WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1866.

Southland Times, Issue 585, 31 October 1866, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1866.

The fact that a radical reform in the system of Grovernment in operation in New Zealand is urgently required is now universally acknowledged. Thtreis not one of the nine provinces that support the continuation of the present costly, unworkable, and complicated machinery now employed; still no two provinces can agree upon even the basis of the reforms required. The agitation for a change is expanding, and becoming more vigorous day by day, and the disjointed convergings of the leaders of the different sections of the colony becoming more transparent. There are already five propositions before the country, but not one is more than a skeleton sketch of theoretic creation. It must be conceded that the complications, the involved liabilities, the opposing interests of the several provinces, and the want of accomplished statesmen — men who can grasp the idea of unity and justice — renders it a most difficult and perplexing task to even slightly review the various schemes of reform that have been shadowed forth. The Daily Times has more conscisely than any other journal classified the reforms now under discussion. We take the following from that paper of the 24th October :— " The principal remedies suggested may thus be described : 1st — Insular Separation, the provinces being left as they are at present. 2nd — Insular Separation, with the destruction of the Provincial" GfoTernmenta. Srd— InauJar Separation,

with the absorption of the smaller provinces into the larger. "4th — Insular Separation, with the consolidation into one of the provinces of each island. sth — That as an immediate remedy, the power of the provinces should be increased to the extent of making it incumbent on them to preserve law and order within their own limits, that n financial adjustment of the past should be come to ; that the financial revenues of the provinces for the future should be defined, that the expenditure of the General Government should be minimised." Such is a crude outline of existing proposals. In the whole of these plans for the future, objections arise in one place or another at every twist of the kaleidoscope. The Otago politicians evidently aim at the perpetuation of Provincialism extended and enriched. Their card is evidently " Insular Separation, with the absorption of the smaller provinces into the larger." The constitution of the Otago Association is purely Provincialism, an attempt to prevent the destruction of a system which all acknowledge to be bad in principle and worse in practise. Canterbury on the other hand opposes this, and argues that the policy of Otago is narrow-minded and selfish. The Press, in commenting upon the recent demonstrations in Dunedin, saya : — " Jf a , common interest is to grow up in the Middle Island, it will certainly not be by the exhibition of such a feeling as that which displayed itself at the Dunedin meeting. It will not be by the attempt to monopolise power by the large towns, and to ignore the independent rights of the country constituencies. The real truth is that a very general unanimity of feeling is now growing up throughout the Middle .Island, but Dunedin does not lead it. Out of the forty-one votes from the Middle Island, Dunedin could not during the whole of last session command more than eight votes at the outside upon any question of public policy. The smalt party, -of which Dunedin' is the centre, hardly commands the majority, even of the Otago votes." The* Nelson, "Wellington, and the small central provinces, while confessing a desire for reform are not disposed to favor the views of either Canterbury or Otago —in fact they are centralizers, the supporters of the Stafford policy of one strong Government for the colony, with a comprehensive system of municipal local governments._ Auckland is in favor of Provincial independence. Thus we have the conflicting elements of disunion. The question next to be considered, and it is a question that should be earnestly pondered over by every colonist, are there either of " the five proposals practicable and workable ? To our mind none are sufficiently defined to enlist the sympathy of the majority of the people. AH the agitations that are going on throughout the colony point to a reform of the system of Government, but as long as the discordant sounds of rival theorists drown the voice of thought and wisdom, the present zigzag political logrolling will be perpetuated, and the existing system of misrule continued. It becomes then a matter for meditation, how are the necessary changes to be made ? It is evident that Insular Separation would be most desirable if it could be obtained. But we think there are grave obstacles in the way of its speedy accomplishment. The Imperial Government would have a powerful influence in deciding this question, and we may rest assured that no action would be taken until all the differences that now exist were completely removed, and the partnership accounts equitably adjusted. This would be a loug and tedious work, and in the meantime, other difficulties would, with the mushroom growth that has been so conspicuous during the last few years, spring up to procrastinate a settlement to a remote period. "Would this advance the progress of the colony. Could it be hoped that it could survive five years' agitation, and a like period of yearly increasing taxation ? We think not. If Separation is not for the time obtainable, which of the five proposals is the next best to be advocated? The costly system of Provincialism cannot be continued without impoverishing and pauperising the entire colony. A small population like that of New Zealand with ten Governments, each with divided and conflicting interests and powers, all more or less financially embarrassed, would drag down to the lowest position of depression the most favored colony in the world. Therefore it is clear that the Provincial system is worked out — it has accomplished its mission, and should be withdrawn from the political stage. This is a subject in which Southland is immediately concerned. Perhaps it is of more vital* importance to this Province than to any other that a speedy reform in the system of Government should be made. The whole of her estate is mortgaged, she has no positive control over any of her revenue, and what little is granted to her as a favor is absorbed in keeping up false appearances — indeed if any change in the division of Ne\v Zealand is made, the entire destruction of the Provincial system should be aimed at, either a separation of the two islands, or a comprehensive plan of local self- Government, so adaptable and elastic as to meet the wants of the varied communities composing the colony. Southland ought to put forth her energies in the way of agitation, and plainly intimate to Mr Staffoud's Government that unless more attention is paid to her pressing wants, and more consideration shown to her exhausted condition, the sooner we are erased as a Province the better. It is not difficult to prophecy that by an alliance with Otago the fate of Mr Staffoed's centralising scheme would quickly be decided. This question should be kept prominently before the public.

