determined that the war should be vigorously prosecuted, and the " confiscation policy " carried out, that body, if called together at the present moment, is bound to stand by its policy, and thus the Governor, backed by the Home Government, Exeter Hall, the Aborigines Protection Society, and the sympathy of the House of Commons, will be placed in a position of antagonism to the Colonial Parliament, which, if sustained with any degree of party feeling, must lead to a suspension of the Constitution. On the other hand should the Ministry, refusing to act on the dictation of the Governor, resign, Sir George Grey can, without much difficulty, obtain a Cabinet" composed of men willing aud able to act in harmony with him in carrying out the new policy forced upon us by the Home Government ; and tins Ministiy, while, of course, it would have to seek the assistance of the General Assembly as soon as possible, would take good care 'that that body should not be' summoned before it had thoroughly mastered the position, had its measures cut and dried, and a definite policy prepared. Any i; one acquainted : with the character of < Sir George Grey, and the policy he has pursued, will not for one moment doubt which, of these two courses he will adopt. We are of opinion he will consider the necessity of guaranteeing a Provincial" Loan of secondary importance to carrying into successful operation his own views, and accomplishing the object of his ambition, which has hitherto been frustrated by the Assembly, viz. — patching up a peace, however hollow, with -the Maori, and leaving New Zealand with": •the same,- prestige which attacfied to him. on his appointment for a second time !to the Governorship, of these L3lands,,of being a Governor who could manage the con-

flicting interests of a mixed European and savage population, which 0 reputation has been considerably tarnished. !For the sake of argument, however, we will-.take it for granted that he will ..sacrifice personal considerations in deference to the wishes of Southland, and call together the G-eneral Assembly. Before it can-meet six weeks at least will have elapsed. Will -the guaranteeing of Provincial Loans, or the Maori difficulty, occupy the earliest attention of the: Assembly ? Judging from the -past, we have no hesitation in affirming .that , the latter subject will be deemed the ' more important of the two, and obtain the primary consideration. Last Session was almost entirely occupied in discussing and legislating on this question. The Middle Island and its interestswere made . ; subservient. „to, this, allimportant topic— all .important at/ least as far as the North Island is concerned, The only measures more particularly; interesting us ; were either -, shelved, |br hastily discussed. The Ordinance to give us representation on. &, ; more equitable ■basis, was withdrawn, principally 'because the Assembly, tired out by a protracted discussion of the Maori question, had no inclination to deliberate calmly on,: so triuing.'a subject, to' it, a« increased representation for Southland. A Bill for considerably enlarging the size of the Province could not be introduced, as the House had determined it woul d not entertain any subject likely to induce much discussion so late in the session. So much for the past. Supposing the Assembly meets at the end of six weeks, the principle snbjects likely to be brought under its notice are the Maori difficulty : the Panama route question ; new Eepre-. sentation Act; a fresh Land Act for, Southland; The Seat of Government question resuscitated; and the subject more particularly under discussion— the Colonial guarantee and consolidation of Provincial loans. How long will it take to get through all this work, and what are we to do in the meanwhile, to get relief from our difficulties, and meet the present emergency? Putting on one side all the other questions, the last is an apple of discord, which, of itself, would frustrate the objects it is intended to accomplish byx .these resolutions ; but that Southland should be willing to throw it is too absurd. Consolidate the loan. Will Canterbury and Otcago readily consent to this ? Supposing, however, that this difficulty is also overcome, and that two months have been consumed by the General Assembly in discussing all the subjects brought under their, consideration (which is little enough time considering the important nature of these matters) nearly four months will have elapsed before the Commisssioners to allocate theloan are appointed, andturned their attention to the difficult task before them — a task, which, looking at the length of time consumed in the allocation of the New Zealand Company's debt, will occupy them at least two years. What are we to do in the meanwhile ? Are our debts to be left unpaid, our half-finished railway-works to be consigned to ruiii ? The Provincial Treasurer enunciated a brilliant idea — " That the General G-overnment, pending the allocation of the loan, would advance the money." Thus, immediately on the prorogation of the Assembly, we would require, say £150,000 cash ; Otago would naturally demand, in consideration. of her larger size and importance, £200,000; Canterbury, to undertake her harbor improvements, say £200,000 ; and Marlborough, for her railway to the goldfields, at least £50,000. The General Government would therefore be required to immediately disburse £600,000! Of course the General Government, not requiring any money, and having an unlimited supply at its command would do this. The argument is so puerile, that one is not surprised at the source from which it emanated. We have not space to enter into the impolicy of these resolutions, were they at all likely to obtain the attention of the Assembly, but will take ano pporfcunity, a some future occasion, to enter into this feature of the subject.