The following quantities of Land were •old yesterday ab the Waste Land Board : — Mr Shand... 123 acres, Winton district „ ... 192 „ Winton hundred „ ... 138 „ Taringatura District. „ ... 655 „ , j, j> ... 257 „ Mr Holt ... 400 „ Waiau „ ... 157 „ Mr Cltvrk ... 80 „ Wairalri „ MrShand... 110 „ Hokanui „ Mr Smith... 109 „ „ „ The total sum realised was £2,221. It may not: be generally known that by the recent G-old Fields Act Amendment Act, passed doring the last session, any person found working without a miner's right on a proclaimed goldfield is liable to a fine of £5 for the first offence, and ten pounds or imprisonment for each subsequent offence. It is to be hoped those men working on the Pahi and Bushy Point diggings, who have not obtained their Miner's Bights, will take the hint. The Wellington Land Purchase Toan of £30,000 is now in the market, and tenders for it will be received at the Provincial treasury up to 4 o'clock on Wednesday, the 7th November. The debentures of £100 each are redeemable within a period not exceeding five years from the Ist July last, and bear interest at the rate of 10 per centpayable half-yearly, at the Provincial Treasury, or at the branches of the Bank of New South Wale? 1 throushout this colony. The Presbyterian body of Christchurch r Ye making eflfbrts to raise a sum of money for the purchase of a site and the erection of a Church for St. Paul's Coogregation, which hitherto has met in the Town Hall. Intelligence from the western portion of the interior of New South Wales states that the sheepowners are busily engaged with their lambing, which promises to be one of the most prolific they have had for years. In ones or two flocks the increase has been hitherto full 90 per cent. We notice that Andrew Jarvey, one of the sons of the late notorious Captain Jarvey, was brought before the "Resident Masistrate at Hokitika lately, charged with stealing from the vessel in which he was cabin boy. The Magistrate took a lenient view of the case, and dismissed the culprit with a caution. The customs revenue for the Port of Wairau for the quarter ended September, 1866, was £674 4s 4d, and for the corresponding quarter of 1865, £592 7s Bd. The customs revenue for the Port of Picton for the same quarters was £381 17s sd, and £567 Bs Bd. Mr Eager, the Treasurer of New South Wales, made his financial statement on the 27 September last. The sum required for 1867 amounts to £2,062,992. The Tren surer concluded his statement by maintaining the advisibility of having at no very distant period a National Bank of issue in that colony. Bell's Life in Victoria says : — Mr and Mrs Clarence Holf were, during the month of June, pursuing their provincial tour. They appeared successively at Birkenhead and Cardiff, in tragedy and melo-drama. The Nelson Colonist has been informed that a boulder of greenstone, the weight of which was a little over lOOlbs, was sent by a gentleman from the West Coast to France some time ago, and was sold there for 25,000 francs (£1000). It is greatly used on the continent for ornamenting rings, brooches, bracelets, &c, and has come into great fashion in the avistocratic circles. At a meeting of the local literary institute a few days ago (according to the " Taranaki Herald"), the Superintendent, Mr. H. Eg Richmond, entered into an explanation of his reasons for not attending any place of public worship, stating that the modes of worship at present adopted by the different Protestant sects were so entirely opposed'to his ideas of what was the proper mode of addressing the Creator, that it would jar upon his feelings to enter any place of public worship. He made this explanation because, as the chief civic functionary of the province, he might be looked upon as setting a bad example to young men. Ho only asked for tolerance from those who were opposed to his views, and wished to be argued with as a Christian, although not belonging to any sect. One of the most extraordirary insolvencies that has come under our notice for a long time (says the Daylesford Express,) is that of Messrs James and William Blythe, the well-known millers. Their debts are set down at £10,732 8s lid, and the assets at only £25. It is stated that the firm have been ruined by unsuccessful mining speculations.